The Car Thread

[EpsomWolf]

Twitter vid and tagging Mercedes and the dealer that’s pissed you about might be a good place to start, I’d bet the cables are difficult and time consuming to access and check that’s why it’s not done, and then dealers act all surprised and say that’s the first one I’ve ever known to fail

The cables are a bit fiddly to replace apparently and come as a pack of six. Been quoted 4.5 hours but been told to leave car for 2 days.

The cables look like they are easy enough to access for inspection though, but maybe there are some internal bits that make it impossible.

Mechanism with o/s cable:



This is the n/s one that triggers me. Must’ve been visibly worn at time of purchase. Can’t be right they exonerate themselves from all responsibility and shift the liability completely into the customer.

 

[Keef]

When you said cables I thought they’d be like bike brake cables and steel not bits of paracord and boot laces

 

[EpsomWolf]

Yep, supposedly designed to take a specfic strain but clearly not much margin for error. A little chaffing and ping, off you go.

 

[Keef]

That boot lace above your middle finger in the bottom picture is near the end of its design life as well, who’d have thought running bootlaces through metal rings under great strain wouldn’t last long.
At least you didn’t have to try and get the roof up in a downpour when they went twang

 

[EpsomWolf]

They just keep the inner lining taught during the operation. Luckily the main roof frame is much more robust so still goes up and down, but the final deck lid doesn’t close properly because the lining itself is bulked up restricting space.

All the main and expensive parts are covered under warranty but the shittiest, weakest, cheap and nastiest part isn’t. Just got an urge to call it out now.

 

[leedswolf]

A little chaffing and ping, off you go.

Some new underwear required perhaps?

 

[pagey]

Can I ask when you brought the Merc and mileage you've covered since owning? Surely the Consumer Rights Act would apply?

 

[EpsomWolf]

Bought in April, done approx 6k miles since then.

To be honest I think financial loss is done and dusted. I’ve had a few ‘conversations’ and the legalities around the warranty from MB are watertight.

The dealers themselves have to follow very strict protocols set out by MB, which ensures everything remains watertight throughout the entire chain. They are masters of that legal craft and it’s unrealistic to find any workable loopholes there unfortunately.

I pressed the selling dealer on the point this could happen again (and again, and again) and there was a very firm “we will continue to follow MB guidelines”.

To that end, it’s more about raising awareness and being an irritant now. The inspection of the specific component can only be a directive to dealers from MB themselves which let’s face it, isn’t going to happen, so the focus has to shift to just being a thorn in the side - letting people know this is going on and letting people know if it happens to you you’re on your own.

I’d like to dig out Worcester MB because despite very polished empathetic tones of “I can’t disagree with you but there’s very little we can do”, which in reality means “If you think we’re contributing anything you can fuck right off”.

I think the twitter suggestion tagging those involved is a good one, although it does feel as though that’s playing with fire and would need to be watertight my end too.

 

[pagey]

Bought in April, done approx 6k miles since then.

To be honest I think financial loss is done and dusted. I’ve had a few ‘conversations’ and the legalities around the warranty from MB are watertight.

The dealers themselves have to follow very strict protocols set out by MB, which ensures everything remains watertight throughout the entire chain. They are masters of that legal craft and it’s unrealistic to find any workable loopholes there unfortunately.

I pressed the selling dealer on the point this could happen again (and again, and again) and there was a very firm “we will continue to follow MB guidelines”.

To that end, it’s more about raising awareness and being an irritant now. The inspection of the specific component can only be a directive to dealers from MB themselves which let’s face it, isn’t going to happen, so the focus has to shift to just being a thorn in the side - letting people know this is going on and letting people know if it happens to you you’re on your own.

I’d like to dig out Worcester MB because despite very polished empathetic tones of “I can’t disagree with you but there’s very little we can do”, which in reality means “If you think we’re contributing anything you can fuck right off”.

I think the twitter suggestion tagging those involved is a good one, although it does feel as though that’s playing with fire and would need to be watertight my end too.

No wonder Hamiltons fucking off to Ferrari

 

[Kenny]

Now without a car...odd feeling. Just sold mine and walked away with 58p (finance company had the rest the bastards).

Now to wait for a phone call to arrange delivery of the replacement. Due at the dealership next week. Can see it's reg number has been allocated.

 

[Tredman]

Picking my new car up next week too. Still need to sell the old one, going to end up owing a fair bit more than 58p I think.

 

[Kenny]

Picking my new car up next week too. Still need to sell the old one, going to end up owing a fair bit more than 58p I think.

Had to a bit of a dance with them.

Initially offered me £200 less than the settlement figure. Really picky over the dink some twat put in my door at Brum Airport 2 weeks ago.

Just wanted it gone and no money from myself to settle, so happy with the end result.

Am annoyed at having to pay £30 to cancel my insurance though.

 

[leedswolf]

A follow up to the RIP thread;

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/retro/these-are-just-nine-marcello-gandinis-greatest-hits?fbclid=IwAR2GJV6L0HK9Z6H2eHX5Q_THQgGgA4BlRC7MtSC9q5AHVtrbL78Xky1UZuU

 

[Keef]

Didn’t know he’d done the Renault 5, but makes sense they asked him back to do this

 

[Tredman]

Anyone ever used voluntary termination to hand a car back early on PCP?

I can pay a penalty to do so, but that penalty is a fair bit smaller than the negative equity we have if we were to pay the settlement fee and sell the car.

 

[Kenny]

How long you had the car?

Mine was on PCP but only with me for 16 months so couldn't afford the return so just sold it back to them to pay off the finance. After 2 years you should be able to return without a penalty...or was when I was selling people vehicles on PCP

 

[Tredman]

How long you had the car?

Mine was on PCP but only with me for 16 months so couldn't afford the return so just sold it back to them to pay off the finance. After 2 years you should be able to return without a penalty...or was when I was selling people vehicles on PCP

I’ve checked it out and it’s the point at which you have paid 50% of the total purchase amount. We are 3 months short of that so, I guess, we would just charged that if we did it.

Seems to be very difficult to work out how to actually do it though.

 

[Kenny]

Sorry, yep 50% I was working off mine being 2 years to hit the 50% mark!

 

[Kenny]

Car arriving 2nd April. Happy with that as it was ordered on the 12th December. Decent turn around.

Could have had it next week but I need to be in Leeds so couldn't guarantee I would be here the 2 days available next week. Fake Death of Jesus weekend ruining the other chance of having it before the end of next week.

 

[Tredman]

Ordered mine on 4th March, picking it up on Friday