tiffiewuhoo

Hi all,

Was wondering if anyone had any experience with a lemon car from Mercedes and went through a buyback experience. I got my 2019 GLC 350e in July of this year and the gas gauge had issues from the very beginning (e.g. gas gauge would go down, but then come back up; once, the gauge said I had half a tank, but when I started the car, it said it was completely empty). Long story short, I brought my car in July got it back, issues persisted, and then I brought it back for service in August, and it has been with them ever since. My service advisor says that they are waiting for one part from Germany. Initially it was supposed to come in September, then mid-October, and now when I checked in, he said they have no idea when it will be coming in. At this point, this car has been in service longer than I've had it in my possession.

I reached out to Mercedes customer service in September to have them start the buyback process in case the part was not ready in mid-October, and I got the call today that they would be wiling to buy back the car. But she said this was to just buy back the car, not replace it. Some third party is supposed to call me next week about the buy back. I got a really good deal on this vehicle and I reached out to the dealership where I got this car, and they said there are very few 2019 GLC 350es and demand is higher than the supply so I probably couldn't get the same deal. When I look at inventories in my area for 2019 GLC 350es, I don't even see any that have the same packages that my car has.

Can anyone share their lemon experience with me? Even if they give me back all my money, I will be without a car that I had spent a great deal of time negotiating for. I'm not even sure if I can get the same car I had at this point. I searched this forum before I posted and it seemed like some people mentioned a replacement car, but that was a few years ago. Does anyone know if they will still do that? And will Mercedes provide any sort of compensation for these kinds of troubles? Believe it or not, my car has been in service for so long that the loaner car they gave me sold and I had to go back and switch my loaner for another.

I apologize for the complain-y post, but I've been quite frustrated with this whole ordeal. I would greatly appreciate any help anyone can give. Thank you so much!

fabbrisd1

In my experience - a Buyback is exactly that - a Buyback... if Mercedes is "offering" to Buyback - yes - you should seriously consider taking advantage of that to put this this specific GLC behind you.

Certainly you can "ask" that 3rd party company about "replacement" - but that might not be available thru that Buyback agent.

There are just under 100 GLC350E4's that show available across the US - and I have attached a xls pulled down from Netstar tonight - please understand NetStar is a tool - once you have settled the Buyback - THEN if you spot a GLC that might work for you after you know when the Buyback is being settled.

I would NOT suggest calling a dealer on a GLC until after end-October - dealerships this last week of the month are pushing for their month end sales #'s - and your inquiry would be premature and you don't want to waste your time (or the dealer's time) on "maybe's".

Your "dealer" that you have now doesn't want to pick up on this with you until you have the Buyback settled - a OK cover story but a cover story never the less - and your dealer now may or maynot want to pickup on this after you get Buyback settled - so refer to the xls and know you have a map for a reasonable hunt direct with another dealer.

Heck - when you are ready to move forward - any reasonable MB dealer WANTS to clear ALL 2019's..

Mr. J

If I were in your shoes I'd look for a short term lease to take over and then order a Tesla Model Y. MB appears to be discontinuing the GLC350e and who knows when the EQ vehicles will arrive.

2020GLC300

Sounds like you’re cutting your nose off to spite your face.

You have a car to drive, you just need one part to arrive to get back in your car. By the time you finish the buyback and get into another one of the same car, the part would most likely be there and car would be done.

if you buy another one of the same, you’ll likely pay more and who knows if that one will have issues.

Keep in mind, cars are not haunted or cursed. It’s always the service dept that can’t figure out how to repair them quickly and right, or a delay on parts from the manufacturer.

If I were you, I would put my emotions aside and keep driving the loaners while waiting for it to be fixed.

Mr. J

MB plug in hybrids do not have a good track record for quality or reliability. All MB vehicles depreciate substantially. Without a buyback, this vehicle would only be worth 70% of the original purchase price, even less for a trade in. Taking the buyback makes better financial sense and does not succumb to the sunk costs fallacy. In this case the sunk cost is time and effort spent by the OP in researching and purchasing the vehicle and dealing with service appointments. Ditching the car is not an emotional response but rather, a pragmatic one. My suggestion to wait for a Model Y is based upon the fact that plug in hybids are quickly approaching obsolescence and the model Y is likely to be available before the new MB EQ SUVs or the Audi Etron. Also, since the Tesla is built on the same platform as the model 3 and not a new platform like MB and Audi, it's much more likely to have fewer teething issues out of the gate.

If the OP was not interested in hybrid or electric tech I would recommend ditching the GLCe350 and going with a gasoline GLC since they are decently reliable when compared with similarly equipped German lux crossovers.

2020GLC300

You’re assuming the OP wants a pure electric. Regardless of advancements, I would not want a pure electric right now. Hybrids and pure electrics are not fully interchangeable.

And you’re smoking dope and you live in your own little bubble if you think hybrids are close to being obsolete.

Just drive around lower income neighborhoods and apartment complexes and imagine all those cars being plugged into an outlet. Not happening in your lifetime.

Mr. J

I wrote "...the fact that plug in hybids are quickly approaching obsolescence...".
Reading is fundamental dude.

tiffiewuhoo

fabbrisd1, thanks for the excel sheet. I spoke with Stericycle this afternoon and she mentioned that it's difficult to get a replacement with a different dealer, but if I can find a dealer that has the same car and willing to do a replacement, she may be able to help, so your excel is very helpful.

tiffiewuhoo

Mr. J, thanks for your response and empathy. I spent quite a bit of time negotiating for this car and got a good deal, so I am conflicted about giving up the car with a buyback, but I am also not even sure if this one part will fix this gas gauge issue. Stericycle, the third party Mercedes uses for buybacks, gave me a call today, so we'll see. Stericycle told me a replacement may be possible if I can find the same car and a dealer who is willing to go through a replacement process. One of the forum members was kind enough to share an excel with me of available 350es, but I don't see one that is equipped the same as mine, so doesn't look likely.

FYI I was driving a gasoline GLC before this. I actually also had issues with the infotainment when I first received it. :/

familysedan

I also experience numerous of problem with my GLC350E. I tried to ask MB Canada to provide an incentive to trade in the car given multiple repair history but no success yet.

Repairs done so far:
1. Transmission conductor plate (can't get into reverse)
2. Hybrid fault caused by AC compressor
3. Leaking coolant hose for hybrid system
All above took 6.5 weeks of repair time.

Repair underway:
Excess vibration probably caused by transmission, still under diagnostic. Vibration is bad enough we sometimes can't even hold the brake to make a proper stop.

Mr. J

Are you after an EQ or hybrid vehicle or does it matter?

anoop

I went through the buy back process with BMW. I too had gotten a super deal (below invoice after all incentives) on my car. I ended up losing all those on the next car but it was worth getting out of the lemon because I was spending too much time going to the dealer and getting loaners. I did however request that the buy back be delayed until the new car arrived, which was going to take 2 months, and BMW obliged. In your case, if the car is not drivable now, I would just rent a car till you decide what to get next.

tiffiewuhoo

I got quite a good deal on the GLC 350e, so I was hoping to find the exact same car (same packages, etc.) and just replace it out so I can keep my deal, but I haven't been able to find the same car. So at this point, if I go through the buyback, I may just find another car entirely... but I am sad to let my good deal go to waste and not looking forward to negotiating for a new car all over again... :/ heh.

tiffiewuhoo

Wow, that's really bad. I hope Mercedes gives you the buy back you deserve. To be honest, I was surprised that Mercedes was so willing to give me a buyback, when supposedly all I'm waiting for all these months is "one part from Germany." But, I have been waiting for over three months now...

peet

You should keep in mind that by replacement car no one is going to just swap cars and keys and call it a day. Party A (Stericycle? aren't they a surgical sterilization company?) will handle taking the car from you, determine the use so far (the depreciation) and deduct it from some number. Whether they use MSRP or your selling price - unknown. But brace yourself for "what you paid." They probably add some percent back-in as this is a buyback rather than trade-in, to keep MB's customer happy. That's transaction one. Replacing the car is a totally unrelated deal. It will be a retail sale. The only thing that "may" be different is that Stericycle may be able to contact MB and ask them for one-off incentives to try and lower the price. In the end, the dealer will still have to want to sell you the car at some price they have in their mind... let's say that price is $50,000 - then if with all the incentives and discounts you had, and MB will try and offer, add up to $42,000 - that dealer still won't do this. It's still a sale.

That having been said, they can get creative behind the scenes. The dealership may hog swap for coop ad dollars, showroom improvements, or allocation of a hot new car. In which case they might find value in the loss of $8,000 (using my illustration). Net-net, you are better off with them helping than not because of these back-channel things that may happen than buying a replacement on your own.

Hope this helps and not trying to be difficult - the choice is totally yours. I know when I've reached that point of no return, I'd lemon it out. But there are all sorts of things in play in operating a dealership that go into this like, flooring financing, titling, allocations, numbers of units sold in a given period and much more. Remember, the dealer is in business, by definition that means to make money. Usually the workshop and finance office make most of that revenue, but the sales division is what allows those other two to be there at all.

familysedan

I wish they would buy back since it's not a lease. They told me straight forward they won't buy back the car. The only thing they may do is hopefully MB will have sort of support so we won't lose too much on our trade in. Dealer quoted a trade in value that we basically lose 40% of the value (of true cost not MSRP) of the car within one painful year of ownership. We would love to keep the car and continue to drive it so we don't take the biggest depreciation during the first year; however, we have to worry when is the next break down. Sometimes we wonder, if we being worried or its constantly needs to be repaired is the price we have to pay to drive a Mercedes Benz?

Car is still under diagnostic. Not sure which part went wrong yet.

rroberts

I too had a great experience with Herbert Hammer on my C63s. He set up everything, and will give additional advice about essentially anywhere in Europe if you want it. The hotel and an outside restaurant he recommended in Stuttgart were excellent. If you want to stay extra days at the hotel, book in advance and they will give you the MBZ corporate rate (looks to be about 50% off).

Do not worry about Herbert being in California. MBZ has a set ordering/delivering dealership commission split if you want to order and take delivery elsewhere, say, in Miami or Alaska.

Allocation can play a big role in EDP pricing. EDP cars come out of a special (apparently infinite) factory allocation, whereas dealer cars come out of a dealer's allocation. For high demand models a dealer has no incentive to discount because they can sell every car they can get (in fact, the ones they order for stock may be packed with high-priced options and they may be reluctant to let you order a car to your preferred spec). When I visited my local U.S. dealer for a test ride and asked about EDP they said I could have the manufacturer 5% discount (for AMG, 7% for standard models) but would not discount more. Politely, they indicated that they were selling all of their C63s allocation. They were ignorant; Herbert is not, and that is why he makes 80 or more EDP sales a year.

Any EDP sale a dealer can make is gravy or bonus and it is worth it to offer an additional dealer discount to get that sale. I asked Herbert two technical questions (which probably clued him into knowing that I was serious, had done extensive research, and did not need to be "sold"). I asked what deal he could give me and I accepted immediately because I knew that could not do better. With e-mails and one phone call Herbert literally made a 5 minute sale (my 3rd e-mail included a credit card authorization for my deposit; my "local" dealer had wasted 20 minutes of my time making me wait even though I had an appointment).

Isd503 is right to note U.S. taxes. In California we have to pay new-vehicle sales tax on any vehicle brought in within 3 months of purchase. I spent 15 days in Europe. Then there was 5 weeks while the car came to the U.S. My car came into Long Beach, California but I could have instead taken East Coast delivery and drove cross country. As it was, I took delivery and paid taxes here, and then went on an unplanned 21 day trip from L.A. to Miami, Chicago, and back. With better planning and taking Miami delivery, leaving the car in Las Vegas for a week might have made sense.

Herbert's dealership gave me great treatment, and everything about delivery was proper. I had a stone-chip damaged windshield and some curb rash on one wheel (totally my fault). The VPC (vehicle prep center) flew in the replacement windshield and apparently replaced the wheel, all covered by the EDP insurance.

Finally, Herbert is just good people. At our 1st face-to-face meeting we had been shopping earlier and we had it so my lady and I gave Herbert a bottle of Argentine wine and we chatted about where it is the "house wine" on Calle Florida in Buenos Aries. He knew the brand well, because it it is his wife's favorite. (I do not think that there is anywhere he has not visited.)

JEDC1

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I'm curious though, did anyone ever get involved "above" the service advisor? Did the service manager or zone rep for service ever get brought into the loop? I know you said "long story short" at one point, but I'm wondering what the rest of the story is in terms of how this jumped from a frustrating (and certainly unacceptable) parts delay into a buyback. I'm honestly kind of surprised they'd be even remotely willing to consider a buyback, unless they know something they haven't shared with you regarding a resolution for this issue.. I used to be in the car business a lifetime ago, and there would often be situations with service (and even sales) where things would be escalated to the point that the zone rep would actually come in and meet with the customer and the dealer reps and all of a sudden inaction turned into action in terms of getting problems resolved....even if the action was simply getting some answers for the customer that the dealer was unable to provide.

ParjAS

Hey, that makes sense. I think COVID may be one of the reasons to a parts delay, but otherwise it makes no sense.

Althor

Sorry to hear you have a lemon and have to deal with the buyback process. I just went through this whole process and I must say it was frustrating at the least. I bought a 2020 GLC 300 4matic and it started burning oil at 2000 miles and by 4000 miles the engine blew up. I filed a complaint with MBUSA and requested a vehicle exchange or a buyback and was refused those options. They felt they had a right to repair the vehicle, so I let them put a brand new create engine in it and it was all downhill from there. The vehicle was in the shop for over 46 days for a variety of problems. It wasn’t until the vehicle qualified for the lemon laws in my state ( 30 days without use) and me pressing MBUSA with legal action did MBUSA offer a buyback. MBUSA uses a third party agent for the recovery of the vehicle. This is where the process hit a black hole as the agent, Stericycle, ghosted me for weeks on end, they wouldn’t answer a phone call a voice message or emails. I had to call MBUSA and complain weekly to get Stericycle to respond to me. They were the worst company I’ve ever dealt with in 45 years of sales experience. During the process I was contemplating settling the issue through the legal system with my attorney. But that’s another rabbit hole I didn’t want to go down. In the end, MBUSA bought it back refunded everything per my state laws, so it did cost me out-of-pocket for a defective product which I didn’t think was fair but I wanted to put the whole ordeal behind me. Also MBUSA did not want to reimburse me any products or services that the dealership provided, ( Window tint, PPF) hold your ground and demand they include them in the refund and they will. This buyback process took me 3 months from start to finish. I also learned that being polite, courteous and professional got me no where. Best of luck to you.

ParjAS

Hope your process goes better.

apsmbw

Did this car actually get repaired and work properly? My 2019 GLCe needs a new engine at 56K miles and I am trying to identify if others have gone through this or had these issues with the coolant leaking out / pistons ruined / need for engine replacement.