Brand New Mercedes Breaks Down after 3 Hours

Bluerinse2025

Purchased a brand new Mercedes GLA 250e from a Mercedes dealership on a 0% finance PCP deal with only 1 mile on the clock.

Long story short, the car broke down in under 3 hours after 118 miles on the way home and had to be recovered. It is being repaired. What are my rights?

I owned the car less than 3 hours.

Mercedes customer service is a shambles offering £1000 if we take the vehicle once repaired.

I want a replacement like for like, brand new vehicle on exactly the same finance deal that I signed up for, with digital extras thrown in as compensation plus as the VED rates have now gone up, I would like that paid for too.

What are my rights, Mercedes have not been helpful.

Thanks for any advice in advance.

powerful_Rogue

Bluerinse2025 said:

Purchased a brand new Mercedes GLA 250e from a Mercedes dealership on a 0% finance PCP deal with only 1 mile on the clock.

Long story short, the car broke down in under 3 hours after 118 miles on the way home and had to be recovered. It is being repaired. What are my rights?

I owned the car less than 3 hours.

Mercedes customer service is a shambles offering £1000 if we take the vehicle once repaired.

I want a replacement like for like, brand new vehicle on exactly the same finance deal that I signed up for, with digital extras thrown in as compensation plus as the VED rates have now gone up, I would like that paid for too.

What are my rights, Mercedes have not been helpful.

Thanks for any advice in advance.

How do you mean they have not been helpful? They have offered you £1000 and a repaired vehicle. Do you mean they didn't agree to your 'wants'?

1. You can reject the car for a full refund under the short tem right to reject as it's faulty.

2. You can accept the £1000 and a repaired vehicle.

IvanOpinion

What was the nature of the breakdown?

Aylesbury_Duck

It sounds like Mercedes have been helpful.  They've offered a solution above your statutory rights.  If you don't like it, reject the car for a full refund.

born_again

VED increase is a annual thing, so don't think they will offer to do that if you want a new car. Or the digital extra's. 

In effect all they have to do is put you back in the same place as you were before you bought the car, if you reject. Nothing in it for them to offer what you are asking for.

TELLIT01

For me, although I would also be extremely unhappy, whether to accept the cash offer or reject completely would depend on the nature of the fault.  Once you know that, search for any other Mercs with the same issue.  If there are a lot it might sway you towards rejection.  As you say though, if you then purchase a new vehicle you will be hit with the VED increase.

Grumpy_chap

What is the fault that the OP has experienced?

AIUI, it is not that uncommon for cars to require some attention straight after being driven from the showroom as the Dealers sometimes forget something on the PDI, or simply something a bit loose on the manufacturing line.  It always has been thus.  I remember way back (1992) my parents purchased a brand new Seat and that spluttered to a halt a few yards along the road once driven away.  The fault turned out to be a loose jubilee clip on the hose to the air intake filter, meaning excess air entered the system and confused the fuel regulator.  Simple fix, not a ground to reject.

Bluerinse2025

Grumpy_chap said:

What is the fault that the OP has experienced?

AIUI, it is not that uncommon for cars to require some attention straight after being driven from the showroom as the Dealers sometimes forget something on the PDI, or simply something a bit loose on the manufacturing line.  It always has been thus.  I remember way back (1992) my parents purchased a brand new Seat and that spluttered to a halt a few yards along the road once driven away.  The fault turned out to be a loose jubilee clip on the hose to the air intake filter, meaning excess air entered the system and confused the fuel regulator.  Simple fix, not a ground to reject.

There was an issue with the hybrid system, the PTC heater had to be replaced.

400ixl

Cars are complex and there may well be manufacturing faults that come up on first use. If they quickly identified and fixed the fault then there is not much more they can do. Offering compensation fort the inconvenience is not something they have to do and is a gesture of good will.

You are not going to get a replacement car of the same specification or better (they are mainly made to order).

Is the repair being done in a reasonable amount of time?

As people have said, either reject the car for a full refund and join the back of the queue for a new order or accept the compensation and enjoy the new, now working car you ordered.

If the repair is quick then I would take the latter as it is far less impactful and I would be getting what I ordered and everything would be warranted as it would have been had the fault not occurred.

MattMattMattUK

It seems their offer was entirely reasonable and your list of "demands" were highly unreasonable. As others have said your choice is accept their offer or return the car for a full refund, there is no way they will agree to your demands.

Grumpy_chap

Bluerinse2025 said:

There was an issue with the hybrid system, the PTC heater had to be replaced.

So, a very specific, quickly identified and fully replaced focused component within the car that failed.
Now replaced, and no issue.
Plus, and I am not sure why, an offer of a £1k credit in your favour.

Or you can reject the car for a full refund.

Or you can try to hold out for the rather diva-esque list of rather optimistic "wants" that you have set out.  So optimistic as to be unrealistic.

Mercedes seem to have been very helpful.  Some customers can be unreasonable.  Consumer rights are not a wholly one-sided set of rules.

FWIW - it may be worth resolving this with relative pace as any offer that may have been mentioned may be withdrawn.