I was treated poorly and unfairly about a cracked wheel I noticed from driving in the city one day. On Saturday, August 11th, I noticed in the early afternoon I had a flat when going to the store. I took my 2006 Mercedes Benz SLK350 to a local Discount Tire on McColl & Trenton thinking it was from a nail or screw and they stated the wheel was cracked and unsafe to drive and was going to be a warranty issue dur to the nature of the enormous crack.
Once I tried to call the nearest Mercedes dealership, Cardenas Autoplex, they told me to put my spare on and drive it over. I told them I needed a tow and I wasn't going to risk damage to my car any further since I didn't know how fragile these wheels may be. They argued with me and said that they wouldn't pick me up because they were going to close in 10 minutes. I then call Mercedes Roadside Service 800 number and basically received the run around about how Mercedes Benz of USA subcontracts only one company to tow Mercedes Benz vehicles and they were backed up for four hours. They told me to call back at another time or wait until the following Monday.
I was left stranded by Mercedes Benz USA and Cardenas Autoplex.
Two days later, I go through the same story and Cardenas Autoplex service wrtier for Mercedes, Missy, tells MB of USA that I probably hit a pothole and not to pick me up or my vehicle. It's not covered by Mercedes. Again, I'm stuck with my car outside of of Discount Tires parking lot with no help.
I call back at least five more times and get placed on hold and hung up and now I'm growing upset. Finally, I talk to another service writer for Cardenas Autoplex named Becky. I ask her how in the hell can Cardenas Autoplex make a warranty evaluation over the phone and without viewing the damage. I was getting denied warranty and towing before anything was even considered or looked at!
I had to convince the Mercedes Benz service writer that either way my Mercedes Benz needs to get to the dealership and get looked at and get fixed. I had to remind her that I drive a Mercedes Benz, not a Honda Accord. If the issue of warranty is in question, well then make the call once the vehicle gets there. Either way, my vehicle needs to get to the dealership. I had to point out facts and reteach her about how they are in the business of providing service to existing customers in the area being that they are the only Mercedes Dealership in the area unless I want to drive three hours out to Mercedes Benz of San Antonio.
About three or four hours later a tow truck driver from Cardenas Autoplex calls me and tries to convince me that he is busy and I needed to drive my Mercedes Benz on a spare tire to the dealership.instead of calling me to pick up my Mercedes, Cardenas Autoplex is trying to bully me into taking a day off work and waste my time to drive my car on a donut to the dealership an hour away and find my way back home.
After yelling at him to pick up my "Mercedes Benz" since he is authorized and designated to do so, I wait.
The next day I get a call from Missy with Cardenas Autoplex service department and she just flat out tells me that my wheel won't be covered under warranty. I ask for reasons as to why?! My car is brand new, excellent condition and only 9k miles on the odometer. What happend to my bumper to bumper warranty for three years and powertrain for 5 years? I obviously do not have a history of unsafe driving, wrecks or damaging my vehicles or this one for that matter.
She proceeded to tell me that the front two tires are bent, wobbled and damged while spinning. I requested her supervisor. He never called me. I left messages and Joe Zebrowski never returned my calls. I demanded to hear why I was not under warranty and why my enormously cracked wheel was not covered. I had several important business associates of mine call in and request to speak to Joseph Zebrowski about my unfair treatment. Mr Zebrowski ignored them and ignored me. He never face my questions and the facts.
I called the lead manager for sales, Abel Guerra, at Cardenas Autoplex. Mr Guerra stated that he has a BMW and "all" forged lightweight aluminum wheels from BMW and Mercedes dent very easily and he couldn't do anything about it other than ask the head Service Manager call me from the Cardenas Autoplex Mercedes Department.
I never got that call or a message.
I call Mercedes Benz of USA and the customer relations department stated to me that all they could do is login in a complaint. They couldn't send another observer or inspector to view the car and damages. The MB of USA rep told me that it didn't matter what I thought or requested because the Cardenas Autoplex department can "call the shots" if they want.
MB of USA then began to get sarcastic and rude as I started to ask smart questions. I wanted a list of other customers with the same problems with the 2006 SLK350. I also wanted the information available for the wheels and low profile tires and how much impact and stresses the wheel is allowed. If the car is rated to perform at a certain driveable speed and the calculation of the weakness in the tires traditional stretch or give isn't measured to stress capabilities for the metal chosen for the production of this wheel, then Mercedes Benz put together an unsafe wheel package that puts lives in danger.
I do not want to be driving 70mph on a Texas highway, run over a rock or dixie cup on the road and have a blowout or cracked wheel spin me to my death or flip the SLK350. (Firestone & Ford Explorer) Once I started to ask for serious information, the MB of USA rep got real sarcastic, started to become very unprofessional then hung up the call.
Today is Wednesday and I have made a formal complaint on the Better Business Bureau website. I have not been contacted from the Service Department or Management for Cardenas Autoplex. I tried asking the receptionist for the Regional Manager's name and contact information and I get either hung up on or transferred to the parts department.
I still have yet to find out what higher authority over sees the Cardenas Autoplex facility and records the complaints or performance aspects to business and customer relations. Please be aware of the horrible and unprofessional nature of Mercedes Benz of USA and Cardenas Autoplex.
This is the third problem in one month I've had with this 2006 Mercedes Benz SLK350 Roadster. First it was a TSB for a recall on the air bag deployment for the driver side. It was a failure and recall. It put drivers at risk and was sold to the public in this manner. THANK GOD I didn't crash in this vehicle because my face and chest would have smashed into the steering wheel column. Second, the SRS sensor for the passenger side air bag was also malfunctioning and inoperable. It also had to be replaced. Now I have this pathetic wheel problem to deal with.
I THOUGHT MERCEDES BENZ WAS A TRUSTED NAME AND HELD A HIGH REPUTATION IN THE CAR INDUSTRY. This is my first and last Mercedes Benz. I will be getting rid of this car a.S.A.P.
John
Mcallen, Texas
U.S.A.
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