Mercedes Benz Century City - a healthy dose of poor service and incompetence at a helluva price!

<p>I purchased a new Mercedes-Benz GLA200 in October 2015 from Mercedes-Benz Century City (my 5th MB from this company). It had problems with the parking sensors that activated without anything being in close proximity whenever I had the car washed or it rained. In addition, it had a rattle on the passenger side of the vehicle which I could not pinpoint. I booked my car in on 25 May 2016 (only 2800km on the odometer since purchased) for the problem, which at that stage had been confirmed by Mercedes-Benz, to be attended to. They had also picked up on their system that there was an outstanding global campaign that needed to be effected in respect of the vehicle. This in my layperson's understanding meant that the car was identified by Mercedes-Benz to have a manufacturing issue that needed to be attended to. In the case of this particular car, it needed the camshaft to be replaced. I was told that it will require about two or three days for the repairs to be effected. I was therefore expecting my car to be returned to me by Tuesday, 31 May, as per their undertaking.</p> <p> </p> <p>It is now 19 July 2016 and I have still not received my vehicle back repaired. I have not heard from Mercedes-Benz Century City (MBCC) for the past week and a bit. The following transpired, since me leaving my car with them:</p> <p>a. The sensors and rattle have still not been attended to;</p> <p>b. They replaced the camshaft and still received diagnostic error messages;</p> <p>c. They said that the part appeared to be incompatible. After tooing and froing between themselves, they reached the conclusion that it must be the settings of the camshaft and told me that they had to contact MB South Africa to obtain the necessary adjustments for the camshaft so that they could effect it, since they thought that that was the problem;</p> <p>d. They implemented the new settings but they allegedly still got diagnostic errors. They had disassembled and reassembled the engine to uninstall and install the camshaft on no fewer than 3 times;</p> <p>e. They then reached the conclusion that it must be an electronic problem and decided to replaced the controller board. After waiting for a unit to arrive, which eventually did; they installed the new board and they still received diagnostic errors.</p> <p>f. Almost a month had now passed since my car was booked in for a simple repair issue.</p> <p>g. They then reached the conclusion that it must be the electrical harness, which they don't have in the country. They ordered it from Germany and waited for another two or so weeks for the part to arrive.</p> <p>h. When the harness arrived two weeks ago they told me that it will take two or three days for it to be installed and tested.....that was two weeks ago.</p> <p>i. Nobody has had the decency to come back to me to tell what is happening with my vehicle...it was supposed to take another 2/3 DAYS!</p> <p>j. I was without a vehicle for more than two weeks and the service department was either not interested, willing or just inept at arranging a courtesy vehicle for me. I had to request that they speak to the salesperson who sold me the vehicle, who was kind enough to lend me a demo vehicle!!!! They couldn’t and weren’t willing to do this themselves.</p> <p>k. Days short of two months and I’m still waiting for an update on how far they’ve “progressed” with my vehicle. </p> <p>l. The last time they communicated with me was a week ago via SMS when they informed me: “…the workshop is still busy with your CLA (sic) (it’s a GLA). They are in the process of assembling currently.” ****** hell, they are still busy assembling my vehicle…to what extent did they dismantle the poor car? It’s or at least was, a brand new car with 2800km on the clock!</p> <p>I contacted the MB South Africa office and a person by the name of Nomsa Mahlangu, CAC Customer Service Representative, had the absolute cheek to respond and say: “Please speak to your sales person at a Mercedes Benz dealer regarding trading your vehicle in for another one”. You, Ms Mahlangu, are trying to give me advice on how to spend my money, and pay twice for the same product?! instead of, for example, appeasing me by extolling the quality service that your workshops strive towards… Shame on you!</p> <p>Hell no, I will not speak to any Mercedes-Benz dealer with regard to buying another Mercedes. With this kind of customer service attitude, count me out for another dose of poor service and incompetence at a helluva price!</p> <p>Whereto from here? I have a dealership and service centre that is simply ***********, unempathetic and definitely not customer-focused! the national representative of MB South Africa is equally so. It seems that the odds are so stacked up against us in this high-cost high stakes industry, that we cannot win. I’m no longer gainfully employed, as I was boarded and am in no position to seek legal counsel.</p>