The wife had the car all day. When coming back from lunch she managed to lock our only set of keys in the trunk? In a panic, she called asking "where is the hide a key"(she knows we only have the one set). I said there is none and you are stuck. It's OK call Mercedes Roadside Assistance.

This Mercedes Roadside clown came out bragging about how he has worked on these cars since 1965 and it's a cinch to get in there. Then he begins to tell my wife that the trunk probably won't open because usually the vacuum systems are shot. So, she calls me to verify that the system works (she knows this, not sure why she called, probably for moral support). Anyway, I assured her (via direct connect/Nextel) that the system has no problems and works flawlessly. It can open the locks 5 times or more without running the engine. This clown over hears me talking to my wife and starts arguing with her about how "no one knows these cars better than I do" and how he doesn't want to argue with some guy (me). So, this guy obviously has some kind of mental problem.

20 minutes goes buy and she calls me back asking for my credit card #. $130 to open the door!! I could not believe it. My insurance covers this kind of crap, but I was stunned. Then she proceeds to tell me how he "wedged" the top of the door open and then just used a piece of wire to pull up the lock knob. I was furious... This cannot be good for the doors integrity. I was expecting him to "slim jim" the door. If I had known this, I would have immediately said "Get that guy away from our car" and call someone else.

Anyway.... Thank God that is over with.... WRONG!!! Now 4 hours later I get a call from my wife again. She is leaving work and when she opened the door, she found that the seal is all mangled where he forced the wedge in and the paint is scraped off around the window frame!! She called me and I just WENT OFF!!

This is unacceptable!! She called and told the dealer about this and they said "they would cover it, just bring it in". Are they serious? They want me to take my car up there after what this clown did to it? Plus we lose one of our cars for a day or more because of their negligence?

I'm so mad over it all... I'm not sure what to do. I'm thinking about just asking for the $$ to cover the damages and doing the work myself. If they will do that.

Opinions greatly appreciated!

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

I am pretty sure you have to give them a chance to make it right before you escalate to the next step. Ask for a loaner car when you drop yours off.
The vast majority of MB dealers care about their image, and I expect they will make it right.

Next, order another key! Bring in your title or registration and it will usually take 2 business days.

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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

That is happening tomorrow. I'm going to order another set of both. For some reason she took both the master and valet keys with her. That is another story.

She's not home yet... I'll know more later.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Well Snook, in this case I would take it back to the dealer since they offer to do right by you.
but let them know in a very kind and diplomatic way, about your disappointment with the road service,
Then ask them to not let that person touch the car ever again.

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1986 190D 5 cyl. 5 speed manual White (215K),
1983 300SD Silver blue (103K)

I didn't know you could lock the keys inside one of these cars...

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

His wife locked them in the trunk and you can do that by putting the trunk lock in override locked mode (slot vertical).

You can also lock them in the car by closing the driver's door and pushing down the driver's door lock button by reaching across and then closing the passenger door...but you really have to try to "outsmart" the system!

Getting back to the OP, just let them fix what they did wrong...what more can you do at this point? I don't know what more they could have offered that would have made you less unhappy but it sounds like they are at least trying to right it for you so let them.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

If you have glass coverage, it would have been cheaper to break the window.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

What a total pain. On the bright side you're getting a new door seal for a 24 year old car. I'd be p.o.'d too though.

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Brad
1981 300TD - daily driver
1963 Chevy II
2001 F-250 7.3 Power Stroke

Well... She just got home. The service department called again and they said "they would do whatever it takes to make it right". The dealer was shocked that this happened.

That dealer is a long way from here. I'm hoping that any dealer would honor the repair? What if I had been on the road to see family in Colorado? I can't take the car back there to get worked on.

I actually thought about breaking the window, but we are expecting rain the next couple days (go figure). It was threatening when all this was going on.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Considering that Mercedes roadside assist does not include unlocking service, you may not be making out badly at all. Once when I was working on my '87 300D Turbo (W124, OM603) I managed to lock the only keys in the car. Mercedes told me (via telephone) they would have to charge for opening the door so I had AAA do it for free. (They too used a plastic wedge and then a slim-jim. Didn't hurt the car at all and I now have several extra keys.)

According to the owner's manual, the Mercedes web site, and everything else I've ever read or heard about the roadside assistance program, the free service is limited to:
1. Start the car (up to 1 hour effort)
2. Bring fuel (customer usually required to pay for fuel)
3. Install customer's spare tire
Anything else including getting into the car is charged at 150% of the dealer's normal rate.

Even so, the service guy didn't have to be a jerk. I think you're lucky that the dealer wants to be friends.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

don't get mad, get even. take the car in to them, let them replace the door seal, take one of their rental cars, scrape some paint off the door jamb and jack up it's door seal, and call it a day

disclaimer: i don't actually recommend you do this, but it's fun to think you can

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moral of the story: don't let women borrow the benz (or ride shotgun in it)

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Nah.... Well... The evil side of me thinks that. But, in reality... I could never do something like that.

I'm going to let them try and fix it. I have low expectations now. Hopefully they can restore my faith. I'm looking for reasons to keep this car. After today, they just keep dwindling.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

the sun will come up, tomorrow...

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GTK. I have a wagon.....you're right, you really got try hard to lock keys in the thing.

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)