Dear Ruth,
I bought a July 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC in Macclesfield last November. It had a serious battery malfunction while I was driving it, and as it was under warranty, it was agreed that a new one would be fitted.
I live on the Isle of Lewis and Mercedes-Benz UK engaged a third party to take my car to the nearest approved garage in Inverness. Sadly, the car has been returned with a significant dent, as it was left in the Ullapool ferry car park for two days instead of the contractor’s secure compound.
The person who damaged my car left a note with their details, but Mercedes-Benz said this matter is between us to resolve and has nothing to do with them. I find this wholly unacceptable. Mercedes-Benz is unwilling to repair my vehicle that was damaged in its care. The company says my only route of appeal is the ombudsman, which can take seven months!
I also feel I am being discriminated against for living on an island and have no reassurance that, should my car be damaged again while being transported, I wouldn’t be responsible for the repairs. Could you help pursue this matter for me?
I believe the cost of fixing the dent is about £1,000.
– SM, Isle of Lewis
Dear Reader,
You were informed that your luxury SUV was being left at the ferry terminal over the weekend, and you said that you specifically asked whether it would be safe, and were reassured it would be. You believed that if any damage occurred, Mercedes would cover it.
A man with Alzheimer’s opened his car door in the car park, which unfortunately caught in the wind and hit your vehicle, leaving a deep dent more than two inches long. You know this because his wife left a note on your SUV admitting the damage.
You said the contractor put the note inside the car before taking the car to Inverness. The damage was not acknowledged by anyone involved in the transport and repair of your vehicle, but when you collected it from Stornoway, you immediately spotted the dent on the driver’s wing side.
You’ve repeatedly asked Mercedes-Benz to pay to fix the damage, but it refuses to take responsibility and insists you deal with the other car owner and sort it out with your insurers.
You forwarded me your email correspondence, which stated that Mercedes-Benz investigated but the damage “has not been attributed to Mercedes-Benz, its appointed contractors, or any recovery activity carried out on our behalf”. It also said the damage was caused by an “identified third party”, so the matter needs to be “pursued through either your own motor insurer or directly with the third party’s insurer”.
You were advised you could take your case to the Motor Ombudsman if you weren’t happy, which sent a shiver down my spine after my recent dealings with them.
Luckily, you contacted me instead, and I agreed that Mercedes-Benz should cough up for the dent. It was not your decision to leave your expensive car – barely two years old – in a busy, blustery car park for two days. This was a matter for Mercedes to sort out with its contractor, not for you to have to handle with the other car owner.
You had already had a scary experience when your car cut out while you were driving on a single-track road on the island. You were thankful it didn’t happen on a busy main road.
It turns out your GLC had a non-standard battery. Your car now has a Mercedes-Benz battery after the repair in Inverness, but this aftercare involving the dent has left a sour taste in the mouth.
I got in touch with Mercedes-Benz and argued your case. The next day, the company rang you to apologise and said it would cover the costs after all. The next month, you dropped the car off while you visited family in Glasgow and you were provided with a courtesy car while the work was done. The invoice to repair the bodywork was £1,200.
I understand there was a change of heart about paying for the damage because of your loyalty and the fact the vehicle was out of your possession when the dent happened.
While you’re pleased the dent has disappeared – and you have praised the Arnold Clark Mercedes-Benz Inverness team for being so helpful – you have sadly had more problems with your car. It has stopped abruptly several times with no warning, and you’re worried that next time there could be a serious accident, or worse, a fatality.
As I write this, your car has gone into the garage for a fourth time for diagnostic repairs. You are wisely considering whether to ask for a refund or a replacement GLC, as you have zero confidence in driving your existing car or that it will ever be fixed properly.
– Ruth
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