Shady Mercedes
A cautionary tale for purchasing a vehicle from Mercedes-Benz.
Introduction
The following is a detailed account of the past four years of problems I've experienced with my Mercedes Benz ("MB") vehicle and the failure of multiple dealerships and Mercedes Corporate to help me or even honor the warranty on a very obvious and serious alignment issue.
Summary of Issues
The primary issue is the vehicle has a manufacturing defect that has been causing the front-right tire to wear so excessively that a new one is needed every 7k miles and the wheel will not stay in alignment.
I've spent over $3,500 on 7 new tires and 5 alignments at 4 auto shops in 2 states trying to get this solved since it was first reported almost 3 years ago.
The vehicle has only 36k miles.
And, I'm not the only one - MANY other owners have reported experiencing this same issue, including the United States Post Office!
Highlights
Don't have time to read the whole thing? Here's the gist:
- 7k miles - excessive wear of front-right tire first reported
- 15k miles - purchased new set of tires, per recommendation of 2nd dealership
- 33k miles - 4th tire wears and 5th replacement needed
- 34k miles - MB Corporate opens a case 3 times and then does nothing
- 34k miles - 5th alignment needed 1.5k miles after 4th alignment
- 35k miles - alignment out after another 1.5k miles, dealership claims the opposite
- 36k miles - general manger at dealership tells me to get a lawyer
New Tires & Alignments
Only want the details for the primary issue? Here they are:
- First Tire Replaced at 7k miles
- First Alignment Completed at 10k miles
- New Set of Tires Purchased at 15k miles
- Second Alignment at 15k miles
- Third Tire Replaced at 27k miles
- Third Alignment at 27k miles
- Fourth Alignment at 33k miles
- Fourth Tire Replaced at 34k miles
- Fifth Alignment at 34k miles
- Fifth Alignment Out at 34k miles
- Fifth Alignment Contradiction at 34k miles
Other Issues
Interested in the whole scoop? There are the other issues, in chronological order:
Read on for a chronological journey of just about everything I went through.
DISCLAIMER: this account is true and factual. Service records, emails, phone calls, text messages, and photos support everything written here.
Vehicle Purchased from Bob King
On Sept 5, 2020, I purchased a new 2020 Mercedes Benz ("MB") Metris Cargo Van at Bob King Autohaus ("BKA") in Wilmington, NC for about $35k.
This wasn't just my first purchase from a "luxury" brand like Mercedes, it was the first vehicle I had ever purchased new. It was perfect for my needs. I had been thinking about getting it for years and was very excited.
First Annual Service Completed
On March 25, 2021 and 6k miles on the van, I brought it in for its first service. The service department ("BKA Service") performed a "multi-point inspection" and found no issues.
Problems Start
On May 18, 2021, just 1k miles later and only 8 months into owning the vehicle, I returned to report multiple issues.
Unexpected Shut-Down
The most important was the vehicle had shut off completely while driving in traffic. I was told to let them know if it happened again.
Broken 12-Volt
The second issue was minor, but elucidating: I reported the 12-volt outlet was found not working on my first attempt to use it. I was surprised to be told that I had caused it to be blown out by plugging in a device that was out of spec. I explained to them that I checked the manual of both the van and the device, a small portable air compressor, and found it was compatible. Even worse, when the van was returned to me, the 12V was still not working and they accused me again of breaking it. I told them it never worked before and I tested it with only a phone charger. Finally they replaced the fuse. It's never been a problem since. I've used the air compressor dozens of times. They not only "blamed the customer"; they lied about fixing the 12V. This was a red flag.
Execessive Tire Wear
The third issue I reported that day is one I have now been dealing with for 4 years and 35k miles: excessive wear on the front right tire, which is related to something that is causing that wheel to go out of alignment repeatedly.
The tire was so worn it needed to be replaced at only 7k miles. When I first reported this issue, the tire pressure was low. The low pressure warning is what alerted me to the problem, upon which I was surprised to find the tire completely bald. I was told by BKA Service that the low pressure is what caused the excessive wear. This confused me, because the low pressure warning had only come on only 1-2 days before. That didn't seem like nearly enough time to cause such wear. I explained this to BKA Service, but was ignored and they insisted the tire must have been low for some time. I pointed out that no excessive wear was reported during the comprehensive "multi-point inspection" performed just 1k and 2 months earlier. I stressed this point and asked how it could have gone bald so quickly? I was ignored and told simply that I needed to purchase a new tire and it was not under warranty. I was upset, but paid $263.64 for the new tire and thought that would be the end of it.
Getting Corporate Involved
I contacted MB Corporate ("Corporate") on May 23, 2021, using their website, to report the problems I had experienced and the lack of response I had received from BKA. I received a response from Corporate the next day, which said to go back to BKA Service and deal with them directly.
"Dealers are independently owned and operated [and] therefore solely responsible for their business"
Fuel Pump Control Unit Replaced
In July 2021 and with only 8k miles, my van completely shut off for the second time while driving in heavy traffic on my morning commute. On July 7, I sent BKA a written message to voice my frustration by responding to an automated customer service response survey email. I mentioned three issues: the shut-offs, the tire, and the 12V. On July 9, at only 8k miles, I brought my new van back to BKA Service to report this issue again. This time, they took it very seriously and addressed it by replacing the fuel pump control unit, covered under warranty.
Second Tire Wears Down
In late Oct, 2021, I discovered the new front-right tire was excessively worn, after only about 3k miles of use (vehicle had 10k miles). I had been religiously checking the tire pressure bi-weekly for 5 months since the problem was first reported in May. I called BKA Service on Oct 23 to report the problem and reiterated its history. I was told again the tire was most likely under-inflated. I explained how that couldn't be, since I was checking it. I told them I thought the cause might be alignment related and that maybe it came from the factory out of alignment. I was told (by Nicole G.) that I could not be seen until more than 4 weeks later, on Nov 21. I tried to contact the service manager, Daryn R., in an attempt to escalate the issue and request an earlier appointment. I received no response.
Corporate Suggests Another Dealership
I emailed Corporate again to express my frustration and communicate my lack of making any progress with BKA Service. I asked what my next steps should be and how I could get the problem fixed. I received a response a couple days later, on Oct 25, and was instructed to try another dealership for "a second opinion".
"Our dealerships are the best point of contact for diagnosing and repairing vehicles"
Trying Another Dealership
Following the advice of Corporate, and frustrated with BKA Service and needing more immediate assistance, I booked an appointment with the next closest dealer, Myrtle Beach Automotive ("MBA"), which is 70 miles away.
First Alignment
On Nov 4, at only 10k miles, they performed a second "multi-point" inspection, 4-wheel alignment, and rotated the tires. They did not tell me whether or not they found the van out of alignment. In retrospect, I wish I had asked for a copy of the alignment report, but this was before I knew for sure there were problems related to alignment. Plus, I don't have much auto experience to know what to ask for. I paid $295 for the alignment and tire rotation.
Coolant Leak
In late Jan 2022 a warning notification indicating low coolant started displaying on the van dashboard. I brought it in the BKA Service and they found low coolant, but no leak. They filled it up and asked I bring it back in a week later to re-check. I did so on Jan 31 and they found no decrease, no leak, and "no repairs necessary". The vehicle had 14k miles.
In Feb 2022 the coolant alert returned. Feeling frustrated and left with no help from BKA, again, I went back to MBA to have them take a look. They verified and identified the leak. While there, I noted the excessive wear I was experiencing on the new front-right tire and that it was so bad that it needed to be replaced, again, after only 8k miles of wear (vehicle had 15k miles). I expressed how upset I was, but MBA repeated the same thing as BKA: they could find nothing wrong with the vehicle that could be causing it. In fact, they also blamed the tires and suggested I get a full set of new ones instead of just replacing the front-right again.
Second Annual Service Completed
On Feb 28, 2022, I drove all the way back to MBA for the third time to have multilpe issues taken care of, including fixing the coolant leak and completing the next annual service (a little early, to save a subsequent trip).
Four New Tires
Per the recommendation of MBA, I purchased a brand new set of four expensive Pirelli tires. The first set of tires had lasted only 15k miles.
Second Alignment
MBA performed a (second) alignment, which, I did not realize at the time, was extra/non-standard. The total cost was $2476, of which at least ~$1750 was just for the new tires and alignment. As an aside, they overcharged me $324.70 more that day, which I got back upon request.
Paneling Falls Off Vehicle
In late Dec 2022, on the way to celebrate Christmas, the under-shield paneling fell off the bottom of my van while driving 70mph on the interstate. On Jan 13, 2023, I brought it back to MBA (4th trip) to report this happening and have them investigate. I was told that all 8-12 bolts/screws worked themselves loose and it fell off naturally. I suspected the tech who worked on it hadn't tightened them properly early that year, but I had no way to prove this. So I had to pay for it (something like $350), but they didn't charge me to install the new one (how nice).
Third Annual Service Completed
While it was there, I had my third annual service performed a couple months early, again, to save the subsequent trip. This time, no alignment was performed. I had noted excessive wear on the new Perilli tire, but this was dismissed as a non-issue.
Third Tire Wears Down
By June 2023, at 27k miles total, the brand new Perilli tire in the front-right position wore out and needed replacement. I was denied warranty again and forced to buy another new tire, this one being the fourth tire in the same position.
Third Alignment
On June 6, MBA (5th trip) replaced the tire, rotated them, and performed an alignment. They charged me $489.45.
This was the 3rd alignment on my van. This time they noted they found the van "dog walking down the road". But they could not provide a reason for it. They told me verbally that they had a new tech from New York/up north who knew some "tricks" after having worked on many Metris vans and he was going to make some sort of adjustments, monitor it, and take care of it going forward.
Fourth Tire Wearing Down
By Dec, 2023, at 33k miles, the 4th tire (2nd new Perilli) was wearing out after only 6k miles of use. I was growing tired of driving to Myrtle Beach and tired of getting nowhere with Mercedes dealerships.
Fourth Alignment
I took my van to a local independent mechanic, Performance Auto Specialists ("PAS"). They performed an alignment (4th total) on Dec 6, 2023 and found the front-right was severely out of spec. It cost me $191.35 to fix.
Fourth Annual Service Completed
I also brought it back to PAS on Jan 24, 2024, at 34k miles, to have them perform with fourth annual service and multi-point inspection.
Fourth Tire Wears Bald
By Feb 4, the 4th tire wore out so bad it was past bald. So bad, I could see fibrous material under the rubber in one spot.
When I discovered it, I was worried it was going to explode and cause a bad accident while driving home. Rather than buying another expensive tire, I went to Black's Tire and Auto Service ("BTA") to purchase a cheap tire (5th new tire for the front-right position) and was charged a total of $136.92 installed and balanced.
Fifth Alignment
On Feb 20, 2024, at 34k miles, I brought it back to BKA Service for one last-ditch effort to have this issue properly addressed. They found the front-right wheel severely out of alignment and re-aligned it again.
This was the 2nd alignment needed in only 1.5k miles (the 5th total alignment performed in under 35k miles). But they again refused to acknowledge there was any problem, incredibly. I was told to bring it back in 3 or more months for another alignment check.
Getting Corporate Involved (Again)
On Feb 27, 2024, I contacted MB Corporate for the third time, after they told me to go back to the dealership I bought it from the first time and then to try another dealership the second time.
They opened a dealership escalation case (#05377875). I was told the case would be assigned to an "executive referral manager" and I would receive a call back within 48 business hours. I called back on Mar 8 and left a voicemail. I called back again on Mar 12. When I called back for the 4th time on Mar 15, I was told my case was automatically closed due to failure to get in touch we me. I never received a phone call or email.
The case was re-opened (#05746592). I called back on Mar 20 and was told no manager had been assigned. I called back for a 6th time on March 25 and was told my case was automatically closed again. They re-opened it, again. I was told I would receive a call back immediately. After not hearing back by the end of that day, I called back again and left another voicemail.
On Mar 27 I called back for the 8th time and was told my case was closed, for the 3rd time, but this time no reason was given. After reviewing my case, they re-opened it for the 3rd time. I requested the case be escalated. On April 4, I called back and the agent was overly apologetic and said that for sure, this time, I would be taken care of - to not give up hope. I was assured I would be contacted within 48 hours. I have not received any contact back yet.
Fifth Alignment Goes Out
In the meantime, on April 3, after having waited only 6 weeks and 1.5k miles since the last alignment, I brought my van in to check the alignment by BTA. The front-right was out by over 1 degree, again.
This was the 4th auto shop to find it out of alignment. But, more importantly, it was the SECOND time in a row the alignment went out in 1.5k miles! I did not have them re-align it.
Alignment Contradiction
On April 8, I brought it back to BKA so they could see for themselves that it was out of alignment again after they had just aligned it 1.5k miles prior.
But, they claimed it was not out of alignment! I told them BTA found it severely out just a few days prior. They told me again to come back in 3 months.
This is beginning to look a lot more like FRAUD and not just indifference or incompetence.
Bob King General Manager
I contacted the General Manager of Bob King Autohaus, Richard Trask, via email and he responded, incredibly:
- trust us, don't trust anyone else
- try a different tire brand, Michelin Defenders
- contact an attorney if you want anything else
"We have the greatest alignment machine, don't take it to these places."
"I cannot find where Perelli tires are recommended for the Metris Van."
"I recommend that you contact your attorney to help you."
I'm not the only one with a horrible service experience from Bob King Autohaus:
- Dwaine Mcconnell - "After 10k miles both vehicles had to have their front tires replaced because of improper wear on the tires."
- Raul Alvarez - "One star for a service department that is absolutely awful and I am trying my best to be kind"
- Carlos Moniz - "I am not one to ruin a company’s reputation online because people make mistakes but this dealership will NEVER get business from me a EVER again"
- Drew - "Poor customer service in parts and service department."
- Lorri Detrick - "Service center team was not friendly. Definitely not MB standards."
- Jan Lockhart - "Worst dealership I have ever talked with. Do not recommend, and an currently talking with the Mercedes-Benz corporate office."
- Norien Hutchinson - "Service technicians are really bad. I'll be going to Myrtle Beach for future service."
- Joyner World - "Terrible business and I’ll never drive to this place again. I’m contacting my lawyer and Bbb, this wasn’t right."
- Michelle Welsh - "The service department is full of very rude people who don't know anything about customer service."
Other Owner Reports
Many other owners have reported the same excessive tire wear and alignment issues on MetrisForum, CarProblemZoo, and Google Reviews.
MetrisForum
MetrisForum.com/threads/tires-premature-wear-outer-edge.5370/
"All vans have 8-11k and are wearing out the tire on the front very fast!"
"Mine has been aligned 3 times and is out again, wearing uneven again."
"I am having the same issue with the front tires wearing out at 15K."
MetrisForum.com/threads/metris-outer-tire-wear-cont-10k-miles-3-sets-tires-and-alignment.8846/
"I purchase new tires every 10-12k and do alignments 2x a year!"
"I got 15K out of mine, passenger side wore out pretty badly."
"I started noticing excessive wear on front tires by 9,000 miles."
"I have the problem with the tires wearing out at 8k miles."
"I am at 135k miles, replaced the tires about 8 times, cost about $8500."
CarProblemZoo
CarProblemZoo.com/mercedesbenz/metris/wheel-problems.php
"We had replaced tires on this van more than 7 times"
"I'm buying new tires every 1-1.5 years."
"I have replaced 2 [tires] at 15,000 miles."
"The outer edges of the front tires [wear] prematurely causing dangerous handling. This issue has been reported by many owners."
Google Reviews
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8FjFjsLgq6TeFXZ96
"I bought two brand new Metris vans. After 10,000 miles both vehicles had to have their front tires replaced because of improper wear."
Perhaps this is the real reason why Mercedes pulled the Metris form the US market?
United States Post Office
The United States Post Office ("USPS") purchased purchased 30,000 Metris vehicles in 2020.
I talked to a service technician at my local USPS in Wilmington, NC and he told me that they have problems with excessive tire wear on ALL their Metris vehicles. In fact, he said they have to change tires as often as every 3k miles!
Even though no one in this local USPS office wants them, they just received a new set of Metris vans to add to their fleet. What a waste of taxpayer dollars!
Mercedes-Benz is defrauding the United States government if they are knowingly selling faulty equipment and covering it up, which my experience and research indicates.
Still Waiting for Resolution
The issue is still not resolved since it was first reported to Bob King Autohaus, the Mercedes-Benz dealership where the vehicle was purchased.
I continue to seek an end to this madness. I'm past the point of wanting the root cause of the issue identified and fixed.
I am requesting Mercedes Benz buy back the lemon that was sold to me.
But, Mercedes Benz Corporate won't call me back and Bob King Autohaus refuses to do the right thing for a vehicle that costs less than half the average vehicle they sell.
My only recourse is a public shaming and WARNING TO OTHERS so that they may be saved from a similar fate.
A class-action or even criminal lawsuit is warranted, considering the fleecing of US taxpayers with the giant fleet of potential lemons sold to USPS.
If you think you can help, please email me at burned@shadymercedes.com.