I Got Screwed By Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton...Pictures Attached
05-04-2007, 04:53 AM
#1
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I Got Screwed By Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton...Pictures Attached
I read of gittledog's unpleasant dealings with a major, supposedly "reputable" dealership and I was inspired to tell my own story of dealing with a major Mercedes Benz dealership. Gittledog, I'm so sorry to read about your experience with your car and the dealership. I hope it is eventually resolved to your satisfaction. Nothing will make up for the frustration. 
My wife is an angel. She put up with my restoring a salvaged 1999 996. She never once complained about the time or money I spent bringing it back from the dead. She even helped me work on it. She has stood by my side through five back surgeries. I could go on and on about how wonderful she is.....she even shares my passion for cars. The least I could do for her is buy her the car that she has always dreamed of...a Mercedes SL600.
I shopped for months on Autotrader and Cars.com. I finally found just what she wanted....a 2001 triple black SL600 with 30,000 miles. It was at Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton which is about 100 miles from where I live. I called and talked to the used car manager. The car was pictured on their showroom floor. I asked all of the appropriate questions about it's condition. I specifically asked if the car had any door dents or scratches. I told him that I had just looked at one locally that had a couple scratches and paint work done. I told him that I wanted one with no door dings or paint issues. He told me that their car had no dings or scratches and there were no issues with the paint. I made him an offer over the phone dependant on the car being in the condition that he described. He called me back a couple hours later and accepted my offer.
My dad drove my wife and I down to get the car. The salesman asked me to call ahead so they could have the car ready for me. When we got there, the car was nowhere to be found. I started on the paperwork while we waited for the car. When they finally brought the car out, my wife noticed that it was dirty. It had a coating of dirt over the entire car. It appeared to be perfect. I inspected every panel for dings and scratches...there were none. We took it for a drive and it drove like a dream. My wife suggested that we get them to wash the car. I didn't want to be petty, so I told her not to worry about it. It was dark, we had a long drive ahead of us, and I was having back surgery in another week, so I just wanted to get home.
I wasn't able to wash, wax, and detail the car until about a month after my surgery. I was shocked to find hundreds of white spots all over the hood, hardtop, and trunk of the car. They were rock chips that had been filled in by the fresh coating of wax. I could see that several had been touched up with a brush. They ranged in size from the size of a pencil tip to the size of a BB. I took the car to the local body shop and they quoted me a cost of $5,000 to repair the paint (not counting the hardtop).
I called the dealership to tell the used car manager what I had found. I was informed that he no longer worked there. I spoke to the salesman that helped me. He told me that they had a detail person that could work miracles. He directed me to the new car manager. I spoke to him and he told me that the paint damage was my problem. He said, "What do you expect when you buy a five year old car". I asked to speak to the owner of the dealership. I left messages describing my problem. We just wanted it fixed. He never called me back.
I contacted MB USA. They told me that the problem with our car was between us and the dealership. It was not their problem.
I apologize for such a long rant. I don't mean to be a whiner. I was stupid not to listen to my wife and have them wash the car. I have only myself to blame. I have given up trying to get the dealer to make this right. I did not expect this from a major Mercedes Benz dealership. I was ignorant to think that because they were a large dealership, dealing in high end cars, they were more ethical then any other used car dealer. If I can prevent one other person from experiencing what we did, then writing this was worth my time.
If anybody makes it all the way through this...thanks for letting me vent. I feel a little better. No need to kick me for being an idiot...I already know.
See 2nd page for pictures.
My wife is an angel. She put up with my restoring a salvaged 1999 996. She never once complained about the time or money I spent bringing it back from the dead. She even helped me work on it. She has stood by my side through five back surgeries. I could go on and on about how wonderful she is.....she even shares my passion for cars. The least I could do for her is buy her the car that she has always dreamed of...a Mercedes SL600.
I shopped for months on Autotrader and Cars.com. I finally found just what she wanted....a 2001 triple black SL600 with 30,000 miles. It was at Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton which is about 100 miles from where I live. I called and talked to the used car manager. The car was pictured on their showroom floor. I asked all of the appropriate questions about it's condition. I specifically asked if the car had any door dents or scratches. I told him that I had just looked at one locally that had a couple scratches and paint work done. I told him that I wanted one with no door dings or paint issues. He told me that their car had no dings or scratches and there were no issues with the paint. I made him an offer over the phone dependant on the car being in the condition that he described. He called me back a couple hours later and accepted my offer.
My dad drove my wife and I down to get the car. The salesman asked me to call ahead so they could have the car ready for me. When we got there, the car was nowhere to be found. I started on the paperwork while we waited for the car. When they finally brought the car out, my wife noticed that it was dirty. It had a coating of dirt over the entire car. It appeared to be perfect. I inspected every panel for dings and scratches...there were none. We took it for a drive and it drove like a dream. My wife suggested that we get them to wash the car. I didn't want to be petty, so I told her not to worry about it. It was dark, we had a long drive ahead of us, and I was having back surgery in another week, so I just wanted to get home.
I wasn't able to wash, wax, and detail the car until about a month after my surgery. I was shocked to find hundreds of white spots all over the hood, hardtop, and trunk of the car. They were rock chips that had been filled in by the fresh coating of wax. I could see that several had been touched up with a brush. They ranged in size from the size of a pencil tip to the size of a BB. I took the car to the local body shop and they quoted me a cost of $5,000 to repair the paint (not counting the hardtop).
I called the dealership to tell the used car manager what I had found. I was informed that he no longer worked there. I spoke to the salesman that helped me. He told me that they had a detail person that could work miracles. He directed me to the new car manager. I spoke to him and he told me that the paint damage was my problem. He said, "What do you expect when you buy a five year old car". I asked to speak to the owner of the dealership. I left messages describing my problem. We just wanted it fixed. He never called me back.
I contacted MB USA. They told me that the problem with our car was between us and the dealership. It was not their problem.
I apologize for such a long rant. I don't mean to be a whiner. I was stupid not to listen to my wife and have them wash the car. I have only myself to blame. I have given up trying to get the dealer to make this right. I did not expect this from a major Mercedes Benz dealership. I was ignorant to think that because they were a large dealership, dealing in high end cars, they were more ethical then any other used car dealer. If I can prevent one other person from experiencing what we did, then writing this was worth my time.
If anybody makes it all the way through this...thanks for letting me vent. I feel a little better. No need to kick me for being an idiot...I already know.
See 2nd page for pictures.
Last edited by Mfletch; 05-08-2007 at 09:32 PM.
The following 3 users liked this post by Mfletch:
05-04-2007, 05:33 AM
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Post this on MBworld.org in all of the forums regarding models. There are alot of Mercedes owners in the bay area that are members of that forum & I'm sure they'd be interested in hearing about Pleasanton MB. I have an E55 that I take to Fletcher Jones in Fremont & after hearing what Pleasanton did to you, I'll never take my car there!!! Sorry to hear about how they treated you.
05-04-2007, 10:01 AM
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I feel for you, but realistically you inspected the car when you picked it up and by your own admission you inspected every panel for dings and scratches and it appeared to be perfect. And then you didn't notice the white spots until over a month later.
Maybe the dealership could have been a bit nicer about it, but from their perspective you waited over a month to make your complaint about something you should have seen when you picked up the car. I suspect their attitude would have been a bit different if you had called back the next day.
Was the car being driven at all during that month delay? If so, you really did weaken your case. If all you did was drive the car home and park it in the garage, that would be a bit more explainable.
Maybe the dealership could have been a bit nicer about it, but from their perspective you waited over a month to make your complaint about something you should have seen when you picked up the car. I suspect their attitude would have been a bit different if you had called back the next day.
Was the car being driven at all during that month delay? If so, you really did weaken your case. If all you did was drive the car home and park it in the garage, that would be a bit more explainable.
05-04-2007, 10:18 AM
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Sad to hear. Hope your back heals (I had a lumbar fusion years ago).
On the car though, lesson learned: NEVER take a deal like this until the car is clean, inspected, and perfect, at least to your expectation. This includes buying one in the rain. NEVER let it go through until you've seen the car under lights, dry and clean.
Bummer. Hope you get something worked out. Probably needs a full repaint though.
On the car though, lesson learned: NEVER take a deal like this until the car is clean, inspected, and perfect, at least to your expectation. This includes buying one in the rain. NEVER let it go through until you've seen the car under lights, dry and clean.
Bummer. Hope you get something worked out. Probably needs a full repaint though.
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Eric
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05-04-2007, 10:34 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by Eric - Plug Guy
Sad to hear. Hope your back heals (I had a lumbar fusion years ago).
On the car though, lesson learned: NEVER take a deal like this until the car is clean, inspected, and perfect, at least to your expectation. This includes buying one in the rain. NEVER let it go through until you've seen the car under lights, dry and clean.
Bummer. Hope you get something worked out. Probably needs a full repaint though.
On the car though, lesson learned: NEVER take a deal like this until the car is clean, inspected, and perfect, at least to your expectation. This includes buying one in the rain. NEVER let it go through until you've seen the car under lights, dry and clean.
Bummer. Hope you get something worked out. Probably needs a full repaint though.
05-04-2007, 11:40 AM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Clum, thanks for the kind words. I am a member of that site...I might do that.
rmillnj, we brought the car home and parked it in the garage where it sat for over a month. I washed it and thought it had sap on it because I could feel imperfections. I used McGuire's claybar and Zymol cleaner/wax. The white spots didn't become visible until after I waxed it. At first I thought that I damaged the paint with the clay bar. Someone had spent hours touching up all of the chips with a brush. The claybar must have removed the touch up paint and the wax filled in the chips. I have never seen anything like this on another vehicle. The body shop told me that the damage was probably caused by the car following a gravel truck or someone on a gravel road. There must be over 300 chips on the car.
Eric and Phil, you guys are both right...it was 100% percent my responsibility to inspect the condition of the car prior to buying it. I have no one to blame for my stupidity but myself. I think it was incredibly dishonest of the used car manager to describe the condition of the paint to me as being in "showroom" condition. I still have no idea what their detailer used to cover up the damage. It was no accident that the car was dirty; however, their ad shows pictures of the car parked in their lighted showroom. Is there a wax on the market that would have filled in the holes with black rather then white?
I went into this transaction with a false sense of security. I have had incredible luck with my numerous dealings with my local Porsche dealer (Niello Porsche). They were absolutely fantastic in helping me with the restoration if my 996. I expected the same honesty and integrity of the Mercedes Dealership. I was mistaken. The used car manager was a fellow 996 owner. I was sure that he would make things right when I told him about the problem. I got a sinking feeling when I called and found out he no longer worked there. I later realized that he had to have known about the condition of the paint and he lied to me about it.
My lessons learned were: ALWAYS listen to your wife
, never buy a car at night, or in the rain, or that is dirty. I hope someone else benefits from my mistakes.
Eric, thanks for the well wishes regarding my back. You have obviously been there too. I have my second fusion surgery coming up in three weeks...I'm not real excited.
rmillnj, we brought the car home and parked it in the garage where it sat for over a month. I washed it and thought it had sap on it because I could feel imperfections. I used McGuire's claybar and Zymol cleaner/wax. The white spots didn't become visible until after I waxed it. At first I thought that I damaged the paint with the clay bar. Someone had spent hours touching up all of the chips with a brush. The claybar must have removed the touch up paint and the wax filled in the chips. I have never seen anything like this on another vehicle. The body shop told me that the damage was probably caused by the car following a gravel truck or someone on a gravel road. There must be over 300 chips on the car.
Eric and Phil, you guys are both right...it was 100% percent my responsibility to inspect the condition of the car prior to buying it. I have no one to blame for my stupidity but myself. I think it was incredibly dishonest of the used car manager to describe the condition of the paint to me as being in "showroom" condition. I still have no idea what their detailer used to cover up the damage. It was no accident that the car was dirty; however, their ad shows pictures of the car parked in their lighted showroom. Is there a wax on the market that would have filled in the holes with black rather then white?
I went into this transaction with a false sense of security. I have had incredible luck with my numerous dealings with my local Porsche dealer (Niello Porsche). They were absolutely fantastic in helping me with the restoration if my 996. I expected the same honesty and integrity of the Mercedes Dealership. I was mistaken. The used car manager was a fellow 996 owner. I was sure that he would make things right when I told him about the problem. I got a sinking feeling when I called and found out he no longer worked there. I later realized that he had to have known about the condition of the paint and he lied to me about it.
My lessons learned were: ALWAYS listen to your wife
, never buy a car at night, or in the rain, or that is dirty. I hope someone else benefits from my mistakes.Eric, thanks for the well wishes regarding my back. You have obviously been there too. I have my second fusion surgery coming up in three weeks...I'm not real excited.
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05-04-2007, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Mfletch
I think it was incredibly dishonest of the used car manager to describe the condition of the paint to me as being in "showroom" condition. I still have no idea what their detailer used to cover up the damage.
Eric, thanks for the well wishes regarding my back. You have obviously been there too. I have my second fusion surgery coming up in three weeks...I'm not real excited.
Eric, thanks for the well wishes regarding my back. You have obviously been there too. I have my second fusion surgery coming up in three weeks...I'm not real excited.
2) They likely used 'color wax' a detailer/used car sales person's top tool to hide problems in the paint. This works especially well on Black cars with swirls and scratches. Countless customers buy a used Black car in pristine, flawless condition, and cannot understand why all the swirls appear after the first wash (when the color wax disappears).
3) second one, same location? Hope not. Had mine over 25 years ago, right after college, L4S5 by one of the best in the country. 18 month full recovery, just can't touch my toes without bending at the knee. But hey, that's just age.
Be well, and don't let this one get you.
05-04-2007, 12:08 PM
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arrOgant, I love your new turbo. Unfortunately "moron" is more appropriate in my case.
Eric, where can I buy some of that black wax, so I can make it look presentable until I can afford to fix it? Do you carry it? That really explains a lot. That was why I could not see the problem until after I detailed the car. It also explaines why they didn't wash the car and how it was able to sit on the showroom floor without embarassing them. How do you protect yourself against something like that?
L-3-L-4 & L-4-L-5 last time...L-5-S-1 this time. I am amazed that you went through that at such a young age. Thanks.
Eric, where can I buy some of that black wax, so I can make it look presentable until I can afford to fix it? Do you carry it? That really explains a lot. That was why I could not see the problem until after I detailed the car. It also explaines why they didn't wash the car and how it was able to sit on the showroom floor without embarassing them. How do you protect yourself against something like that?
L-3-L-4 & L-4-L-5 last time...L-5-S-1 this time. I am amazed that you went through that at such a young age. Thanks.
05-04-2007, 12:22 PM
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MFletch - It does sound like they really scammed you and unfortunately circumstances put you out that month before you realized what they had done. Unfortunately probably not much you can do other than what you have already done. Maybe if they hear about it from enough people they will get back to you and offer some help.
05-04-2007, 12:58 PM
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Never buy a car while you are in a hurry, never buy a car (especially used) late at night, always have it inspected by a mechanic and a body shop.
Sorry for your trouble but I have learned these rules the hard way also.
Sorry for your trouble but I have learned these rules the hard way also.
05-04-2007, 01:04 PM
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Mfletch....I would not bother with color wax. Find a high end detailer and have them take a look at the car....they might be able to do some things to improve it.
But I think most auto parts places stock color wax in black.
Fusion - yeah, I broke two vert. water skiiing at age 18, went off to college for 4 years, then had it done after graduation.
But I think most auto parts places stock color wax in black.
Fusion - yeah, I broke two vert. water skiiing at age 18, went off to college for 4 years, then had it done after graduation.
05-05-2007, 04:27 AM
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Mark: I've seen your car and have seen how extensive the nicks were, and there's no way you could have missed all those nicks in the paint if there hadn't been a CONSCIOUS EFFORT on the part of the dealership to mask the deficiencies. Although it is your responsibility to make sure you go over a vehicle when you buy it....it's also an obligation on the part of a REPUTABLE dealer (**Oxymoron terminology noted) to be forthright and ethical when selling a car to a client. This isn't Joe's fly-by-night used car lot we're talking about. Unfortunately for you, your back surgery precluded you noticing the defects for over a month, after which time the dealership had a built in defense that the damage was your doing rather than theirs. A truly class dealership would have worked with you on this. I guess that classifies them doesn't it?
Since the dealership obviously was less than honorable with you, I don't see why you are retiscent about posting their name in the forum....but it does show that you have a lot more class than they do. As far as I'm concerned, burn the bastards.
Chuck
Since the dealership obviously was less than honorable with you, I don't see why you are retiscent about posting their name in the forum....but it does show that you have a lot more class than they do. As far as I'm concerned, burn the bastards.
Chuck
05-05-2007, 05:25 AM
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Eric, Thanks for the advice. The information about the colored wax makes me feel a little better. I spent about 15 minutes going over the car with a fine tooth comb (or so I thought). I could not figure out how I missed so much damage even with the car dirty. Hats off to their detailer. 
Chuck, thanks for the kind words. You have seen just how bad it looks. It's hard to believe a car that sold new for over $140,000. could have gotten so trashed in just 30,000 miles. The interior, engine, and underside look like new. It looks so nice from 10 feet away....any closer and I get kind of ill when I look at it. It was kind of an expensive lesson.
gittledogs unfortunate experience made me realize that by posting my experience, I might save someone else a lot of heartache and grief. It never previously occurred to me that someone searching the internet under the dealership's name might come across this post.
Chuck, thanks for the kind words. You have seen just how bad it looks. It's hard to believe a car that sold new for over $140,000. could have gotten so trashed in just 30,000 miles. The interior, engine, and underside look like new. It looks so nice from 10 feet away....any closer and I get kind of ill when I look at it. It was kind of an expensive lesson.
gittledogs unfortunate experience made me realize that by posting my experience, I might save someone else a lot of heartache and grief. It never previously occurred to me that someone searching the internet under the dealership's name might come across this post.