Concerns Over GardX & Vehicle Prep

Car_54

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it really worth the effort, and the £3.60 minimum postage, to (maybe) get a worthless piece of paper?

BTW  Recorded Delivery died years ago.

sheslookinhot

paul_c123 said:

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it a crime to sell a dirty car?

Totally irrelevant question. ( of course it’s not a crime)

sheslookinhot

dark_knight005 said:

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on whether this is worth escalating or if I should just let it go.

I recently bought a used car from an approved Mercedes-Benz main dealer. I had been speaking with them via email prior to viewing the vehicle and negotiated the deal remotely. I originally planned to buy the car outright with cash, but they wouldn’t move on the price — even getting them to round it down by £300 was a challenge.

Eventually, we agreed on a deal where, if I went through their finance, they would include:

2 additional years of warranty (on top of the standard 1 year)

GardX ceramic and interior protection

I then travelled 3 hours to view and collect the car last Sunday.

Now, while the car looked clean at first glance, on closer inspection after getting it home, several things stood out:

Dirt under the wheel arches

A dirty engine bay, with leaves and debris in the drainage areas under the bonnet

Some mud marks on the door panels inside the car

These things made the overall prep feel rushed and below the standard I would expect from a premium main dealer.

My main concern is around the GardX treatment.

After researching, I understand this should come with a certificate or proof of application, especially as it's normally a chargeable service. When I asked the dealership for confirmation, they told me that because it was included as part of the deal, they don't provide any documentation. So now I’ve got no proof it was applied, and based on how easily the car picked up dirt on the drive home, I’m starting to question whether it was done at all.

If you get no joy from the dealer, a letter to MB UK Customer Service will surely work.

DrEskimo

Guard X provided by the dealers is unfortunately a complete con for what they charge. As you have seen they do very little prep (which like most things is the most important step) and it’s just a £20 coating that sometimes they don’t even bother applying. 

It’s a good thing you didn’t pay for it and it was part of the ‘deal’, but what you may want to explore is a complaint and ask that they rectify the situation by paying for the expense for you to get it to an actual car detailer local to you to prepare an apply a coating properly. 

All they can do is say no, so worth a shot IMO. 

If not, just chalk it up to experience and don’t bother with it in the future.

paul_c123

sheslookinhot said:

paul_c123 said:

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it a crime to sell a dirty car?

Totally irrelevant question. ( of course it’s not a crime)

Then what is the basis of the suggestion of writing a complaint and threatening legal action? (ie the post directly above mine, which I replied to).

GrumpyDil

paul_c123 said:

sheslookinhot said:

paul_c123 said:

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it a crime to sell a dirty car?

Totally irrelevant question. ( of course it’s not a crime)

Then what is the basis of the suggestion of writing a complaint and threatening legal action? (ie the post directly above mine, which I replied to).

Threatening civil legal action has nothing to do with criminal law so whether or not selling a dirty car is a crime is completely irrelevant on this context.

paul_c123

GrumpyDil said:

paul_c123 said:

sheslookinhot said:

paul_c123 said:

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it a crime to sell a dirty car?

Totally irrelevant question. ( of course it’s not a crime)

Then what is the basis of the suggestion of writing a complaint and threatening legal action? (ie the post directly above mine, which I replied to).

Threatening civil legal action has nothing to do with criminal law so whether or not selling a dirty car is a crime is completely irrelevant on this context.

What is the civil action then?

spud

To the OP. I recently bought a Porsche (first time) from a renowned dealer in the south, including their paint treatment as a part of the deal. I fully expected a first class valet and prep for the collection. What I got wasn’t really any different from yourself with very poor ‘valeting’ and no attention to detail around the intricate surfaces and interior. Additionally the coating they applied I subsequently needed to remove from overspill on mirrors and glass and can see poor application on the panels. I contemplated complaining but really was just glad to get the car and do the cleaning properly myself (I quite enjoy that though appreciate everyone may not). Similarly I can purchase a good ceramic coating from Amazon and apply it myself. Whilst I generally see a slip in standards in most things these days I was quite disappointed. More so on how the supposed reputable dealer didn’t have an issue passing an expensive car to me on the day with some obvious cosmetic quality issues. 

What I see these days are Standards not what they used to be, irrespective of the brand (costs overrule quality and customer satisfaction unfortunately). By all means complain and refer to the ‘customer experience’ and see what you get. As has been said the paint protection, if it’s important to you, I would recommend doing it yourself or taking it to a reputable detailer. 

Best of luck but don’t let it spoil the enjoyment of your new car!

Aretnap

paul_c123 said:

GrumpyDil said:

paul_c123 said:

sheslookinhot said:

paul_c123 said:

Grey_Critic said:

Why not put together a formal letter sent recorded Delivery FAO Dealer Princple outlining your concerns. Complaining that way does put them on the back foot as such a letter indicates you may be taking the matter further, possibly down the legal route so may prompt a proper response.

Sometimes making it formal gets results and emails do not have the same credibility - All it costs is a little time and a stamp

Is it a crime to sell a dirty car?

Totally irrelevant question. ( of course it’s not a crime)

Then what is the basis of the suggestion of writing a complaint and threatening legal action? (ie the post directly above mine, which I replied to).

Threatening civil legal action has nothing to do with criminal law so whether or not selling a dirty car is a crime is completely irrelevant on this context.

What is the civil action then?

Breach of contract: it's an implied contractual term that the car will be delivered in a reasonable state of cleanliness, as a customer would expect. 

Not worth it in this case I agree; it's highly debatable whether a reasonable state of cleanliness includes scrubbing the underside of the wheel arches, and the best case scenario is that the OP gets a tenner to have his local car valeter clean the muddy footprint off the door panel. But if the car has been delivered filthy inside and out I can't see why he wouldn't have a case.