I bought a CPO vehicle a little less than two years ago, and while I love the vehicle, I have had a lot of issues with the local MB dealership. The service B light came on in less than thirty days after purchase -- I called in at the time -- and they assured me the service work had been done, but the computer just wasn't reset.

Well, after having some more dealership issues on my last service A visit, I finally had enough. I ended up getting ahold of the GM (laying out every problem I've had over the years) and one thing really stuck out in their email to me:

Quote:

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I am sorry it took me so long to respond, but I wanted to do a little homework on your vehicle.

In review of the service records, I uncovered some facts that were helpful. To my surprise the service was not done on your vehicle when you purchased it, I was given bad information. It was not done because the previous owner serviced it ( we have the MB record) at 19,599 miles and when we sold it to you it had only 21,020 miles and it was not time for the service. After 5 months your service light should have come on to alert you it was now time to service.

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Like I said, it wasn't five months, it was less than a month after purchase when the light came on. That's not the point or my question to y'all, though. It's this: Is this shady or a common practice to sell a CPO that you didn't even service at your dealership beforehand?

A CPO inspection /certification is merely a cursory inspection and an extended warranty, despite all the pretty photos and pamphlets. It's a wash, look over, brake pads if needed, fresh air and cabin filter and maybe an oil change, maybe a couple of takeoff tires. Then they put a power train warranty on top of it.

Dealer techs are paid nothing to do them.

I would asked to look at service records before purchasing, but it does happen that people do NOT reset the service minder on a car. Especially if they take it on before the light comes On.

Please describe the service issues you Had on your last
Service A visit?

Also is this a S63 or a GLA250?

1agswitchin4lanes said:

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A CPO inspection /certification is merely a cursory inspection and an extended warranty.

Mechanics are paid nothing to do them.

I would asked to look at service records before purchasing, but it does happen that people do NOT reset the service minder on a car. Especially if they take it on before the light comes
On.

Please describe the service issues you Had on your last
Service A visit?

Also is this a S63 or a GLA250?

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I appreciate the reply!

I understand the CPO is about the inspection/warranty, but if you're going to certify something, I think you should at least take the time to personally service it.

GLE. I am not a fan of the S63, but I love the C63. It's just not big enough or practical enough for us.

baseballaficionado said:

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1agswitchin4lanes said:

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A CPO inspection /certification is merely a cursory inspection and an extended warranty.

Mechanics are paid nothing to do them.

I would asked to look at service records before purchasing, but it does happen that people do NOT reset the service minder on a car. Especially if they take it on before the light comes
On.

Please describe the service issues you Had on your last
Service A visit?

Also is this a S63 or a GLA250?

---

I appreciate the reply!

I understand the CPO is about the inspection/warranty, but if you're going to certify something, I think you should at least take the time to personally service it.

GLE. I am not a fan of the S63, but I love the C63. It's just not big enough or practical enough for us.

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If they show that it was last serviced at Dealer X before Dealer Y is selling it, I would imagine that the protocol that MBUSA has is not not service it within X miles.

That being said, I agree that the dealer was careless.

I bought a dealer CPO car this past summer. I asked them to put the car on a lift in the service department. I found the tires were down to the wear bars.

We had already agreed on price, but I ended up asking the dealer to replace All the tires as part of the deal. We went back and forth, they agreed, and when I told them I wanted replacement Michelins, they balked. So we agreed that I would buy two and they would buy two, contingent that they would match pricing from discount tires website for everything.

I would recommend the lesson learned is to ask for a prepurchase inspection, (by an independent) even if it's a CPO car.

What other issues did you have at the dealer? Care to share the name of the dealer?

1agswitchin4lanes said:

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baseballaficionado said:

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1agswitchin4lanes said:

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A CPO inspection /certification is merely a cursory inspection and an extended warranty.

Mechanics are paid nothing to do them.

I would asked to look at service records before purchasing, but it does happen that people do NOT reset the service minder on a car. Especially if they take it on before the light comes
On.

Please describe the service issues you Had on your last
Service A visit?

Also is this a S63 or a GLA250?

---

I appreciate the reply!

I understand the CPO is about the inspection/warranty, but if you're going to certify something, I think you should at least take the time to personally service it.

GLE. I am not a fan of the S63, but I love the C63. It's just not big enough or practical enough for us.

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If they show that it was last serviced at Dealer X before Dealer Y is selling it, I would imagine that the protocol that MBUSA has is not not service it within X miles.

That being said, I agree that the dealer was careless.

I bought a dealer CPO car this past summer. I asked them to put the car on a lift in the service department. I found the tires were down to the wear bars.

We had already agreed on price, but I ended up asking the dealer to replace All the tires as part of the deal. We went back and forth, they agreed, and when I told them I wanted replacement Michelins, they balked. So we agreed that I would buy two and they would buy two, contingent that they would match pricing from discount tires website for everything.

I would recommend the lesson learned is to ask for a prepurchase inspection, (by an independent) even if it's a CPO car.

What other issues did you have at the dealer? Care to share the name of the dealer?

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Well, my last issues weren't egregious, but they add up with the totality of my experience:

Mask required in an open air service drive, no loaners available (on pre-booked appointment), didn't reset my clock, left my seat all jacked up, comfort station is closed and the worst wash job I've seen. Why am I paying a premium for basically an oil change, if the service is horrible?

Again, I have had a lot bigger issues here, but this last visit was my breaking point on finally contacting someone. I had just eaten, so I don't want anything from their comfort station, but it's just another negative in my mind. My vehicle was also pretty clean, but they made no attempt to remove the few bugs on the windshield. It's as if they squirted some water on it and called it a day. With memory seats, it should be really easy to ask what setting I use and not leave my seat way out of position. The real kicker was the clock.

Little things on the last visit, but there were some major issues when I bought the vehicle. When I bought it, I got it home and wanted to wax it. I noticed a small crack on the bottom of the windshield (so low, it's hidden from inside the vehicle). They ended up sending someone to my house, but they said it wasn't able to be filled. So, now after all the weather changes, I have a small hairline run from the very bottom of the windshield. The carpets also had cigarette burns under the mats, nothing horrible, but not what I think of when I am buying a CPO. I bought big rubber mats from the dealership, so you can't see anything. All of this just adds up after a while.

I would rather not share the dealership name, though. After I reached out to them, they have at least responded to me.

Oh, and when I came in to buy the vehicle, they switched me from my original one to this one. In the middle of the deal, they said they had to pull the CPO cert from the one I was looking at and my current vehicle was the only pre-owned (that model) which qualified for a CPO. I did check the website the next day and they had removed the CPO label from their website on the original vehicle. I am not saying it's shady, but it was odd.

I was in a hurry that day to get through the deal, F&I, etc. I wish I had more time, but I didn't and I didn't want to risk losing the vehicle. It was a Saturday and there were a lot of people in there. Next time, I will take your advice and plan better and have a thorough inspection.