Road Side Assistance...? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Holson Adi · #1 10-12-2002, 11:54 PM

Wow.. I find this amazing. Is this true?

http://www.4x4abc.com/Carlos_adventures/MB_road_side_long.html

Ashman · #2 10-13-2002, 03:00 AM

could be true, but my latest experience with roadside assistance in los angeles with my dads brand new SL500 did not yield the same kind of results.

he had put 25 miles on the car, and the next morning it failed to start. After calling roadside assitance, 2 hours later a man showed up in his Mercedes Ml320 roadside assitance vehicle.

The problem is that he had never touched a new SL500. He had no clue about anything, and nothing he tried would work.

The car had full power to everything but the starter.

I commented about it perhaps being a starter Relay. He claimed the car had no such relay and he could not understand why it would not start.

Well needless to say, even after several hours at the dealership, with the head foreman working on the car, the problem had not been found.

It was only after my father mentioned to them that I had suggested a starter relay that they found the problem, a faulty starter relay.

So maybe on an older MB with less electronics this would have been simple, but a brand new model, with an untrained roadside assitance technician. appeared to be a headache in the making.

When dealing with such a brand new vehicle, one would think they would send out someone with a little knowledge on the aforementioned vehicle, but unfortunately this was not the case, and my diagnosis after testing the car for 5 minutes, not even being a mechanic or anything close to one, was dead on accurate, while it took an entire salvo of dealer technicians to figure out that it indeed was the starter relay.

Thanks but I'll take a good ol classic w124 mercedes over any newer model, at least I know the techs will know how to fix it if it breaks.

I even asked the head shop foreman at the dealer one simple question which he could not answer, nor could the west coast regional rep for mb answer.

"Whats the point of all these sophisticated computers in the cars if they can't tell you what specifically is wrong with the car."

They could not answer me, because there is no answer. the computers in the cars and the machines they use to read them could not find a code of error. Seems strange that the computers can tell you so much about the car and what is wrong, but can't tell you to check a relay if the starter wont kick over but everything else works.

Alon

#3 10-13-2002, 07:57 AM

you have to love computers

Kuan · #4 10-13-2002, 08:06 AM

That's because obdii doesn't tell you what happens if the car isn't running! My experience with roadside assistance was quite good. Took them about a half hour to get to my house. Problem was they wanted to install a battery for something like $240!!!!! I said this is a dang car, not the bloody space shuttle!

Kuan

jsmith · #5 10-13-2002, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashman

...

I commented about it perhaps being a starter Relay. He claimed the car had no such relay and he could not understand why it would not start.
...
Alon

now that is really digusting! where do they grow these people? do they even understand what relays are for and where they are used in automobiles. to think that some of these tech jobs in luxo dealerships pay 6 figure salaries...

David C Klasse · #6 10-13-2002, 02:31 PM

I have had quite a few experiences with Road-side assistance too... and have always been more than satisfied (except one).

Two times I ran out of gas, and was refilled with 4 gallons!! Nice having a quarter tank for free! And on one of those times I ran out of gas, my battery died while waiting. Well it was a young guy, it was the middle of the night, and he had his girlfriend with him. My battery wouldn't recharge for some reason. So he gave me a brand new MB battery for FREEEE!! On the work order, he wrote that my car had 48,000 miles, and was a 97, making it still valid for MB warranty at the time.

Couldn't turn down that offer!

And my not so satisfied time was in Los Angeles. He jumped the car, and everything was fine in that respect, except he tried to charge me $45!! It took a few phone calls and a little *****ing to justify the free service! What a jerk, I reported that to MBUSA later on.

Anyways, been a great benefit to owning a Mercedes-Benz!

Snibble · #7 10-13-2002, 05:58 PM

What is the cost for such service? Do you have to pay for them to come? Just curious.

David C Klasse · #8 10-13-2002, 06:11 PM

Nope, that's the greatest thing Snibble. FREE, FOREVER!!

BenzOnline · #9 10-13-2002, 07:25 PM

knock on wood for my 126!!!!

BenzOnline · #10 10-13-2002, 07:26 PM

is it even free for my 83 126?? Like if i run out of gas or my battery dies they will come and fix it?

#11 10-13-2002, 07:56 PM

If it is a Benz it's free. Gas is 4 gallons of high octan. I think your out of warrenty there on the battery

BenzOnline · #12 10-15-2002, 10:22 PM

what about in canada??

David C Klasse · #13 10-15-2002, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BenzOnline
what about in canada??

Who cares!?

(Juz playin, John Shellenberg)

need2speed · #14 10-16-2002, 10:26 PM

How about a 300 mile tow, a weeks stay at the Sahara in Las Vegas and a rental Jaguar, all courtesy of MB Roadside Assistance?

Check it out my adventure last year at need2speed

This year, my wife got stranded on the highway in her ML320 and Roadside came to her rescue with a 120 mile tow back home.

When the extended warranty expired on the E500 last spring, which included Roadside Assistance, I paid $60 for annual coverage on my own and cancelled the AAA.

davidmash · #15 07-27-2010, 10:16 AM

I posted this in the Diesel thread but thoght I would mention it here as well.

The 300 had a dead battery. NTB and Sears wanted $140 plus tax for a new one. Tried to jump start the 300 with the 190 and did not have much success. I remembered about this service so I figured I'd call them and get a jump. They asked if I wanted to buy the battery from them. Surprisingly enough they only wanted $156 installed incl tax. With my MB club discount it came out to $130.66 out the door.

I think that's a pretty good deal.