Jeez man, what the hell did the previous owner do to this thing in the 1.5 years they owned it.

Hope you got a good deal.

 

I didn't and I knew it. I paid a premium it because it was CPO, had B&O, rear seat entertainment, splitview, rear seat package, shades, pano roof, heated wheel, and sport pkg. Funny thing is that I have no rear passengers 99.9% of the time.

At Jason's and other's suggestions, I contacted M-B corporate yesterday. I was told that someone will call me within 24 hours. We'll see......

 

Hope they resolve matters for you. Let us know how it goes.

 

Just got off the phone w/ M-B corporate. It went like this:

Them: Hello, call is recorded, we see that you have concerns, we first want you to know that the transaction is between you and the dealer, we have no influence with the dealer, we will need to discuss the matter w/ the selling dealer's manager (who already told me that they're not responsible), we'll get back to you.

Me: Wait, don't you want to hear what I have to say? There is more to this story than what you're told (from the agent who took down my info yesterday).
[I went through the list of issues, including body issues, and explained that they are not consistent to CPO standards (thanks to konigstiger for the link and call out)].

Them: According to the CPO reconditioning manual, anything smaller than the size of a credit card does not require action.

Me: That certainly doesn't sound like "as perfect as we can make it" as it is advertised on the CPO site.

Them: Again, the transaction is between you and your dealer. I will need to speak with the selling dealer.

-------------------

When I brought the car into my local dealer, I also told them that I am hearing abnormal engine noise on cold start. I just got a call from my local dealer's service manager, they said that they heard the same and ordered a timing chain tensioner. Yet another issue.

BTW, In the CPO info on the car, the selling dealer indicated that they replaced the driver's seat cushion. That is the exact cushing that is not working.

The local dealer's service manager told me that he spoke w/ the selling dealer's manager. To quote "it was typical used sales car guy--they will not take responsibility for anything".

I'm told that the headlights are not covered (and should have been replaced during reconditioning), but they will see what they can work out.

This is my first experience with M-B and M-B dealers, it has not been a good one. The only good part is that my local dealer has been supportive and communicative.

I was going to comment that M-B service and ownership experience is better than BMW, but I'm not sure anymore....

Sucks....

 

Can the W221 headlights be taken apart and reassembled? In other words, do the lenses detach?

 

Base on my experience with Mercedes Corporate and Mercedes dealers none of this surprises me. I've heard the "We've got no control over the dealers" before.

 

Hey isn't part of the cpo that you have 30 days or something to return the car? Or 2 weeks if your unhappy? Send that **** back and keep looking

 

Keep going up the chain, supervisor if she doesn't step up her game.

 

Crap how big is the dent? maybe some pdr?

 

I would definitely return it! Already sounds like a big hassle about to get bigger.

 

Another vote for return it. Then buy one that you can see and test drive and then drive home after you sign the papers. Tell the local dealer you are looking to go that route and maybe they will be even more help. And if you don't have passengers do you really need to spend extra money on the back seat package ?

 

crap not an experience I would prefer with a cpo benz at a benz dealer...

 

I believe the dents are fixable by PDR.

Insofar as returning, I would if I could, and I do not yet know if I can. The sales transaction occurred at the beginning of Feb. It took a month to get the car because of weather, waiting for a transporter to become available, and BAD broker/transporter. At this point, do I still have the ability to make them take it back? It would be helpful to know.

At this point, the contention is the headlights. At this point, there is no dispute that the lights are fogged and it is not condensation. I had it on my punch list prior to purchase for the dealer to replace. The sales person assured me that the lights are fine and that it was only condensation and will clear up. He said that he had to shop foreman look at it and that was the conclusion. Based on his words, I removed it from the punch list.

Based on what I learned about CPO so far, it should have been addressed during the certification process. If it didn't, when I had it on my punch list, it should have been replaced. Now, at my local dealer, based on LI82.10-P-051769, it should be replaced. Yet I'm still hearing that according to Benz, it is not covered. The damn car is still under the factory 4yr/50K warranty!!

I was told that it is because it is NOT condensation, it cannot be warrantied. That is not how I read LI82.10-P-051769. It reads that when "Lamp unit fogged or droplets forming.", the causes are "Due to the vent openings, the lamp unit is an 'open system'. This means that acidic gases, moisture, dirt and exhaust gases can penetrate it. This can result in deposits on the diffuser and lens."

The remedies are "1. If a reduction in the degree of fogging is visible, the pressure compensation membrane can be inserted after complete evaporation of the dew.

2. If no reduction in the degree of fogging is visible, the lamp unit is defective and must be replaced."

The cost is $3300. I can tell you that, if I knew that these lights look like they are over 10 years old, I would not have paid $65K+ for the car and another $4K for the extended warranty.

As I said, the Benz experience has not been good.

Question: Part number A221 826 03 58 and A221 826 04 58 seals for the lights. They look like seals that go around the lenses. Does this mean I can take the lenses off? If yes, I'll pull the damn bumper and clean/polish the headlights myself. While there, I'll replace the damn broken lower grill. I just can't find any info on headlight disassembly. It is not in WIS.

We're coming up to 45 days from me plunking down a heap of cash, and I haven't driven the car for more than two days... This car was a unicorn in terms of features, but in retrospect, clearly not worth the trouble. Learn from my experience folks....

I do want to say that I deeply appreciate all the help and support here. Thank you, sincerely.

 

With the trouble you're having and have had with the car, you should let us know who you bought it from so others can steer clear. Also, I'd go on review sites and let them have it as well. You should be getting a survey if you haven't already from Mercedes corporate regarding the purchase of the car. I'd let them have it with both barrels blazing, along with blasting corporate regarding their "not my problem" approach.

I've also found that Mercedes-Benz USA monitors their Twitter account very closely. A few complaints there may help as well.

 

As a long term S Class owner this is embarrassing to me. Here we've earned a convert from a diehard BMW guy and MB sells him a car as CPO that probably would have been wholesaled off the lot at my dealer here in Florida. I was just over there looking at an SL they'd just taken in trade. I wanted to drive it but it was on a hold until detailing got it. Then I got a call saying detail flagged some issues...broken lower grille, scratches, etc and they weren't keeping it. Forget CPO...they didn't want it period.

The selling dealer in your case clearly took full advantage of the fact that you were halfway across the country and unable to inspect it first hand. On the headlamp issue, was the communication between you and the sales guy via email? Meaning is there a record of his assurances? Please say yes.

 

I really appreciate the comments. The communication from me was always written, the conversation where the sales person convinced me that the lights are fine was only a conversation... I do have emails with the original punch list. I thought to myself, this was a Benz dealer, that they must be a cut above the typical sleazy used car people. I didn't insist that their responses to be in writing. Silly me.

There is enough evidence from me, but the two people at the dealer can always commit perjury. I am not beyond contacting Virginia's Attorney General if it comes to that. When I sold my BMW, I represented every last detail and fault. The new owner bought it sight unseen and found it to be in better shape than I advertised. It's just is what I believe in. Oh well...

As much as I want to start sharing the dealer's name, I still want to give them a chance to make it right. Maybe I'm just dumb... Art of War and Game Theory suggests that I need to understand their trigger points and what my leverage is--what is that with the dealer? And what is it with Benz? Maybe I haven't yet identified them?

 

How about the power of many? If you read my previous post, you know that I am in communication with someone from Benz corporate. You then also know that the exchange has not been positive.

How about if, the many owners here contacted her to express concern with my situation, disappoints, and expectations with the Benz brand, etc. etc. Would that help?

They have made me feel that they are willing to lose one customer, but are they willing to potentially lose 10, 20, or 30, and influence the other people that they talk to?

 

so disappointing to hear, you sound ocd like me. Which is why I still cant buy a car sight unseen. To me I don't want to make the car right, I want it right when I see it and Ill keep it that way. I was actually looking for a newer one myself but when I saw this car in person with everything I wanted, and was about as close to perfect as your going to find a used car. Im saddened this also didn't happen to you especially cpo'd. The few that ive seen that were cpo'd local to me were all almost perfect. Id fight to have them take it back I think you really paid to much for that car if you indeed paid 65 plus warty and shipping, your to close to the new body price on a used one as ive seen them go in the 80's.

 

Here is another idea to reach a solution.
Call MBUSA and ask to speak to their legal department. Explain to them what has happened and that you need their assistance for this case of misrepresentation of the condition of your CPO vehicle. Politely state that if they are unable to assist, you will contact the consumer protection agency in the state of the selling dealer as well as reporting your experience to the consumer protection columnist of a major newspaper.

As part of the CPO process, there is a report form from MBUSA that the selling dealer is required to complete which is a checklist showing everything that was inspected along with a place to note which items fail along with the requirement to list the repairs performed to correct the deficiencies. Request this report from the selling dealer, and also ask the MBUSA legal department to assist you in obtaining this report. This should provide sufficient evidence to support your case. Also, if you can find a cooperative local dealer, it would be helpful if you could get the to perform the CPO inspection on your vehicle. They might identify additional deficiencies which would support a misrepresentation case against the selling dealer.

MBUSA does not want bad publicity in the press.
I had a problem several years ago when Mercedes switched to MBrace less than a week after I had paid the annual fee to their previous provider and was told I could not get a refund. The issue was resolved ONLY after I made contact with the MBUSA legal department.

 

I don't mean to sound harsh and sympathize with the original poster for the trouble he's going through, but he did buy a car sight unseen from a dealer in another city. It's a used car even if it is certified and even though I agree the issues should have been addressed beforehand during the certification process. The issue about the headlights is cosmetic which could have been addressed if he had seen the car first before buying it. The issue about the rough idling is completely unacceptable, but that's another issue that could have been addressed had he seen the car first. The rough idling issue and the seat issue should be covered under warranty. By the way, this comment is coming from a guy who bought his last two daily drivers sight unseen from over 1000 miles away. I bought a BMW 650, But, admittedly, I went to pick it up in person and drove it home for 1000 miles. It was in the exact condition as identified with thorough emails and phone conversations. The last 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera that I bought was purchased from California which I had shipped to Florida. I bought that one completely sight unseen, but I was specific in the questions that I asked to the salesman and clearly documented my questions on the condition of the car. The car was delivered as promised. That said, another guy on the porsche forum, rennlist.com, purchased a car site unseen from a different Porsche dealership in California and the car has significant fading in the paint despite the fact that it was identied in the ad and over the phone and in writing to be in perfect condition on the inside and the outside. Maybe I was lucky. The point is that buying a car sight unseen is risky. There's no question that the original poster may not have bargained for a car that arrived in its condition, but that's what happens when you buy a car sight unseen. I'm just playing devils advocate and this, of course, does not excuse any misrepresentations by the dealer. However, a car salesman is a car salesman.

Again, while I sympathize with the original poster, and I'm playing devil's advocate, there was always a risk with buying a car sight unseen no matter how it is represented.

 

I purchased my last former E-class sight unseen, but the dealer that I worked with was my local dealer and I knew if the car showed up in a condition that was unexpectedly negative, I would have gotten my $1200 dollar deposit back in a hurry.

 

In your paperwork look for a Limited Used Vehicle Warranty attached to the Odometer Disclosure Statement. Is 30, 60 or 90 days checked off ? I have no idea if it is enforceable but worth a shot ???? Not sure if it is just a Massachusetts thing or not as it says to contact the Executive Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations with a MA number, 617-973-8787

 

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I have the check list. It indicates that they replaced the driver's seat cover, but the heater was inop upon arrival. They also supposed to have replaced the steering wheel, but the wheel does not seem new. The center wheel caps were replaced, but one of wheel's clear coat surrounding the center cap is peeling, so they couldn't have missed that. It makes me wonder....

Please see the attached PDF. Would you still conclude that it should not be under warranty?

 

The car came from VA and I am in CA. The ODS only shows "Remaining factory plus 1 year CPO". Nothing else is checked off.

 

If I was dropping 65K down for a car I would have jumped on a plane and flew to see the car personally, made the deal with defect considerations attached to the bill of sale and either drove the car home or sourced out another method, in your case a "enclosed trailer". It's like you ordered a bride from a magazine "with warranty" only to find when the cab arrives from the airport they sent her mother instead