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I am buying a "new" S500 from the dealer with 400km on the club. Enclosed are a few photos of the car's condition. The car is on a good discount and I'm willing to put up with some signs of use. The dealer claims they can clean the issues below ... does anyone have any experience to share regarding the possibility of genuinely "cleaning up" the issues?
I am seeing stains and folds on the seat bolster as well as an "oily" steering wheel... can a dealer really fix these problems for good?
The dirt can be cleaned, the wrinkles from some heavyweight sitting on the bolster not. Cleaning it perfectly is also something that a detailer will do nicely, a dealer less so. They often use aggressive cleaners which will make the leather more susceptible to take on new dirt. Perhaps find a good detailer which can then ceramic coat the leather afterwards and get a better discount for the car. I for one wouldn't be excited to buy a (near) new car with a seat bolster like that, but then everything depends on the deal...
2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
The steering wheel should clean up perfectly. The seat creases are not going anywhere and even if they were not there now, they will show up sooner rather than later anyway. Such is real Nappa leather.
Zung Fu's current 'promotion' lists a discount of about 21% for S500s, which, I suppose, should be brand new cars of prior model years.
If the one you are looking at is a 'demo', I imagine the discount is even more?
Anyway, if the discount is huge enough to attract you, you might as well swallow these 2 'imperfections' hard. 400km is, kind of, low for a demo car. So, mechanically speaking, the car should be just as new. These 2 'imperfections' (steering wheel and driver seat) are cosmetics only. Car seats are going to get dirty, sooner or later. But, 400km is really too early to see that kind of dirty-ness. I reckon, it is not due to the material quality but rather the super harsh use by all the testers who have driven this demo. Most of them must have worn dirty jeans.
And if Zung Fu cannot do the cleaning right, a professional detailer would clean it to an almost perfect condition. And the money spent should be tiny when compared to the huge discount by Zung Fu.
Zung Fu's current 'promotion' lists a discount of about 21% for S500s, which, I suppose, should be brand new cars of prior model years.
If the one you are looking at is a 'demo', I imagine the discount is even more?
Anyway, if the discount is huge enough to attract you, you might as well swallow these 2 'imperfections' hard. 400km is, kind of, low for a demo car. So, mechanically speaking, the car should be just as new. These 2 'imperfections' (steering wheel and driver seat) are cosmetics only. Car seats are going to get dirty, sooner or later. But, 400km is really too early to see that kind of dirty-ness. I reckon, it is not due to the material quality but rather the super harsh use by all the testers who have driven this demo. Most of them must have worn dirty jeans.
And if Zung Fu cannot do the cleaning right, a professional detailer would clean it to an almost perfect condition. And the money spent should be tiny when compared to the huge discount by Zung Fu.
PS Zung Fu is the authorized MB dealer in HK
they said they can fix it. I do notice similar wear on other cars. It’s likely a showroom model
I’d have them fix it first. Had a friend with the same interior who noticed cracking in the seats entire leather upholstery was changed under warranty. It may be able to be repaired, but the end result remains an unknown.
Do not take delivery of any car unless you're willing to take it in the condition it's in when it rolls off the lot. Doesn't matter what it is; paint, upholstery, mechanical.
Right now the car is in their possession, and it's their problem; after you take delivery it's in your possession and your problem. Yeah, I know, you can hire an attorney, but isn't it easier to just tell them to fix it before you accept the car?
they said they can fix it. I do notice similar wear on other cars. It’s likely a showroom model
anywhere you suggest bringing the car to in hk?
I only have a handful of experience of detailers in HK and have mixed results. So, I am hesitant to recommend one to you as I do not want to suggest one which I do not have 100% confidence.
Usually I use Zung Fu's own cleaning service to do 'basic' cleaning. Use their service many times and are all satisfactory. But do bear in mind that I only need 'basic' cleaning and the seats were nowhere near as dirty as the one shown in your pic.
Here is the link of their cleaning services. Check out their 'Premium Interior Care'. https://www.mb.zungfu.com/aftersales...nce_and_Repair
03-31-2023, 10:43 AM
