They had no choice but to fess up - couldn't return the car that day with a hole in the door. W.C. Fields once had a character named "Honest John" who got his name because he found and returned a man's lost glass eyeball - but that was comedy. Integrity is something higher than that.

Good luck with that one. Lawyers rarely get excited small claims.

The damage may indeed be expensive in the owners eye, but in the lawyers eyes....it's chump change

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Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

Mike, I recommended contacting an attorney to show the dealer that you're upset with the way they handled the situation, not necessarily that you intend to sue them. Hopefully EAL has an attorney friend who can put some heat on the dealer with a letter on law firm stationery. In situations like this it's all about perception.

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Fred Hoelzle

I think this is only true for those with a salvage title. Otherwise; how is anyone to know if a car was repaired?

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Carfax if insurance pays, or just a buyer's inspection.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

sounds like they are hiding something....

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

All good info!

1) Loaner car.
2) Pay nothing for the original repair.
3) Squak about not being consulted beforehand....having the bodyshop involved without being told is shady and sneaky.
4) Tell 'em you want a NEW 100K Benz for free for their screw up! (Won't happen though but it costs' nothing to ask!)
5) I be willing to say that the frame has be compromised. The shear weight of these cars alone would cause some bending of the chassis falling off the lift even if it was just a foot.

I would certainly be looking for some kind of compensation above and beyond the repair. The car will not be as good as it was, unless they were able to replace panels with new MB stuff, and even then, I doubt it would be as good as new. Perhaps you can get them to give you some number of "free" labor hours to use in the future.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Except free labor means taking it back to the same shop. Vote with your wallet, pick a new shop from now on.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Sure like to see some followup on this.

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Something that has not already been suggested: Post the name of this dealership so we can all avoid it if and when we are ever in the NC area.

I'm sorry to hear about this incident.

__________________

Don't Chrome them; polish them

Did your car look like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvNKBe6DZhk&feature=related

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff