C&C Workshop

[Guest Gideon]

Published on Oct 3, 2011 in The Straits Times Forum Page

Stuck with an expensive lemon on four wheels

MY FAMILY bought a Mercedes-Benz last year and within two weeks of the collection of the vehicle from Cycle & Carriage, the engine stalled.

Assuming that it was our unfamiliar handling of the car, we dismissed the problem until the Merc stalled repeatedly.

The new car was sent to the service centre many times. It was even checked by experts from Germany, but the stalling continued - it stalled eight times in a year.

When we asked for a replacement, we were told repeatedly to monitor the vehicle after each servicing.

We were promised that if the fault was not rectified, the matter would be brought to the attention of higher management.

When we finally met the senior manager, we were denied a replacement. He justified his company's stand by stating that the car should be repaired within the warranty period.

We were disappointed with the way the case was handled and it raised an important public issue: There is no law in Singapore to protect consumers like the lemon law in the United States.

I am now saddled with yet another problem, which has to do with the air-conditioning of the car.

Having paid so much money to own what we thought was a reliable marque, we have had more than our fair share of inconveniences, frustrations and time lost.

Where can we seek help?

Wendy Ng (Ms)

[Guest hkhamateur]

VERY disappointg! And only words I can put up re ' OMG' :shocked: :tsk:

[Guest Sanjay]

Gideon wrote:

Published on Oct 3, 2011 in The Straits Times Forum Page

Stuck with an expensive lemon on four wheels

MY FAMILY bought a Mercedes-Benz last year and within two weeks of the collection of the vehicle from Cycle & Carriage, the engine stalled.

Assuming that it was our unfamiliar handling of the car, we dismissed the problem until the Merc stalled repeatedly.

The new car was sent to the service centre many times. It was even checked by experts from Germany, but the stalling continued - it stalled eight times in a year.

When we asked for a replacement, we were told repeatedly to monitor the vehicle after each servicing.

We were promised that if the fault was not rectified, the matter would be brought to the attention of higher management.

When we finally met the senior manager, we were denied a replacement. He justified his company's stand by stating that the car should be repaired within the warranty period.

We were disappointed with the way the case was handled and it raised an important public issue: There is no law in Singapore to protect consumers like the lemon law in the United States.

I am now saddled with yet another problem, which has to do with the air-conditioning of the car.

Having paid so much money to own what we thought was a reliable marque, we have had more than our fair share of inconveniences, frustrations and time lost.

Where can we seek help?

Wendy Ng (Ms)

suggest you speak to a good automotive lawyer and sue them... should do wonders.. if you are keen, let me know and will pm you a good auto lawyer

[Guest chiaster]

someone finally wrote something and it made it to the paper's forum! MB's reputation is at stake here, together with C&C's... they had better make sure they stay true to their tagline: "The Best or Nothing"

[Guest skunky]

I drive an e-class. License plate base came off, drove to see&see, they wanted to charge me 32 bucks for it and the parts are available. My other half stepped in, insisting on a free replacement. They did some check...on a number plate base...which takes 3 hours for god sake!!

The eventuality is, its covered under warranty and it will be replaced FOC. But they need to order. Whatever happened to 'we have the parts' when it cost $32? That was monday...it's thursday now, the number plate base is still dangling on my car. The sales advisor or whatever fancy name they gave themselves are hopeless, their phone are never reachable and they kept giving excuses like wrong parts came in blah blah blah...how many types of e-class are there??

Will be getting it fixed this evening by an uncle along Ubi Ave...so much for after sales services. My next car will definitely not be from see&see. I heard the guys in Volkswagon are also having a hard time with dry clutch and their dealers. Buying a car from them costs more than PI....Its just so sad......

[Guest kbardh]

While I laud C&C's eforts in wanting to service our cars to the best of their ability, C&C's reply (through Gary Chan) on the forum page to Ms Wendy's concern was highly dissapointing. It lacked empathy and did not acknowledge the inconvenience the customer had endured.

I have faced a similar situation with my E250 CGI and had my air-con repaired on 3 occasions already within span of 8 mths. There is also a strange smell (like musky oil) which comes out of the air-con (the smell is still there though air-con seems better after third servicing). In second servicing, entire air-con compressor was changed and in third servicing, they had to procure some hose available only from Germany.

Anyone else has same problem with this "smell"?

Thank you

KB

ps - First time posting here, looking forward to this forum.

[Guest skunky]

Hi Bro kbardh,

My dad's e250 got it, my e200 got it too. Heard from some workshop that its from the grease used in some of our car parts. My dad went back to speak to the sales staff about it...he recommends air freshener, think he meant it as a joke but i dun find it funny.

Anyway, for my case, it will be there until about 2-3 mins of aircon operation, afterwhich, its either i got de-sensitized or the smell is really gone. Its a small issue, but its always the small issues that irks you most.

[Guest hkhamateur]

kbardh wrote:

While I laud C&C's eforts in wanting to service our cars to the best of their ability, C&C's reply (through Gary Chan) on the forum page to Ms Wendy's concern was highly dissapointing. It lacked empathy and did not acknowledge the inconvenience the customer had endured.

I have faced a similar situation with my E250 CGI and had my air-con repaired on 3 occasions already within span of 8 mths. There is also a strange smell (like musky oil) which comes out of the air-con (the smell is still there though air-con seems better after third servicing). In second servicing, entire air-con compressor was changed and in third servicing, they had to procure some hose available only from Germany.

Anyone else has same problem with this "smell"?

Thank you

KB

ps - First time posting here, looking forward to this forum.

New bro, :welcome:

disappointed in hearg tat n more to cme! :tsk:

Sgmerc bros, its Merc leh! Or geely??? :shocked:

[Guest silverarrow]

skunky wrote:

I drive an e-class. License plate base came off, drove to see&see, they wanted to charge me 32 bucks for it and the parts are available. My other half stepped in, insisting on a free replacement. They did some check...on a number plate base...which takes 3 hours for god sake!!

The eventuality is, its covered under warranty and it will be replaced FOC. But they need to order. Whatever happened to 'we have the parts' when it cost $32? That was monday...it's thursday now, the number plate base is still dangling on my car. The sales advisor or whatever fancy name they gave themselves are hopeless, their phone are never reachable and they kept giving excuses like wrong parts came in blah blah blah...how many types of e-class are there??

Will be getting it fixed this evening by an uncle along Ubi Ave...so much for after sales services. My next car will definitely not be from see&see. I heard the guys in Volkswagon are also having a hard time with dry clutch and their dealers. Buying a car from them costs more than PI....Its just so sad......

Bro, I think your time and effort is worth much more than $32 leh. Sometimes, if it's not too much, I just pay to solve the problem and save myself further troubles. Whoever says money is not everything? To me, money is able to buy you lots more than you can imagine...including happiness too :becky:.

[Guest skunky]

Bro silverarrow,

Yeah man, that's very true. It's not the 32 bucks, it's the way they responded. When asked about warranty, it changes everything. Just did it, 14 bucks and 15 mins in ubi, uncle provide free mineral water somemore.

[Guest silverarrow]

skunky wrote:

Bro silverarrow,

Yeah man, that's very true. It's not the 32 bucks, it's the way they responded. When asked about warranty, it changes everything. Just did it, 14 bucks and 15 mins in ubi, uncle provide free mineral water somemore.

:thumb:. Actually, all these uncles very mercenary one lah. I think he see you drive Marcili that's why offer you mineral water. :becky:

Years ago, I drove a Nissan Primera, my first 2L car. Once, I drove into a petrol kiosk to pump. One pump uncle approach me for donation and I heard his other uncle colleague telling him to approach drivers with big cars only as they are more well off than drivers of small cars. :tsk:

[Guest skunky]

It's true but this uncle does lotsa stickers in ubi, Ive known him for a long time since my ebo-lution tiong chia days la. Now stickers are no longer the in thing, business oso downhill so perhaps the mineral water are leftovers, haha. Just kidding bro.

[Guest Red Devil]

skunky wrote:

Bro silverarrow,

Yeah man, that's very true. It's not the 32 bucks, it's the way they responded. When asked about warranty, it changes everything. Just did it, 14 bucks and 15 mins in ubi, uncle provide free mineral water somemore.

MY PI which I gotten my other MPV from, asked me to go back to them to change the lic plate frame whenever they have faded - FOC. Though their name is printed on the frame (FOC advertising), but at least they not so calculative over such things.

[Guest skunky]

Hey bro red devil,

Thanks for sharing.

Mine wasn't the frame actually, it is the base plate to hold the frame which comes with the car. Thus it was under warranty. Just a small thing cept that it's dangling and triggers the parktronic every other sec.

[Guest arshavin]

so many problems for mercedes benz.

seriously hope my 1st mb will be trouble-free.

[Guest lightning]

arshavin wrote:

so many problems for mercedes benz.

seriously hope my 1st mb will be trouble-free.

bro arshavin...dun worry to much...just enjoy your ride :car:

....go to any other car forum...you bound to see problems and complaints :tsk::tsk:...Singaporeans' favorite pastime...

[g8crasher]

lightning wrote:

bro arshavin...dun worry to much...just enjoy your ride :car:

....go to any other car forum...you bound to see problems and complaints :tsk::tsk:...Singaporeans' favorite pastime...

Yes I fully agree.

Gotta hear both sides of the story. I think some unreasonable clients expectations are too high sometimes. As with everything that rolls off a production line, most batches are good whilst some are just plain unfortunate.

oh and not to mention the high buy in price locals pay makes almost every bad experience magnified under the media spotlight :becky:

[Guest subaru67]

skunky wrote:

It's true but this uncle does lotsa stickers in ubi, Ive known him for a long time since my ebo-lution tiong chia days la. Now stickers are no longer the in thing, business oso downhill so perhaps the mineral water are leftovers, haha. Just kidding bro.

johnson ah:becky:

[Guest jhun_4040]

subaru67 wrote:

johnson ah:becky:

he is still ok la !! my car also he stick one