Advice on garage (Mercedes Benz of Brighton) overcharging me for an issue they caused

homersimpson246

All you have to do is go and get your car with a recovery truck/trailer, tell them when you are coming for it and if they object tell them that you will contact the police.  As long as you pay them the bill for whatever they have done they cannot stop you removing the car in a non roadworthy state (which I don't believe it is but the police might not agree based on what the garage would tell them) as long as its not driven away.

If your car were unroadworthy its no different to any classic car undergoing restoration being trailered to specialists for welding, painting, trimming etc.

They are trying to hold you to ransom and you need to stand up to them, I would suggest if they really dig their heels in a nice loud discussion in the showroom when there are customers around would bring them to their senses quickly.  If you still have no joy speak to Mercedes UK who can probably speak to the dealer and tell them to release the car to you on the basis that its trailered off the premises.

Finally if none of the above works perhaps try the local newspapers (obviously not any that the dealer regularly advertises in), a story about them holding your car to ransom might change their mind.

m0bov

Get the car trailered to another trusted garage who have agreed to take a look. Ideally, don't tell the Merc dealer you are coming in case they try to cover up anything. Pay the bill bar the caliper and get another mechanic to take a look.

MinuteNoodles

Kattekwaad said:

Out of interest OP can you price the part up in Germany to check how much the dealer is possibly overcharging.

What the price is in Germany is completely and utterly irrelevant.

fred246

I have bought lots of parts from Germany. Some parts are much cheaper there. You normally pay a bit more for shipping. Delivery is normally very efficient.

Jumblebumble

fred246 said:

I have bought lots of parts from Germany. Some parts are much cheaper there. You normally pay a bit more for shipping. Delivery is normally very efficient.

Of course they may be cheaper if you want grey import items  with no local warranty.

I can buy grey import VOIP phones at a tenner a pop cheaper but the UK distributor will tell you take a hike on the lifetime warranty if they were not sold by them.

Kattekwaad

Jumblebumble said:

Of course they may be cheaper if you want grey import items  with no local warranty.

I bought a part last year which was priced at over £525 in the UK and was under £100 in Germany (£135 delivered).

Did I think oooh I won't have a UK warranty.............NAW I just bought it in Germany!

You do what you feel happy with I'll stick to what i'm happy with.

@MinuteNoodles So aye it does have relevancy to which path you choose.