Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

abacomike

ab348 said:

hey, why pick on Sonata? Maybe it won because it deserved to!

I was only half-serious. Mentioned it because there have been long-standing rumors about Hyundai using paid agents to write good things about their cars in forums like these, on online automotive sites, etc., and lavishing freebies on writers. Then there was them getting caught misstating HP and fuel economy numbers to their benefit. I don't know if they are less ethical than other car companies or just more inept at covering up their shenanigans.

As Stick said, it is quite probable Sonata was highly rated because it deserved the accolades.  But as you state, Hyuandi has been caught with their pants down as regards mpg and hp.

Most people I know who own or lease Sonatas swear by them.  These are people who used to drive Camry's and Hondas, for the most part.  The Sonata has become a very popular sedan because they are trouble-free and highly affordable.

On the other hand, I don't trust companies who knowingly mislead or lie to consumers about their products.  Would I buy a Sonata?  If I was at a point in my life where I needed to conserve resources to the point where I gave up on Mercedes, most definitely!

ab348

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side.

How doe she get in/out of the vehicle with so little room?

thebean

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side. For some drivers that perhaps is not a big deal but she does it backing-up in one try, every time; even when the sensors, buzzers and flashing red lights warn of imminent impact. After watching several episodes of her doing that I feel so embarrassed of not being able to back-up in a straight line much less to try that going into a tiny garage. Getting old stinks but I can't remember if I could ever accomplish such a feat. So, while I take pride in my daughter's driving skills I don't think she could be so accomplished without the aid of technology. Unfortunately, the technology curve is steep for guys and gals in the 60+ age demographic.

Hope I don't sound like a smart aleck, but how does she get out of the car after parking it in the garage with 2 in on each side?

Bean

stickguy

well, so far no complaints about the Sonata. In very early initial quality they hit the mark.

took 2 local trips today, with mixed driving (less than 1/2 the miles probably were open highway). and the TC is saying that since I got gas (about 3 miles before my trip to the airport this AM) says that I am getting about 30.5 on this tank. I'll take that MPG! Can't wait to see what I can pull on an actual highway trip. I'm hoping for a legit 35 MPG. with an 18.5 gallon tank that will be some serious range!

stickguy

Driver, I had a ding filled once. Not a star really, more of a "BB" hit. It worked, kinda, but I could easily see the repair and it drove me nuts. I ended up having the place back out to replace the windshield. This was on my Accord. I also paid for it myself, since in Jersey, insurance did not include glass coverage. thankfully the place (a local outfit, did a great job) gave me a credit on the repair.

just make sure it is official MB glass, since I imagine you have fancy stuff in there!

robr2

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side.

So how does she get out?

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Do those windshield fillers really work?

Is there a particular company that does better work than others?

Yes they work. Especially if the damage is NOT in the part of the windshield directly in front of the driver or passenger, i.e., not in the usual line of vision. I have a repair spot on my Cobalt's windshield.

It's best to repair the spot as soon as possible. The stress in the windshield is affected by the new damage and will sometimes start to crack further out from the damage.

I just contact my insurance company, State Farm. They have an 800 number for this kind of work, but I like to stop at the office to see the secretary. They have an 800 number for a company that handles the windshield repairs for them. As soon as the claim is entered by State Farm, this other company accesses the info and sets up up with a choice of companies in your immediate area to contact for repair. In fact, I believe they put me on a 3-way call to have the chosen glass company set an appointment to come do the repair. I have used Guardian twice for this and earlier Safelite, but I believe Guardian bought Safelite.

They drill into the windshield where the damage is to relieve the new stress. They pull a vacuum in the hole and adjacent cracks and then let the suction draw in a silicone material which has the same refractive index as the glass and therefore is invisible. They treat the sealer with a UV light to set it, similar to a dentist using a specific light frequency tool to set the new material for a tooth repair.

The repair is guaranteed for your life of the car, i.e., if it cracks further, they will then replace the windshield. I prefer using the repair if possible because cutting the windshield out and breaking the factory materials means that the replacement windshield may not seal as well or be as integral a part of the car's crash design strength as the original was.

stickguy

my sister has a town house in VA like that. Her TL (the 2000 that I later bought) really filled it up, but thankfully was not too wide. Her TSX is a little shorter, but probably wider. Very tight fit. The garage is actually pretty deep, just narrow. I think she has to go way to the right to have enough room to open the driver's door. I put my S40 in there once, and that car seemed wide in there, while in my garage it looked lost!

I should make my wife try that back in deal. She hates backing in, and never does it. freaks her out when I do it though.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

Hyuandi has been caught with their pants down as regards mpg and hp.

To twist that phrase a bit: hyuandi has been caught with their pants down and their mileage and horsepower _up_.

Actually many car companies have had some bad press lately. I actually looked at the twins during my year long car search. My biggest dislike was the company which owns the nearby Hyundai store. The Kia store further away also is not a great store atmosphere when I visited there.

houdini1

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Do those windshield fillers really work?

Is there a particular company that does better work than others?

Yes they work. Especially if the damage is NOT in the part of the windshield directly in front of the driver or passenger, i.e., not in the usual line of vision. I have a repair spot on my Cobalt's windshield.

It's best to repair the spot as soon as possible. The stress in the windshield is affected by the new damage and will sometimes start to crack further out from the damage.

I just contact my insurance company, State Farm. They have an 800 number for this kind of work, but I like to stop at the office to see the secretary. They have an 800 number for a company that handles the windshield repairs for them. As soon as the claim is entered by State Farm, this other company accesses the info and sets up up with a choice of companies in your immediate area to contact for repair. In fact, I believe they put me on a 3-way call to have the chosen glass company set an appointment to come do the repair. I have used Guardian twice for this and earlier Safelite, but I believe Guardian bought Safelite.

They drill into the windshield where the damage is to relieve the new stress. They pull a vacuum in the hole and adjacent cracks and then let the suction draw in a silicone material which has the same refractive index as the glass and therefore is invisible. They treat the sealer with a UV light to set it, similar to a dentist using a specific light frequency tool to set the new material for a tooth repair.

The repair is guaranteed for your life of the car, i.e., if it cracks further, they will then replace the windshield. I prefer using the repair if possible because cutting the windshield out and breaking the factory materials means that the replacement windshield may not seal as well or be as integral a part of the car's crash design strength as the original was.

I will second what imid said on the windshield repair. I have had it done a couple of times. They will send a mobile unit out to your home and do the job in about 15 minutes. Talk to your insurance carrier to find a good one. The insurer should waive the glass deductible if you have one. The repair works great. The little starburst crack has to be within a certain size limit for them to do this type repair.

imidazol97

http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/road_tests/2015_ford_f150/

This page has the motor week shows. After a few weeks, the line items listed as content for each show are hot links to the individual stories. The midsize sedan test is not yet available.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Do those windshield fillers really work?

They drill into the windshield where the damage is to relieve the new stress. They pull a vacuum in the hole and adjacent cracks and then let the suction draw in a silicone material which has the same refractive index as the glass and therefore is invisible. They treat the sealer with a UV light to set it, similar to a dentist using a specific light frequency tool to set the new material for a tooth repair.

The repair is guaranteed for your life of the car, i.e., if it cracks further, they will then replace the windshield. I prefer using the repair if possible because cutting the windshield out and breaking the factory materials means that the replacement windshield may not seal as well or be as integral a part of the car's crash design strength as the original was.

Great post Imid and thanks Houdini for seconding it. Thanks to Mike and stick too for commenting. The spot on the glass is more like a BB shot and doesn't seem too deep. I think it would be a hassle for me to try to get it fixed through insurance company so I am willing to give this a try. If not satisfactory I'll get a full replacement.

I appreciate your full explanation Imid, that's quite a process. Any idea what the approximate price would be? Good point about if it is filled in the integrety of the glass is still in place.

driver100

thebean said:

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side.

For some drivers that perhaps is not a big deal but she does it backing-up in one try, every time; even when the sensors, buzzers and flashing red lights warn of imminent impact. After watching several episodes of her doing that I feel so embarrassed of not being able to back-up in a straight line much less to try that going into a tiny garage.

Getting old stinks but I can't remember if I could ever accomplish such a feat. So, while I take pride in my daughter's driving skills I don't think she could be so accomplished without the aid of technology. Unfortunately, the technology curve is steep for guys and gals in the 60+ age demographic.

Hope I don't sound like a smart aleck, but how does she get out of the car after parking it in the garage with 2 in on each side?

Bean

I once saw a guy who pulls into the garage, opens his window, leans out and opens the door into the house, then crawls out the window.

bwia

thebean said:

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side.

For some drivers that perhaps is not a big deal but she does it backing-up in one try, every time; even when the sensors, buzzers and flashing red lights warn of imminent impact. After watching several episodes of her doing that I feel so embarrassed of not being able to back-up in a straight line much less to try that going into a tiny garage.

Getting old stinks but I can't remember if I could ever accomplish such a feat. So, while I take pride in my daughter's driving skills I don't think she could be so accomplished without the aid of technology. Unfortunately, the technology curve is steep for guys and gals in the 60+ age demographic.

Hope I don't sound like a smart aleck, but how does she get out of the car after parking it in the garage with 2 in on each side?

Bean

Oops, sorry. The garage door opening is the problem; it is tiny compared to the interior space which is fine.

bwia

robr2 said:

bwia said:

Can't teach old dogs new tricks?

Well, I have to give my daughter her driving props. She recently purchased a town house with a tiny single car garage, that is suitable for perhaps a Smart for 2 or a FIAT 500. Yet she is able to park her Ford Escape Titanium in that tiny garage with about two inches to spare on either side.

So how does she get out?

I misspoke. In her townhouse the garage door miniscule compared to the interior space. Seems as though they used the smallest possible garage door they could find. Then again she can't complain much since she bought the property in a short sale at half the price it last sold in 2007.

houdini1

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Do those windshield fillers really work?

They drill into the windshield where the damage is to relieve the new stress. They pull a vacuum in the hole and adjacent cracks and then let the suction draw in a silicone material which has the same refractive index as the glass and therefore is invisible. They treat the sealer with a UV light to set it, similar to a dentist using a specific light frequency tool to set the new material for a tooth repair.

The repair is guaranteed for your life of the car, i.e., if it cracks further, they will then replace the windshield. I prefer using the repair if possible because cutting the windshield out and breaking the factory materials means that the replacement windshield may not seal as well or be as integral a part of the car's crash design strength as the original was.

Great post Imid and thanks Houdini for seconding it. Thanks to Mike and stick too for commenting. The spot on the glass is more like a BB shot and doesn't seem too deep. I think it would be a hassle for me to try to get it fixed through insurance company so I am willing to give this a try. If not satisfactory I'll get a full replacement.

I appreciate your full explanation Imid, that's quite a process. Any idea what the approximate price would be? Good point about if it is filled in the integrety of the glass is still in place.

Your ins. carrier probably has a contract with a company that does this. It is a win win for you and the ins. carrier, so they waive the glass deductible. Just call your ins. carrier and they will set it up. They are happy to pay $150 bucks instead of $750. or so. You don't pay anything.

explorerx4

I held over a million dollars in my arms for about half an hour today.
It was my nephew. He weighed 2 pounds when born and spent over 4 months in the hospital @$9000 a day. Holding the miracle, priceless!

@driver100,
If it were me, I'd see if the insurance company can fix the glass. I hate to waste a windshield just for a chip in it.

houdini1

explorerx4 said:

I held over a million dollars in my arms for about half an hour today.
It was my nephew. He weighed 2 pounds when born and spent over 4 months in the hospital @$9000 a day. Holding the miracle, priceless!

@driver100,
If it were me, I'd see if the insurance company can fix the glass. I hate to waste a windshield just for a chip in it.

WOW explorer, that truly is priceless. What a great day for you and your family !! Kind of puts all our little problems in perspective.

abacomike

houdini1 said:

I held over a million dollars in my arms for about half an hour today. It was my nephew. He weighed 2 pounds when born and spent over 4 months in the hospital @$9000 a day. Holding the miracle, priceless! @driver100, If it were me, I'd see if the insurance company can fix the glass. I hate to waste a windshield just for a chip in it.

WOW explorer, that truly is priceless. What a great day for you and your family !! Kind of puts all our little problems in perspective.

15 years ago, a baby had almost no chance of survival at 2 lbs birth weight.  That is a miracle, to be sure!!!

houdini1

Picked up a couple of iphone 6's yesterday for the wife and I. 2 year contract with Sprint so they were discounted to $200. each. Unlimited talk and text and 2 gigs of data for about $105 per month after fees and taxes. We just paid for the phones up front. Left T Mobile after 6 years. So far everything works as expected. Thanks for all the input from you guys on cell phones.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

I held over a million dollars in my arms for about half an hour today.
It was my nephew. He weighed 2 pounds when born and spent over 4 months in the hospital @$9000 a day. Holding the miracle, priceless!

@driver100,
If it were me, I'd see if the insurance company can fix the glass. I hate to waste a windshield just for a chip in it.

Congratulations and best wishes regarding the new baby..........that's really great news!

I'll make an appointment to get it filled at Safelite 30 minutes from here. They gave me an online price of $100 plus tax and materials. If I am not satisfied they can replace the windshield which would cost about $650 and they'll apply the cost of the filler toward the windshield. For that price it will be a hassle for me to use my Canadian insurance company. Too bad I can't get it fixed at Audi using my $500 credit.

stickguy

The repair is not that expensive. As noted, it depends a lot on the nature of the damage, and of course, how good the repair guy is! It makes sense if the damage qualifies to have it done. Worst case, you don't like it and get the glass replaced anyway. So ask about the guarantee (meaning if the fix is noticeable, can you get a credit for it).

robr2

Got stuck behind a porcupine in a BMW convertible today. Weather was nice (high 50's) so he had the top down. Going down a semi rural road, he kept slamming on the brakes an going about 15 mph whenever he came upon some water from melting snow to keep water from misting inside the car.

houdini1

robr2 said:

Got stuck behind a porcupine in a BMW convertible today. Weather was nice (high 50's) so he had the top down. Going down a semi rural road, he kept slamming on the brakes an going about 15 mph whenever he came upon some water from melting snow to keep water from misting inside the car.

Porcupine, LOL !!

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Any idea what the approximate price would be? Good point about if it is filled in the integrety of the glass is still in place.

The insurance pays the full cost because it's so much cheaper than replacing the whole windshield. And here in the states, I believe all insurance has to cover glass cracking with no deductible. It's worth it to them to try it first, as long as the chip is not in the line of sight.

Getting it done quickly is important. I had a rock hit on I75 south of Findlay with my son driving in rain during the winter. Couldn't see anything when we got home. Next morning took the car out in the cold from the garage for wife's hand surgery. Saw chip for first time since the rain had stopped.

When I got the car after her surgery in the 10-20 deg F. freezing air, the chip had run a crack about 4 inches up toward the roof of the car.

Keep car out of extra hot sun or cold (? in Florida?) morning air until it can be repaired.

The last chip on the Cobalt, the company offers taking it to their location for repair as well as coming to your place where your car is parked for service. You might get in quickly after insurance has approved it by going to one of their store locations like my son could have done. If was not a Guardian shop, but rather a glass shop that also does this repair under Guardian's direction.

abacomike

@driver100‌

Driver, because you live in Canada 7 months a year, what happens if you repair the windshield and it cracks when you are in Canada?  A US company may warrant the repair, but will you be covered in Canada for that repair?

That is why I suggested that you replace the windshield with a Mercedes windshield.  That way, you are covered in Canada if the windshield should leak by your Mercedes dealership.  If it happened to my car, I would not repair it but rather replace it.

This is just my opinion - take it for what it's worth.

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

Driver, because you live in Canada 7 months a year, what happens if you repair the windshield and it cracks when you are in Canada?  A US company may warrant the repair, but will you be covered in Canada for that repair?

That is why I suggested that you replace the windshield with a Mercedes windshield.  That way, you are covered in Canada if the windshield should leak by your Mercedes dealership.  If it happened to my car, I would not repair it but rather replace it.

This is just my opinion - take it for what it's worth.

Some people are more particular than others, especially when it comes to their cars. My friend with OCD get a complete wash every week, inside and out...at a car wash, not the dealer. He takes off his tennis shoes before he gets in his car so the green fuzz won't get on the floor mats.
He has mats made at a shop that makes them custom sized to the car. He waxes his car a few times a year.

I know and I get it, people love their cars. Me, well, I like my car a lot, as I say to my wife...I don't lend anyone my toothbrush, my underwear, or my car! But, if they can fix the window with liquid filler I am ok with that.

Safelite didn't have a 2015 E400 window in stock at this location but he said they could get it. I have to know if I have rain sensing wipers and heated windshield to get the real cost. I forgot about those features being a factor. Price of installing a new windshield is about $650 inc tax.

I think it is worth trying the liquid filler first....if it doesn't work I can see how much Mercedes would be. Safelite is in Canada and US and they warranty their work. If it is a problem I can get to Buffalo or Niagara Falls NY in 90 minutes.

driver100

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

Driver, because you live in Canada 7 months a year, what happens if you repair the windshield and it cracks when you are in Canada?  A US company may warrant the repair, but will you be covered in Canada for that repair?

That is why I suggested that you replace the windshield with a Mercedes windshield.  That way, you are covered in Canada if the windshield should leak by your Mercedes dealership.  If it happened to my car, I would not repair it but rather replace it.

This is just my opinion - take it for what it's worth.

Some people are more particular than others, especially when it comes to their cars. My friend with OCD get a complete wash every week, inside and out...at a car wash, not the dealer. He takes off his tennis shoes before he gets in his car so the green fuzz won't get on the floor mats.
He has mats made at a shop that makes them custom sized to the car. He waxes his car a few times a year. I washmy car once or twice a month, do an inside detail wash once a year, maybe twice, and never change shoes to protect the floor mats.

I know and I get it, people love their cars. Me, well, I like my car a lot, as I say to my wife...I don't lend anyone my toothbrush, my underwear, or my car! But, if they can fix the window with liquid filler I am ok with that.

Safelite didn't have a 2015 E400 window in stock at this location but he said they could get it. I have to know if I have rain sensing wipers and heated windshield to get the real cost. I forgot about those features being a factor. Price of installing a new windshield is about $650 inc tax.

I think it is worth trying the liquid filler first....if it doesn't work I can see how much Mercedes would be. Safelite is in Canada and US and they warranty their work. If it is a problem I can get to Buffalo or Niagara Falls NY in 90 minutes.

I don't suppose this is a warranty item? Our car insurance is so reasonable because of a flukey group rate we get, so I don't want to mess with the insurance company for this amount.

I'll fight like a tiger to get $500 from Audi, but not put up a fight to get a $600 windshield....go figure!

abacomike

@driver100‌

Driver, you do have rain-sensing wipers.  As for heated windshield, that is not an option here in the USA Mercedes E Class Sedans and I do not believe it is a standard feature here - but it may be on Canadian cars.

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

Driver, you do have rain-sensing wipers.  As for heated windshield, that is not an option here in the USA Mercedes E Class Sedans and I do not believe it is a standard feature here - but it may be on Canadian cars.

I wasn't sure whether I have heated windshield...there is a good chance I do. The guy at Safelite says they carry them, so I would have to find out. I'll write to my Mercedes salesman now so I'll be prepared just in case.

This has been a rough day, getting a stupid stone chip. The last time I got one was about 25 years ago on a company car. A bolt or something flew off the back of a flatbed truck. Of course, if it is going to happen it will happen when the car is still new.

As I told my wife, it could be worse. A speeding ticket could have cost a lot more. Have to look at the old glass as half full.

stickguy

in all my years of driving, I have only had to replace 2 windshields. My Accord got a chip on the PA turnpike when it was about 3 YO. That was a BB shot type hole, the one I had filled but still saw, so I put a new windshield in instead. the other was in 1999, on my Quest when it was about 6 MO. that was a tiny pit at the very bottom, just below the wiper. Until it started to crack, and spread quite far.

both replacements were quick and painless, and I never had a problem with them for the years after I kept them. I don't think I could even tell if I didn't know.

nyccarguy

@explorerx4‌

Congrats!

nyccarguy

Yesterday was my little daughter's 3rd birthday. We had a party at the house for her today including 2 sets of Grandparents, a 97 1/2 year old Great Grandmother, her 2 Aunts, 2 Uncles, Godparents, cousins, & little friends from school. She has just been beaming and full of happiness.

abacomike

nyccarguy said:

Yesterday was my little daughter's 3rd birthday. We had a party at the house for her today including 2 sets of Grandparents, a 97 1/2 year old Great Grandmother, her 2 Aunts, 2 Uncles, Godparents, cousins, & little friends from school. She has just been beaming and full of happiness.

I don't remember anything about my 3rd birthday, but I can tell you I didn't have that many relatives to celebrate with.  I was 3 years old in 1947 - and my twin brother and I were the first grandchildren in the family.  Cousins, uncles and aunts were scattered all over the country. 

You sure are lucky to have so many close relatives to celebrate with.  Give my wishes to your daughter for many happy more birthdays.

jwilliams2

Birthdays for children are such fun for them....and us as well....

And Mike, we must be the same age....born in '44.

abacomike

@jwilliams2‌

Yep, 1944.  My Dad was in Europe fighting the Germans and Mom was home with twin boys.  Her parents (my grandparents) stayed with her until Dad came home from Europe in December of 1945.

jwilliams2

My dad was 4F, but stayed busy during the war. So I have brothers born in '43 and '45, as well as three other siblings that came later.

On a side note, I also worked at an MB dealer for 11 years in sales and sales management after I retired from my primary career. Met some really great people, customers as well as associates.

abacomike

jwilliams2 said:

My dad was 4F, but stayed busy during the war. So I have brothers born in '43 and '45, as well as three other siblings that came later. On a side note, I also worked at an MB dealer for 11 years in sales and sales management after I retired from my primary career. Met some really great people, customers as well as associates.

Sounds just like my life - was a school administrator (public and private schools) and then went into the car business for 9 years (sales and then sales management) before retiring in 2009.

jwilliams2

Similar here, 30 years with a major corporation, then the car business, then fully retired in 2009. I have been a frequent Edmunds visitor since its inception and feel that I know many here. Great group of people!

abacomike

jwilliams2 said:

Similar here, 30 years with a major corporation, then the car business, then fully retired in 2009. I have been a frequent Edmunds visitor since its inception and feel that I know many here. Great group of people!

You need to contribute to this forum more often, jwilliams. Your experience with Mercedes would sure be helpful to me after having them build a car for me that did not have two standard pieces of equipment. Ever hear of that - deliver a car that says on the Monroney Sticker Blind Spot Monitors and Lane Tracking as standard safety features, but the car was built without them. Would love to hear your take on that one from the standpoint of a Mercedes salesman and sales manager.

driver100

I sent my email to Audi, saying a $500 certificate for parts and merchandise would not do me much good...will sign off for $500 cash.

They just replied this morning:

Further to your question, we would like to clarify that the offer was for a $500.00 dealer credit for parts and service. Since you own the AudiCare plan, we can make an exception and send you a $500.00 cheque.



Please advise if you would agree to this arrangement and we will process the cheque. Also, which address would you like it to be mailed to?



Thank you,

I think they were worried they would lose big time if I won at arbitration, which I probably would have. If I won they could be made to take the car back.

Good lesson here - never give up. Hopefully we won't have any more issues with the A4.

roadburner

jwilliams2 said:

My dad was 4F, but stayed busy during the war. So I have brothers born in '43 and '45, as well as three other siblings that came later.

On a side note, I also worked at an MB dealer for 11 years in sales and sales management after I retired from my primary career. Met some really great people, customers as well as associates.

My dad was honorably discharged from the Army Air Corps shortly after Basic when a knee injury he suffered in college flared up. That probably saved his life- he was going to be trained as a bombardier on the the B-24.

jwilliams2

"Your experience with Mercedes would sure be helpful to me after having them build a car for me that did not have two standard pieces of equipment. Ever hear of that - deliver a car that says on the Monroney Sticker Blind Spot Monitors and Lane Tracking as standard safety features, but the car was built without them. Would love to hear your take on that one from the standpoint of a Mercedes salesman and sales manager. "

Can't recall ever having a situation like that. MB configures cars many ways for multiple different markets. I suspect this early production car either suffered from miscommunications between MB and MBUSA regarding the 2015 specs, or perhaps some computer glitch caused the error. Whatever the case, it's certainly unusual.

It is also a shame that no one from MBUSA contacted you directly. If this had occurred to one of my customers, I would have been all over our regional rep and Montvale to make sure that happened. Customer satisfaction should be the first priority.

Jim

abacomike

@jwilliams2‌

I agree.  I was the one who had to contact their customer service department.  Every time I had a question or concern about this problem, I was referred directly to the dealership.  Montvale has not initiated any contact with me nor has the zone.  I had to do all the calling.

You would think that some higher up in the MBUSA corporate structure would have called me to discuss this - but no one has. The dealership has done everything they could.  Mercedes considers me a VIP customer, but if this is the way they treat their VIP customers, this is the last Mercedes I will ever buy from them.  I have bought 10 cars from Mercedes in the past 7 years - the kind of customer they would want to keep.  But I guess they don't care!

Too bad!

qbrozen

so my dad went just before the holiday and "bought a new car for mom."

Mom doesn't drive anymore. So, more specifically, it is for him and she gets to sit in the passenger seat.

Anyhoo, checked it out thanksgiving and he made me take it for a spin. Its a Legacy 3.6R. Nice enough car. Not a fan of that transmission at all. Its a CVT but shifts? Huh?? What is the point? I kept asking if he is certain it is a CVT. It wasn't until I really pounded on it that I realized he was telling the truth. It will still shift way up in the rev range, but it does it very very slowly while not dropping RPMs by more than a few hundred at a time. Engine had good power, it handled pretty well, and its pretty nice inside with good legroom. I could think of better ways to spend 30 large, but it ain't my car.

On Fit news, I still have an unresolved stereo issue. Service department has seen 2 videos I recorded of the malfunction and, as of last Monday, the advisor was waiting to hear back from corporate. This is taking a hell of a long time to resolve a stereo problem. I'm not terribly pleased. I'm trying to give this dealership time to resolve, but my patience is wearing thin and I might have to go elsewhere.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Further to your question, we would like to clarify that the offer was for a $500.00 dealer credit for parts and service. Since you own the AudiCare plan, we can make an exception and send you a $500.00 cheque.

Great. That's a relief.

I was thinking last night how bad things usually come in 3's. You've had a clutch problem with a car that shouldn't have had a clutch problem, you've had a windshield chip on a brand new car, so what will be the next in the series?

tommister2

@qbrozen I can sympathize with you. My 2006 Pilot had stereo troubles. Took it in a few times to be told they could not duplicate it. I couldn't duplicate it either it just happened randomly. They told me to come by when it was happening. One day I got that chance and they told me I needed an appointment to have someone look at it! Terrible customer service. Finally it happened while it was in the shop and they replaced the head unit and sub. Never had anymore problems after that. The dealership made it very difficult/inconvienient for me. I spent many hours driving around in my new Honda with no music because the entire system would just shut down.

Even with all that trouble I still bought another Pilot. We looked long and hard at a Highlander but for us nothing else can compete with the Pilot. It's a great package.

abacomike

driver100 said:

I sent my email to Audi, saying a $500 certificate for parts and merchandise would not do me much good...will sign off for $500 cash. They just replied this morning: Further to your question, we would like to clarify that the offer was for a $500.00 dealer credit for parts and service. Since you own the AudiCare plan, we can make an exception and send you a $500.00 cheque. Please advise if you would agree to this arrangement and we will process the cheque. Also, which address would you like it to be mailed to? Thank you, I think they were worried they would lose big time if I won at arbitration, which I probably would have. If I won they could be made to take the car back. Good lesson here - never give up. Hopefully we won't have any more issues with the A4.

I would never have had the patience to do what you did, driver.  Good for you - your persistence surely paid off!

henryn

qbrozen said:

On Fit news, I still have an unresolved stereo issue. Service department has seen 2 videos I recorded of the malfunction and, as of last Monday, the advisor was waiting to hear back from corporate. This is taking a hell of a long time to resolve a stereo problem. I'm not terribly pleased. I'm trying to give this dealership time to resolve, but my patience is wearing thin and I might have to go elsewhere.

The bad news is that there might not be anywhere else to go, short of a complete replacement (that is, an aftermarket head unit).

I talked here about my problems with the Ford Sync sound system in my 2013 Ford F150, this was about a year ago. I like to listen to music from a flash drive containing MP3s. This is just about impossible on the Ford Sync system, and is well documented online if you search for the problem. The only fix is to pull the fuse temporarily (or the negative battery cable, which is actually easier to get to).

This all went down when the truck was brand new, I took delivery Saturday evening and brought it back to them Monday morning for the first of 3 rounds about the same problem. The dealer where I bought the truck does not have anyone who can look at problems with the Ford Sync system. They have someone who “comes in” on Tuesday and Thursday between 10 a.m. and noon. You can either leave your vehicle or come back during those times.

I asked the service writer, jokingly, if this was some kid from Geek Squad. From the look he gave me, I think I nailed it, which I was not expecting.

After 3 rounds, and contacting Ford directly (with no reply / no resolution), I just gave up. I did try to purchase an aftermarket head unit, with no luck (nothing available that would fit / integrate). I even contemplated trading back in for a Chevy, but the financial loss was too heavy. I finally just gave up on using a flash drive, and instead carry CDRs loaded with MP3 files.

qbrozen

Does lemon law apply to something as "trivial" as the head unit?

EDIT: I looked up the NJ description and it says this, "To qualify for relief under the Lemon Law, the defect must substantially impair the use, value or safety of your vehicle, or be a “serious safety defect” which is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven."

That's kind of vague. I mean, one could argue, in this day and age, that nonfunctioning bluetooth is a safety issue. And does replacing the stereo substantially impair the value? I don't know. What constitutes substantial? I would think its easily a $500 hit even on my economy car. That's substantial to me.