Mercedes Benz Brentford

I bought a new C-class in November 2005.

Fabulous car….until serviced. I paid between £400 and £500 for each service for nothing more than oil change and valeting….even the sand from the engine bay collected after a summer holiday in France was left untouched…

All my requests to check for issues during the warranty were served with a moronic smile on the face with an attempted technical guru attitude of serenity and universal knowledge that led without exception to the dismissal of my worries….until the warranty term elapsed: then finally, the clowns from Brentford figured out there was an issue with 'the conductor plate’ (a second professional inspection found out the issue was way more substantial.

However, a piece of advice for the aspiring Merc owners:

1. check where the car was manufactured (you do not want a SA assemblied car!)

2. Document your issues at the dealer with your requests and comments added in the notes of the service for further reference !

3. Check for any inconsistency in either steering and transmission, these are the Achiles heel - even at the new models.

4. Check if you have electrical surges and file a complain when the issue is not addressed.

Verdict: If you buy a Merc, buy if from either autobytel or buyacar.com and then pick an independent Mercedes garage that comes with good credentials and was in business for more than 10 years (and appears always busy !!!).

The EU law doesn’t give the right of the manufacturer to waive the warranty if serviced in other garages but their string of mobster dealers.

Avoid MB Brentford like the plague!