This was posted by a member of another BMW forum that I frequent. He moved from a e91 335d to a Merc C350 CDI and is having a bit of bother with it. He's trying to reject the car but MB UK aren't playing so we are using the power of the internet to try to get them to do something about it.
Original post
So as many of you will be aware my car has suffered from various build quality issues since the day I drove it off the forecourt. I know a lot of members on this forum have either bought one of the new Mercedes Benz C Class cars or are seriously looking at it so please read this. It may save you a lot of money.
This is my first Mercedes Benz. Previously I have run BMW, Ford and Volvo.
Whilst I was somewhat disappointed with these issues on a "premium product" my dealer (Mercedes Benz of Boston part of the Lister group of companies) have always been fine.
But by the time we got to visit number TEN to the dealers with my car having spent FIVE WEEKS out of the last 10 months in the workshop it was becoming clear that we were not going to fix the issues.
So in July the dealer had my car for 2 weeks. They totally stripped it down and put it back together (again). Within 15 miles of leaving the dealer the rattles had returned.
Now these rattles are numerous and varied.
First there is the buzzing from the drivers seatbelt mechanism. Right next to my right ear. The dealer claims this is a known problem with a known fix. The problem is that the fix doesn't work.
Then we have a ticking noise from behind the sat nav screen. Sounds like a wire catching on plastic to me.
Then there are various other creaks and cracks from all over the top area of the dash especially when the sun is shining. Every time the car flexes (round a bend for example), the dashboard creaks
And then there is a noise that appears to come from where the 2 parts of the centre console meet.
There are also a bunch of noises coming from the rear of the car but I haven't even started on them.
So after not fixing the car after having it for 2 weeks in July it went into the dealer "one more time". This time after I had spoken to Listers head office and Mercedes Benz UK.
I made it very clear that if it wasn't fixed this time, I would be rejecting the car under the rights afforded me by the sale of goods act on the grounds that the product is not of "satisfactory quality" and that even though i had given the supplying dealer ample opportunity to rectify things, they had failed.
I told them that I did not care if they had to put the car back in it's box, send it back to Germany and rebuild it from scratch. Just fix it.
The car came back after 3 days with rattles.
So last Monday I visited the dealership and formally rejected the car.
The Dealer Principle accepted my rejection and explained that there was a formal process that he needed to follow but that he would look to replace the car.
Today after going through the Mercedes Benz process to do this he has changed his tune.
Mercedes Benz UK have told me that in their opinion, ALL vehicles have various rattles and noises from the cabin area and in their view, as the car hasn't actually failed me, it perfectly fit for purpose.
I have asked them to put this in writing. After all, a letter from Mercedes Benz stating that rattles in brand new cars is "acceptable" is going to make quite some reading and I am sure is something their competitors would love to get hold of!
They declined to put this in writing.
So it looks like things are about to get ugly.
Legal action is an option but because we are talking about a £40k car, the small claims court it not an option so will be expensive. This will be my last resort.
But I have started a blog which can be found at My New Mercedes Benz Rattles documenting everything.
I have ordered up the sign writing for the side of the car to "spread the word" and I am posting this here asking you to spread the word.
If Mercedes Benz will not take me seriously then perhaps they have under estimated the damage something like this can do to their brand.
I will quite happily shout about the sub standard materials they are using from the roof tops if it prevents somebody from throwing good money away.
Thanks for reading
Here is a link to the original post http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732238
Original post
So as many of you will be aware my car has suffered from various build quality issues since the day I drove it off the forecourt. I know a lot of members on this forum have either bought one of the new Mercedes Benz C Class cars or are seriously looking at it so please read this. It may save you a lot of money.
This is my first Mercedes Benz. Previously I have run BMW, Ford and Volvo.
Whilst I was somewhat disappointed with these issues on a "premium product" my dealer (Mercedes Benz of Boston part of the Lister group of companies) have always been fine.
But by the time we got to visit number TEN to the dealers with my car having spent FIVE WEEKS out of the last 10 months in the workshop it was becoming clear that we were not going to fix the issues.
So in July the dealer had my car for 2 weeks. They totally stripped it down and put it back together (again). Within 15 miles of leaving the dealer the rattles had returned.
Now these rattles are numerous and varied.
First there is the buzzing from the drivers seatbelt mechanism. Right next to my right ear. The dealer claims this is a known problem with a known fix. The problem is that the fix doesn't work.
Then we have a ticking noise from behind the sat nav screen. Sounds like a wire catching on plastic to me.
Then there are various other creaks and cracks from all over the top area of the dash especially when the sun is shining. Every time the car flexes (round a bend for example), the dashboard creaks
And then there is a noise that appears to come from where the 2 parts of the centre console meet.
There are also a bunch of noises coming from the rear of the car but I haven't even started on them.
So after not fixing the car after having it for 2 weeks in July it went into the dealer "one more time". This time after I had spoken to Listers head office and Mercedes Benz UK.
I made it very clear that if it wasn't fixed this time, I would be rejecting the car under the rights afforded me by the sale of goods act on the grounds that the product is not of "satisfactory quality" and that even though i had given the supplying dealer ample opportunity to rectify things, they had failed.
I told them that I did not care if they had to put the car back in it's box, send it back to Germany and rebuild it from scratch. Just fix it.
The car came back after 3 days with rattles.
So last Monday I visited the dealership and formally rejected the car.
The Dealer Principle accepted my rejection and explained that there was a formal process that he needed to follow but that he would look to replace the car.
Today after going through the Mercedes Benz process to do this he has changed his tune.
Mercedes Benz UK have told me that in their opinion, ALL vehicles have various rattles and noises from the cabin area and in their view, as the car hasn't actually failed me, it perfectly fit for purpose.
I have asked them to put this in writing. After all, a letter from Mercedes Benz stating that rattles in brand new cars is "acceptable" is going to make quite some reading and I am sure is something their competitors would love to get hold of!
They declined to put this in writing.
So it looks like things are about to get ugly.
Legal action is an option but because we are talking about a £40k car, the small claims court it not an option so will be expensive. This will be my last resort.
But I have started a blog which can be found at My New Mercedes Benz Rattles documenting everything.
I have ordered up the sign writing for the side of the car to "spread the word" and I am posting this here asking you to spread the word.
If Mercedes Benz will not take me seriously then perhaps they have under estimated the damage something like this can do to their brand.
I will quite happily shout about the sub standard materials they are using from the roof tops if it prevents somebody from throwing good money away.
Thanks for reading
Here is a link to the original post http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732238
haha , ,yeah they took my 4 yr old 2002 E class & gave it a new boot,new wings,repainted the roof & the rear arches , ,4 weeks it was away &' it was sorted ! ! i sold it 2 weeks later & haven't been back ! 