So a week ago I purchased a loaded ML350 bluetech sold as a CPO. Salesmen confirmed the car is pristine, well maintained (according to carfax), demo car driven by the service director, etc.... This is not my first time buying a CPO out of state so I'm confident.
Car was located in Virginia. Today I get a call from the transporter confirming he will be there in the evening. Around 8pm car has arrived. I inspect the exterior. There is a little dent which surprised me since the salesmen confirmed car was scratchless, dentless blah blah blah.
I check tires they are OK, brakes not too bad although I would have expected more life left on them. Interior is ok. Now I get to crank it and to my surprise I get a CEL. I connect the OBDII reader and that dreaded adblue heater code comes up (reductant heater B control performance). Looks like I'm good for a new tank or adblue drain. Either way that should be cover under warranty right?
What I don't understand is how can you certified a car as a CPO if that fault exists? Because it is not a new CEL that popped up during transport. It was there for a while since the code is permanent and stored. So at least it was there for a full driving cycle. The ODO difference between the dealership and my house is only 5 miles.
That is just unbelievable! What do you guys think?

 

The correct answer is that a dealer should adhere to CPO inspection guidelines on the mechanical inspection - and it's "obvious" they did not - and correct, that CEL did not "pop up" in the past 5 miles.

The good thing is "yes" - if promptly taken to a dealer the error will be covered - I say "promptly" and do NOT under any circumstance add DEF to the tank before you get it in - and I hope that the issue will be a quick remedy - if caused by contaminated DEF - then warranty coverage gets a bit muddy - and that's why I say "promptly".

As Certified the AdBlue tank should be full - - if its not - then that was another cheat

A dealer "cheats" CPO inspection to forgo the added dealer expense to bring it to spec - to sell the car lower/more-profit - then have new CPO owner flip that bill to Mercedes under CPO coverage.

Re-examine the transport sheet to see if scratch/dent was recorded on pickup - if not you have recourse thru transport for transport damage - if dent/scratch is on the pickup sheet - then you know the salesperson was fudging, or simply did not see it.

CPO does NOT insure lack-of-wear-tear, CPO is systems/mechnical.

A CPO inspection is 1 1/2 shops hours - over 160 points recorded - if you think selling dealer skipped/fudged - you can pay your dealer to inspect ..

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply on this.
Actually I already have an appointment at my local MB to check the issue. So hopefully it won't be a complicated repair.
The dent was noted on the pick up sheet so the salesmen was very dishonest regarding this. I do understand a 3 years old car even CPO'ed can show normal wear and tear like scratched/dents etc... And I would have been kind of OK with it if I knew in the first place. So very shady from the salesmen since I specifically asked! (again not my first car bought out of state)
Is there a way to prove the selling dealer did not perform a complete CPO inspection? I'm not sure if it will change anything since the car has the CPO designation so any covered issue will be taken care of. But what I'm looking for is to report that dealer to .... MB USA?
By the way dealer is Mercedes Benz of Arlington (JustMercedes). Don't ever go there particularly the pre-owned side of the building!

 

I think you already have that answer! CEL is on for AdBlue problem... didn't just happen! I think MBUSA would take an interest in what you have to say. Better still, to make a point, ask that the MB Area Dealer Rep return your call, or ask for his contact info from MB. Dealers don't like 'marks' against them from District Reps... especially if you get one who likes to stick his nose into things!
Unhappy customers tell many others.... as you've already done....
good luck!

 

Technically, the CPO inspection was complete - or CPO could not have been issued - however, whether the inspection was accurately reported is the issue... since the CEL is evidence the inspection was not reported accurately...if you want to report the facts to MBUSA, then call MB Customer Assistance during business hours (800) 367-6372 speak to a rep - with your VIN#, purcahse date, and date delivered to you, and the reported mileage at Bill-Of-Sale and at delivery... no comment on the "dent/ding" thing since is outside MBUSA concern, and muddies the water on the CEL/Ad-Blue...

Yes, as a result of that report MBUSA will contact dealer directly ... easy for you, if you stick to the facts, and definitely not a good thing for the originating dealer..

 

Not to generalize but I think this CPO process is a little overrated. Do they all do the 160 point check? Maybe but I think in a lot of cases it's an oil and filter change and a quick detail of the vehicle. Case in point over the years I bought two CPO MLs from the same dealer. A 2008 cdi and a 2012 gas. The 2008 had 32k miles but the 30k maintenance was not done. Upon my insistence they did the 30k maintenance before i took possession but it also was delivered with an airbag warning light. The 2012 ( with just 11K miles) i found the following after taking possession; a bad front strut, a loose hinge on the rear passenger door that popped every time the door was opened, a missing valve cap ( I know what's the big deal, but where's the attention to detail?) and only one key. The worst part of the 2012 purchase was the Carfax report from the dealer that listed just scheduled maintenance. However, when I later traded the car in to another MB dealer a year later and that dealer put it up for sale, the Carfax report going back to the time before I owned the car listed the routine maintenance plus engine & transmission removal to change head gaskets when the car had just 7K miles. Had the Carfax report given to me included the engine and transmission removal I would have walked away. Needless to say, I've switched dealers.

 

The full CPO inspection has to be completed by the service tech point-by-point in the system, then entered point-by-point into the system - or MB will not issue the CPO on that vehicle.

Any required service to bring the vehcile up to CPO spec is done/paid by the dealer - that service adds to the vehcile inventory cost - on top of the Mercedes charge to the dealer for CPO.

Putting individual tech mistakes aside - there are not-good MB dealers that reviewing the required CPO service cost - who may choose not do some of the required added service - and service management, or instruct the tech - to trick the system a bit.

I have seen it happen with customer vehcile bought at other dealers.

On a CPO vehicle - technically Mercedes requires a CarFax to be reviewed by the customer as well as additional backup documentation to the CPO.

On a CPO vehicle - all scheduled maintenance for that vehicle is to be up-to-date for that mileage as sold - it is quite common for most MB dealerships to go "beyond" on that - example a 36K mile MB already receiving 40K service - what service that has been done, and when/what-miles next service will be due should be clear to the buyer - since in newer MB's service message comes up at the next 10K/mark (example at 40K miles) whether that service has been already done or not.

All service work done by a MB dealer on a vehicle - is recorded in the system VMI report - and although a MB VMI record technically is not to be printed for a customer - overall it is a MB service code report - if you have questions on a pending CPO/used MB purchase from a MB dealer - you can ask the salesman/service to review the VMI report and tell you if there was anything unusual on the VMI report on that particular vehicle.

I am trying to be helpful - and in general on CPO side "most" MB delaers I have seen are righteous on the details.

 

'fabbris1' question for you... I know you're with a dealer somewhere in USA, just need a clarification on a CPO inspection. Would a dealer check to see if there were any s/w updates, or any updates whatsoever, while doing the CPO? Reason I ask is I just purchased a 2015 ML350 (CPO very low mileage (6K kms))((selling dealer 200 miles away)) and 2 weeks after purchase I received an email from them stating I needed to visit a dealer for 2 important updates! I'm a little wary that both updates came in AFTER the CPO/sale. In other words, while I'm happy that I have an extra 2yrs/40k kms added in warranty, (I'm sure to have paid for it somehow in the sales neg!), I'm somewhat LEARY as to what if any the selling dealer did, given the low kms(basically new car). Obviously, brakes, wipers, oil change, any wear items won't be an issue! I was just a little perturbed that in less than 2 weeks, 2 updates need to be performed... Is there a way of finding out when these 2 updates were compiled? I have made an appointment with a dealer close by to update.
Thanks for you insight....
Sorry to step over the OP's thread.....

 

Thanks everyone for chiming in.
Car was at the dealership today for diagnosis and the CEL is for the AdBlue heater. Part has been ordered from Germany since they don't have it in stock.
The SA also checked the VMI and didn't see anything unusual. I have checked it as well and it shows all maintenance and services the car received until the beginning of May 2015. Nothing after 05/06/15. I bought the car 05/26.
So the repair will cost me 0$ since car is a CPO.
One thing that I forgot to ask them is to check when the CEL was triggered. Will do so the day of the repair.