2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class AWD from North America - Comments

Parking brake sticks after 3 times repair.

Bearings had to be replaced at 20,000.

Sunroof stuck after 1 year, but has been fixed.

Car is fantastic. Tight handling, good braking, good in snow. Service centers are entirely awful though. Takes multiple times to get things fixed and they don't care. Are an embarassment to the Mercedes name and the time and trouble it has taken is making me switch to a different brand of car, even though I love the C240. :- (

I agree. Purchased a 2003 C240 4matic 7-8 months ago with 35K miles and had a problem with the ESP almost as soon as I took it off the lot. Have not had time to take it in to the dealer till now due to other reasons. Purchased an extended warranty so I would not have to worry about expensive repairs. What a big mistake (not the warranty, but the Benz). First the customer service is horrible. The dealer just plainly does not want to work with my warranty company (this is the same warranty company that they sold just not long ago). They expected me to pay an extra $500 on top of my deductible ($100). I have never had these types of problems with any of the other extended warranties I've purchased on any other vehicle and all I keep hearing is that I purchased a Mercedes Benz and they are expensive and have addition features like the ESP which my other cars did not. What a joke, sensor issues at 35k miles. Sounds like they expect these new features to fail.

I took a day off and went to the dealer to straighten this out, I had the service center, warranty company, as well as the dealer I had purchased the car from on the phone all day. Seems that the unexpected $500 this service center was asking for was the balance the warranty company was not willing to pay. You ask why, well first there parts were priced a bit higher then the warranty company can get them for. They claim they are MSRP, but who knows. They would not install any parts that my warranty company wanted to send them (rear axle). I can understand there stance (I my self have worked in the auto industry for roughly 10 years) and was willing to pay the extra amount for the parts to make sure they were Mercedes parts.

Second, there repair hour schedule did not match the warranty companies? While at the service center with the warranty agency on the phone I tried to get this worked out. And when I thought was the end of this, seems the warranty company was willing to pay for the time requested by Mercedes Benz this entire time as long as they could validate that the time required to do the work is what is stated it the manufactures service guide. The service agent told me that these are published tables so I requested that she fax them over the warranty company so they would pay for the work done and it would not have to come out of my pocket. Called the service center the next day to make sure everything is all set with the warranty company. Oh no, she never called nor faxed anything to the warranty center. Although she did speak to there parts department and they lowered the price of the parts.

Now instead of a $150 parts difference it is costing me $200 for the unpaid service hours now. OK, the car has been in for almost a whole week without anything done and I could not wait any longer. Told them to go ahead and do the work. This was Thursday and was told it would be out by Monday no later then Tuesday. What do you know Tuesday roles around and no call from the service center. As a matter of fact the service center has not called me once yet, I have been the one to always call them to get any updates. Had my wife call them Monday, she was told the parts arrived on Monday and the car would be done Tuesday at the latest.

Wednesday (today), is the nightmare over yet, not yet. Called the service department once again and was told that the parts came in this morning.? mentioned that my wife was told Monday that the parts came in Monday morning. which one was it? have worked with the same service agent since dropping the car off. hmmmm? also, just found out that they misdiagnosed the problem and it is the computer that has caused this. Was told that they will again call the warranty company to see what they will cover, remember I only have a $100 deductible.

I am now waiting to see how this will all work out, but with my almost 2 week experience with this service agent, I can only think of what is coming next. I just hope this is just one random instance of bad luck and that all Mercedes service centers do not treat there customers the same way. I am waiting to here back from the service agent and will take this issue to the service manager and president if I need to. If it does not get resolved in a proper manner I will never purchase another Mercedes Benz.