lorinserbenz

WOO HOO!! I am dont know if I should just laugh or cry..
Dropped off SL#2 today and picked upSl#3.
Just brief summary of what was wrong with #1 and #2 all of which are NEW.


Car #1
1. serious paint defect, on drivers fender. Looked very bad... other than the crappy paint the car was PERFECT.

Car#2
1.Comand reset itself over and over
2.Dash lights went out (came on after two restarts)
3.Drivers side window makes a hum/grind sound when it goes up
4.Top Rattles really bad when you hit a bump.


And last but not least Car #3... Picked it up today, has charcoal interior instead of ash ( i really love the Ash). I figured Id deal with interior if the car didnt have issues. This one also had $3500 more in options that I am going to have to pay for (this sucks), I really didnt need or want.

All was good for the first 15 miles... then poof.. check engine ( see pic)light comes on... <sigh> and the A/C also is making a "hissing" sound.... my old S made the same sound just before the evaporator crapped out..

At this point I am at a loss for words..

How and the heck can MB release cars that have so many problems? Their quality control TRUELY SUCKS!

I am to the point of looking at a different model.. I can't accept a 90k car that is BROKEN out of the box..

AMGfan

Sorry to hear this is happening...they should cover your regular maintenance for your trouble.

tiggerfink

That is a lot of miles for a new car?

LovinMercedes

I too am at a loss for words.

What is this company doing with their cars?

I am so sorry you are having to go through this. I just couldn't imagine keeping my cool.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

pilot20

Good example of why I decided to dump the SL. How can they charge 100 K for a car with all of these problems.

Of course, the shills, like PA500SL will find some excuse.

RadSteve

All I can say is unacceptable.
"Unannehmbar" auf Deutsch.
Three strikes and they're out?
Or do they get four fouls?

Tony FL

Ok, you're starting to beat a dead horse with this Porsche quailty thing. I'm glad your car is problem free so far, but I'm telling you from experience that they are as bad as you think Mercedes is, if not worse.
It's unacceptable that lorinserbenz had to go through three cars with existing problems. I wouldn't settle for anything but a perfect car either after what he had to go through.

lorinserbenz

I have never owned a Porchse but I dont they have very steller QC either. My old boss had 03 Turbo and it lived in the shop...
I have several friends with Sl's and their cars have been trouble free...
It seems like no one checks these cars before they leave the factory or they arent checked properly at the PDI facility.
If the SL wasnt such a good looking car and fun to drive Id have given up by now.

LovinMercedes

What is the next step?

lorinserbenz

I dunno.. I loved the Ash/Silver combo. I wasnt to thrilled with having to spend the extra money on options I didnt want and having to take charcoal interior. On the other hand, having drove the car for today for a couple of hours the interior has grown on me.
My first thought is tell them to get me the car I wanted to begin with and make sure the it is perfect before giving it to me (shouldnt this be done anyway??!) .
I guess I could beat them up on the extra $$ I have to spend. I havent even signed papers on this one, they just gave it to me to make sure thats what I wanted.
What would you do Lovin?

StephenK

Absolutely unbelievable, I never heard of anyone having problems with three brand new cars. For that kind of money, I would tell them to get you want you want exactly, nothing more or nothing less. SL500's aren't hard to find, you should be able to get that accomplished pretty easily.

Keep

LovinMercedes

You asked so I am going to give you my opinion.

First, I understand how hard this is on you. You get to the point where you want a car that works and you are willing to settle. I wouldn't worry about the options unless money is an issue but I would do exactly what you are doing and that is make them give you what you want. If you get more options than you originally wanted I think you will end up enjoying them. I would not settle for less options.

My personal opinion is that the Ash interior is MUCH nicer than the Charcoal interior, especially with the Brilliant Silver. That being said there are tons of people that love the Charcoal interior and think the Ash is too plain. My point here is that you shouldn't comprimise whatever your true desires are. With all the cars they have they can trade another Dealer for exactly what you want.

I agree I would have given up by now if the car wasn't so exceptional. It is a pitty but once you get past getting a good car, you will absolutley love the car. So, stick with it and make them find a car that you will love when you see it. I don't think it is fair to you to have to have anything grow on you to love it.

This is your car and it should be exactly what you want.

Let me know what happens tomorrow. Good Luck, don't sign more papers and make them find the car you want. You are in the right here. They really need to check the next one out and not just prep it.

Looking forward to hearing what happens on Monday.

Again, good luck.

lorinserbenz

Well they have the car in service now..
I was in the bay will the tech had the Star plugged in and I saw two "f"s in the list of items it was testing. Could not see what the problems are...

My real estate agent just called to tell me an offer I made on a new home was accepted which gives me another reason to dump this car and wait for another one.
This car has $3500 more in options, that I DONT want or need. I am going back to the dealer tonight after work and will ask for a car with the same specs as the first two.
The dealer has been very accomadating, but THEY SHOULD.. after all this is a lot of money.
I borrowed my dads CLS last night and its great.... he hasnt had an problems with his car.. already has 900 miles on it and its only 9 days old!

Tony FL

I wouldn't pay extra for options you didn't have on the original car. They should either find you what you want or give you the extra options N/C.

Juice it

Just out of curiosity, what are the extra options it has that you don't want?

SL55406

**** .. I'd ask'em to get me EXACTLY what I wanted, w/ lifetime mx, full 7yr/100k mi warranty, and all the options available.

Totally unacceptable!

lorinserbenz

Pano roof, wood wheel and shifter, Bixenon...

Pano is neat but kind of redundent, after all the car is a convertible?! Plus the flimsy curtain looks cheap IMHO. I plan on changing the to black birds eye maple so the wheel and shift knob are a waste. Bixenon seems silly, pay $770 for xenon hi beams??! Plus the car has charcoal interior, I think the silver/ash combo is classier looking.

lorinserbenz

Car four is in route!!!

Maybe the fourth time is the charm?!! I am getting the car I want, silver/ash with keyless go.
The dealer told me that the other two cars I had never went through a PDI center.

LovinMercedes

I am glad you are getting the car that you wanted. I assume they are getting it from another dealer?

All cars go through the VPC which is a Mercedes Benz facility. They should have caught all your problems.

The dealer does the PDI and it is terrible that they say they never performed the PDI on the cars they delivered to you. Never in my life have I heard of such a thing.

When is your 4th car coming? I certainly hope they put a competent mechanic on it to do the PDI.

I'll give them credit for at least doing the right thing by you.

Good Luck.

lorinserbenz

The car I am getting is on the water still, its supposed to arrive at the port tomorrow (JAX). They said I should get it Friday or Saturday..
I am glad I am not getting a dealer trade or a car thats been sitting on the lot for months.

LovinMercedes

Perfect!

RadSteve

My best wishes for a successful fourth try! Keep us posted.
Steve

miroj

The Universe is trying to tell you something .....

Sounds like your dealer is unable to provide any level of pre-delivery inspection.

RJC

My advice would be wait for an 06 for two reasons 1) you mentioned the new home and it would be better for you to wait 2) July production is not that far away and will be here before you know it. I have a sneaking suspicion however, that the silver/ash car will be perfect...we'll see.

lorinserbenz

I had budgeted my car purchase with the home purchase in mind.. I just didnt want to go overboard and put myself in a bind. Like I said before the only option I cared about was Keylessgo, anything else extra was just a waste.
I thought about waiting on a 06 but thats at least 6 months away.. Plus my trade sold already..
I think you are right, the next one will be perfect.... That is unless the boat that its on is the Titantic 2, with my luck it probably is!