My first and last Mercedes, probably..!!

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:22 pm

Bit of advice please. I have a 2016 Mercedes C Class AMG Line 220D. This is on lease with Mercedes finance on a 3 year contract (20k miles pa). Up until recently, this has been a great car to run. Car was serviced at 16k miles at Warrington with a service cost of £350.00 and the paperwork stated that there was minimal wear and tear on the brakes as I would expect.

In January I took the car to Mercedes Preston for its 32k mile service. Fully expecting another £350.00 and some further wear and tear. I get a call saying that the car needs new windscreen wipers, rear pads and front brake discs at a total cost of £1100.00. To say I was shocked was an understatement. The front pads are originals and have 7mm left on them and the rear discs are fine.
This begs the question, how can this be right? Surely the pads should be the wearable part? There is a massive lip on the front disc so they are not trying it on.

This car is driven daily, sensibly. 50/50 with motorway and town driving. I am not heavy on the brakes at all with this car. I regularly have the kids in the car and have a dash cam fitted so pushing it would not be a good move. I have other vehicles for “hooning” and this car isn’t mine and will be subject to a final inspection and has therefore been treated as so. After speaking to the dealer and Mercedes customer services, I am being told that it is “about right”, or the reason for premature wear of the front discs is down to “driving style”.

For reference, my previous Audi A4 S Line did 59k miles in 3 years and only had the front pads replaced at 54k. No rear pads or discs. My Volvo V60 did 58k miles, and had rear pads at 34k and from pads at 51k. No discs replaced in the 3 years I had it.
I haven’t had the work carried out due to the feeling something was obviously wrong. I am now just wondering if it is a weak spot on the car in true Mercedes fashion, they are passing on the inadequacies of the product to the customer.

Any advice would be gratefully received. I am planning on speaking to the Motor Ombudsman service but don’t hold out much hope..!!

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:29 pm

From reading that, they appear to be suggesting new front discs and keeping the "old" pads? Not what I'd expect from a main stealer.. The pads will have wear grooves in them from the old discs, and as such putting them onto new, flat discs will not only reduce their efficiency due to tless of the pad being in contact with them, but will probably cause hot spots and possible warpage of the new discs. Basic rule if fitting new discs, alway fit new pads, so both surfaces are flat.

As you mentioned, I would be asking the question as to why the front pads are "as new" but the discs worn, possibly google to see if it's a known issue? Sounds like there could be a faulty batch of discs out there..

Mike

jasonofbillinge · Post by **jasonofbillinge** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:45 pm

I'm not clued up on leaseing. Is the parts and labour for service not built into the contract ?

jasonofbillinge · Post by **jasonofbillinge** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:48 pm

On another note are you allowed to have it serviced and maintained at an independent and how much would they charge for this ?

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:54 pm

jasonofbillinge wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:45 pmI'm not clued up on leaseing. Is the parts and labour for service not built into the contract ?

No. We did the maths and it wasn't economical unless you were going to need £500 for new discs every 30k miles....

I am looking to get the work done independently with Mercedes parts. As far as I know, I am not in breach of my lease with this, as long as I use the correct parts.

H.

Post by **srhutch** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:11 pm

If there is still 7mm on the pads why are they even looking at them?

Sounds like they are making you pay for the service items so when you hand it back they don't have any bills.

R60BBA · Post by **R60BBA** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:17 pm

Have you changed the front pads since ownernship?

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:19 pm

srhutch wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:11 pmIf there is still 7mm on the pads why are they even looking at them?

Sounds like they are making you pay for the service items so when you hand it back they don't have any bills.

It still has another 30k miles before it goes back or 14 months, so it will be under mileage. It's how the discs are knackered, when the pads are still ok that has got me. Mercedes customer services are absolutely useless too. It's as if they have heard it all before.

I spoke to a MB technician last month and he admitted that the company did have a "problem" with brakes. However, the complaints part of the company are point blank refusing to accept there is an issue.

H.

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:21 pm

R60BBA wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:17 pmHave you changed the front pads since ownernship?

No. Preston Mercedes tried to convince me that they must have been done on the first service if the discs are in this condition. I checked all the paperwork and they weren't done or even an advisory. I just paid for a basic service without any extras.

H.

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:23 pm

Havard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:19 pm
srhutch wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:11 pmIf there is still 7mm on the pads why are they even looking at them?

Sounds like they are making you pay for the service items so when you hand it back they don't have any bills.
It still has another 30k miles before it goes back or 14 months, so it will be under mileage. It's how the discs are knackered, when the pads are still ok that has got me. Mercedes customer services are absolutely useless too. It's as if they have heard it all before.

I spoke to a MB technician last month and he admitted that the company did have a "problem" with brakes. However, the complaints part of the company are point blank refusing to accept there is an issue.

H.

My best mate, has had no less than 5 new sets of discs & pads on his 2016 C63 in the 7 or 8 months he's owned it, as there was a "known" issue with them, that resulted in Brembo taking the car for 3 days...

Back OT - Have they given you the actual thickness measurements of the "worn" discs, and is it below the min permissible that's stamped on the edge?

Mike

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:29 pm

Ducklakeview wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:23 pm
Havard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:19 pm
srhutch wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:11 pmIf there is still 7mm on the pads why are they even looking at them?

Sounds like they are making you pay for the service items so when you hand it back they don't have any bills.
It still has another 30k miles before it goes back or 14 months, so it will be under mileage. It's how the discs are knackered, when the pads are still ok that has got me. Mercedes customer services are absolutely useless too. It's as if they have heard it all before.

I spoke to a MB technician last month and he admitted that the company did have a "problem" with brakes. However, the complaints part of the company are point blank refusing to accept there is an issue.

H.
My best mate, has had no less than 5 new sets of discs & pads on his 2016 C63 in the 7 or 8 months he's owned it, as there was a "known" issue with them, that resulted in Brembo taking the car for 3 days...

Back OT - Have they given you the actual thickness measurements of the "worn" discs, and is it below the min permissible that's stamped on the edge?

Mike

Hi Mike,

I think they are down 29mm which is below the minimum requirement. Not sure what they start off at. 32mm I would guess.

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:46 pm

So they reckon 3mm of disc has been removed by 1mm of pad

Something not quite right there.

Mike

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:07 pm

Ducklakeview wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:46 pmSo they reckon 3mm of disc has been removed by 1mm of pad

Something not quite right there.

Mike

Are pads normally 8mm? Thought they would be thicker than that.

They have got me by the balls here. As part of the lease agreement, the car has to be serviced by a main dealer...

I am going to go to the ombudsman and see where I get with it. Looks like I will be going back to Volvo or Audi after this as £1500 in servicing for 32k miles is a rip off in anyone's book.

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:09 pm

Havard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:07 pm
Ducklakeview wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:46 pmSo they reckon 3mm of disc has been removed by 1mm of pad

Something not quite right there.

Mike
Are pads normally 8mm? Thought they would be thicker than that.

They have got me by the balls here. As part of the lease agreement, the car has to be serviced by a main dealer... I am going to go to the ombudsman and see where I get with it. Looks like I will be going back to Volvo or Audi after this as £1500 in servicing for 32k miles is a rip off in anyone's book.

8-9mm for the friction material is around the norm for fronts (excluding the backing plate)

Mike

Havard · Post by **Havard** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:19 pm

Ducklakeview wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:09 pm
Havard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:07 pm
Ducklakeview wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:46 pmSo they reckon 3mm of disc has been removed by 1mm of pad

Something not quite right there.

Mike
Are pads normally 8mm? Thought they would be thicker than that.

They have got me by the balls here. As part of the lease agreement, the car has to be serviced by a main dealer... I am going to go to the ombudsman and see where I get with it. Looks like I will be going back to Volvo or Audi after this as £1500 in servicing for 32k miles is a rip off in anyone's book.
8-9mm for the friction material is around the norm for fronts (excluding the backing plate)

Mike

Wow. The pads must be harder than Chinese Algebra....

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