East Coast

Had the R-Class in for service today and one thing to be completed was the Parktronic rear sensors not working.

As it turns out, an aftermarket rear crossmember and other parts has been installed in the car from obviously a rear collision and it is putting pressure on the sensors to the point of not working. This is a car I purchased in Westwood MA from dealer and imported to Canada. The collision was not told to me but it is a Certified Mercedes Pre-Owned.

Waiting for Westwood to return my call.......

East Coast

And now my lawyer is waiting for the call....

The Autobody service center logo sticker is on the inside of the bumper! I smell a lawsuit. Certified Mercedes.

avlis

Is there something in the CPO literature that says a certified vehicle couldn't have been involved in an accident? Not sure there is. AFIK, CPO cars just go through a checklist of items and the tires/brakes are replaced if 1/2 worn. The $2k CPO premium is for the warranty. While my wife was shopping for a CPO R-Class she test drove some CPOs that had cracked interior trim pieces and small tears in the seats and armrest. She was also told she could bring any R-Class she found (even a private sale one) to the dealer and they will CPO it for $2k.

lkchris

Depends on the severity of the accident.

Sometimes it reads like "cannot replace/redo and factory welds." Replacing a plastic bumper doesn't seem very serious, but of course it has to be done in a manner that it works.

In any event, CPO warranty will have to cover restoration of the system to working order.

chilledbenz

I was always under the impression that a car couldn't be certified if it were in any sort of accident. So, I looked up the certification process on Mercedes website. To be certified the vehicle in question goes through numerous inspections, way too many to post here, but if you look at the website they go through each one step by step. The particular inspections that the original poster would be interested in are under the 11 Point General Inspection which are as follows:

-No Identifiable Structural Damage Verification
-Mileage/history verification and CARFAX report

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/cpo/multipoint_inspection

Each of the inspections seem to be up for interpretation, depending on who is doing the certification. But as I read it, the no identifiable structural damage inspection should have red flagged any part that was repaired on the vehicle. Also, the mileage/history verification and CARFAX report should have red flagged any repairs made due to an accident. Not to mention, the CARFAX report should have been provided to the customer.

But, as I mentioned, it all seems to be open to interpretation. It never comes out and specifically says that if one of their inspections turns up parts that have been replaced, or signs of an accident, that it will fail, it just merely says they checked for it.

fstshrk

We just bought a CPO R320CDI. There was also an R500. When I asked about why that car was not CPO, they said that the carfax indicated prior accident damage and that they would not certify a car with carfax indicating damage. Not sure if this is just this dealer, or a mercedes policy.

avlis

According to posts I've read in some automotive forums like this one, there are instances where an accident won't show on Carfax. I suppose if an accident isn't reported it won't show up.

East Coast

The CarFax was clean.

The collision center is located 20 minutes from the original dealership location. How convenient.

Sticker also says package 1 of 4.

fstshrk

While I understand your frustration, I think your legal recourse in this case is going to be limited.

I hope the dealership can make it right for you. If it was just a replaced bumper cover, maybe the damage was not bad. Occasionally people run into things in their garage which necessitates minor body hardware changes. This is usually paid out of pocket and hence not reported to Carfax.

East Coast

How much "weight" would it have to report this to Mercedes USA?

lkchris

Again, it depends on the severity--it is NOT "any" accident.

Knocking your mirror off doesn't qualify and wouldn't be reported by CARFAX.

It's a CPO program requirement that buyer be presented with copy of CARFAX.

Replacing a stratched rear bumper is nothing and not cause for alarm.

My CPO SLK is completely repainted due to fading.

East Coast

As stated previously, this was a little more than a "fender bender".
Structural components were replaced and clearly so.

chilledbenz

Yes you mentioned it was a cross member, I think that part might have gotten over looked. An item of that nature should have certainly tripped their "certification check lists". It would probably be worth your time to contact Mercedes and find out just what their interpretation of the certification is.

While I have never bought a CPO car and have no inkling to do so, it would be some great knowledge to pass on to others that may be in the market. Knowledge is power as they say.

1-800-FOR-MERCEDES
(1-800-367-6372)

By the way, I also should clarify that in my previous post I said that I always thought that "any" accident would fail a CPO car. What I should have posted and ment to say, was that I thought any "structural" damage would fail a car.

East Coast

The dealership GM has called and asked for a list from my local dealership as to what parts are required for the repairs.

WEBSRFR

What was the outcome of this? I am about to purchase a 2007 E550 CPO vehicle and purchasing a car that has not been in a major accident is a big deal for me. Otherwise I could save about $4,000-$6,000 by purchasing a non CPO car and purchase the MB extended warranty separately! If Mercedes is not through with their inspections and are selling cars with major accident damage as CPO cars, in my eyes they are really misrepresenting the CPO program and the car, as they are the essentially taking an asset with a diminished value and passing it along at a premium price with no diminishes value implied.

aggst1

Don't forget that CPO (the way it works 99% of the time) does not only mean extended warranty which you can purchase on your own as you state. It means that they have records/life history of the car and it also means that they have performed a major inspection of components. It also means that you get new brake pads/rotors and new tires. The last two alone cost about $3,000 at the dealership. So just keep that in mind.

I personally have never heard of another case where a CPO car was in a major accident so I wouldn't worry about that. There are shady dealers but they are the exception and not the norm. Also, one need to consider that the above mentioned case might not have been the dealer's doing but by the previous owner. He was probably leasing the car and hit the rear bumper against a wall or something so he repaired it at a collision shop before it was time to return the lease. In that case how is MB ever going to know that the bumper crossmember was replaced. They look for obvious signs during CPO inspection such as gaps between panels and doors etc to be symmetrical but other than that they can't take the entire car apart just to check!

East Coast

No outcome as of yet as I am still fighting it.
Dealership has been telling me for 2 months the cost has been approved and parts will be shipped to my dealer. Supposed to be shipped this week.

Basically, the Mercedes CPO is not worth the paper it's written as far as piece of mind goes. I am in shock by the way Mercedes USA has handled this; or not handled it. I was told it was the dealership's responsibility and they would not get involved!!! This was after I emailed EVERYBODY in the Mercedes USA world thanks to emails provided to me on this site. They kept pointing me back to some ignorant little twit that stated it's the dealership's responsibility.

The next vehicle for my wife WILL be a BMW because of this.

And now my local Canadian Mercedes dealer has black-listed the car and will not consider it on a trade!

I had better service 15 years ago when SATURN first broke on to the market for a $9000 new car.

aggst1

So to understand, all you are asking is they replace the crossmember with OEM, repair parktronik and put it back together and they are giving you the run around? Raise hell!! They don't seem to be good businessmen if they are refusing to perform this relatively simple repair. It's not like they have to take the motor apart. As far as your dealer blacklisting it from future trade there are other dealers. I wouldn't worry about that.

It's not the automakers fault but the dealer's. He would do the same thing to you no matter what he sold you BMW, or anything else.

East Coast

Raise Hell? I've contacted everyone possibily involved in the Free World. Including the Maine Attorney General. The total bill for repairs is $4000. As far the local dealer goes; which is the only one in the province, I had no intention of buying anything there anyway.

Can't wait to walk into the dealership next summer when I'm in Maine again. Watch the news