Car under warranty. Is it true brake pads/disks can only be replaced by dealer?

Aubrey_Thicket

Hi all

My car went in to Mercedes recently for a small warranty issue. They sorted that out but whilst it was in Mercedes they carried out one of those free health checks. It came back that the discs and pads needed changing. So, I was telling my Brother in law who is an ex mechanic. He looked at them and said “The discs do NOT need changing. You’ve only done 16k miles. The pads may possibly need changing in a couple of months”. Naturally Mercedes want an arm and a leg to carry out the works so I thought (in the interest of this site... moneysaving) why can’t I have the work done at an approved Merc garage. However, what is an approved garage? Do they use genuine Merc parts? I am not saying I want to get the work done on the cheap at some dodgy garage. I just want value for money. To confuse it all further (referring back to that health report) it said I needed 2 new tyres. So... I had the tyres changed at a local dealer. Whilst I was waiting for the tyres to be changed I noticed a sign saying they do tracking and brake pads changing etc. So, when I asked him to price the brakes etc he said “You can’t. If your car is still under warranty you must have the works done by Mercedes themselves”.

So, taking into account all I have written here I would like to ask a couple of questions please...

1. With my Mercedes still under warranty do I have to use Merced’s dealer to get the brakes done?

2. What does it mean when a garage is ‘approved’. For example if I see Joe Bloggs garage and it says ‘Mercedes Approved’ does that mean I can have the works done there without voiding my warranty?

Thanks in advance all.

Car_54

1. No, but whoever you use must use genuine Merc parts.


2. I may be wrong, but I don't believe Mercedes 'approve' garages. It's either a genuine Mercedes franchise or not.

Penelopa.Pitstop

I would check the state of brake pads and discs, you would have to be driving really aggressively to change them at 16K miles. And you can choose brand of pads, they don't have to be Mercedes branded, I'm not sure if there are Mercedes branded pads.

If you need to change pads, you can do it anywhere.

Hermione_Granger

Car_54 wrote: »

1. No, but whoever you use must use genuine Merc parts.

That is incorrect.
Under the Block exemption regulations, there is no requirement for a third party garage to use genuine manufacturers parts when carry out servicing in order to ensure that the warranty isn't invalidated.

All that they must do is to ensure that any parts used are of an equal or better quality than OEM parts.

The only time that that a dealer can insist on genuine OEM parts is if they are carrying out work that is being carried out due to it being covered by a warranty.

EssexExile

As Penelope says above, It's doubtful that you need new discs & pads.

The Honda dealer told me my pads & discs needed replacing, I took it to my usual local garage & he said they didn't need doing, probably for another year. It was a good year before they were replaced.

uknick

Aubrey, what warranty does the car have; original manufacturers or official extended?

As said the former can't dictate where you have the work done, as long as it's done to manufacturer's standard with original parts. This usually means getting it done at a VAT registered garage. If you want your brother in law to do it, and Mercedes get uppity about it, how will you be able to prove it was done to their current standards?

If it's the Mercedes extended warranty, you have to do what it says in the warranty booklet. As the warranty is actually an insurance policy it's not covered by the block exemption rules. This means they can write what they want in the policy rules. Reason being, you voluntarily buy the warranty so you've agreed the terms.

Joe_Horner

uknick wrote: »

If it's the Mercedes extended warranty, you have to do what it says in the warranty booklet. As the warranty is actually an insurance policy it's not covered by the block exemption rules. This means they can write what they want in the policy rules. Reason being, you voluntarily buy the warranty so you've agreed the terms.

Although, that would be quite interesting to test as an unfair term.

Holding someone to a (notionally) higher maintenance standard than deemed necessary under legislation / original warranty - especially where part of that is insisting on any work being done by the company arranging the cover - is likely to fall foul of all sorts of rules if you pressed the matter!

uknick

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Although, that would be quite interesting to test as an unfair term.

Holding someone to a (notionally) higher maintenance standard than deemed necessary under legislation / original warranty - especially where part of that is insisting on any work being done by the company arranging the cover - is likely to fall foul of all sorts of rules if you pressed the matter!

Why? It's no different to buying any insurance policy with its T&C. If you're not happy with them, you can always go elsewhere for your insurance.

I do accept if a manufacturer's extended warranty was universally accepted as being head and shoulders above any other offered and you'd be a fool for buying another product, you might have a point about restricted practices.

But, as I'm sure you're well aware, any discussion on extended warranties ranges from the manufacturer's as being the only one you should ever consider to, don't touch them with a barge pole as they're overpriced and never deliver what they promise. Of course the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.