Marco Polo and Horizon roof blistering questionnaire

[Vandolfthegrey]

Sorry to hear this.

I also have just discovered some blisters on the roof of my 2021 MP. A little upset as I had hoped these issues were in the past but trying to focus on it being minor cosmetic issue only. I intend to leave it as long as possible before addressing in the hope that one replacement will be all I ever need!

I'd definitely recommend reporting it to your dealer. I've just been contacted by mine to say that the part is unable to order. This suggests that Mercedes won't supply a new roof until a cure/fix is 100% to avoid the problem happening again. The more Mercedes know about it (especially newer vehicles) hopefully the sooner they will provide a solution.
So now it's a waiting game.......

 

[Grand Tourismo]

I'd definitely recommend reporting it to your dealer. I've just been contacted by mine to say that the part is unable to order. This suggests that Mercedes won't supply a new roof until a cure/fix is 100% to avoid the problem happening again. The more Mercedes know about it (especially newer vehicles) hopefully the sooner they will provide a solution.
So now it's a waiting game.......

Can I just confirm that you are in the UK Vandolfthegrey ? If so I would give MBUK customer services a call and explain that you are not happy with the response from your dealer, effectively make a complaint that you have not been serviced and push it into the hands of MBUK. I'd be interested to hear what they say?

 

[Vandolfthegrey]

Can I just confirm that you are in the UK Vandolfthegrey ? If so I would give MBUK customer services a call and explain that you are not happy with the response from your dealer, effectively make a complaint that you have not been serviced and push it into the hands of MBUK. I'd be interested to hear what they say?

Yep in the uk. I'm planning to do just that, however I'm waiting to see what the dealer tells me once they get a reply from Mercedes. I actually have a very good relationship with my dealer (mertrux derby) and I know they are doing as much as they can. So the last thing I want to do it direct a complaint to them.
My issue is with Mercedes. Not the dealer. But unfortunately every single complaint regardless of whether its a customer service issue or build quality issue, it all goes back to the dealer. Which In this case, I think is pretty unfair.
Ill definitely be calling the complaints department at some point and I'll keep you posted.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Yep in the uk. I'm planning to do just that, however I'm waiting to see what the dealer tells me once they get a reply from Mercedes. I actually have a very good relationship with my dealer (mertrux derby) and I know they are doing as much as they can. So the last thing I want to do it direct a complaint to them.

Totally understand and a very good idea to keep your dealer on-side, especially as they may well be fitting your new roof!!

My issue is with Mercedes. Not the dealer. But unfortunately every single complaint regardless of whether its a customer service issue or build quality issue, it all goes back to the dealer. Which In this case, I think is pretty unfair.
Ill definitely be calling the complaints department at some point and I'll keep you posted.

This is the 100% the nub of the whole issue as far as I can see, you have nailed it!...the UK dealer network has patchy service when talking specifically about the MP roof, some are excellent, others less so.
Personally, I had an MB dealer refuse to do the work full stop, even though it had been pre-authorised by MBUK.
And in speaking to other owners they have varying responses, from being told they need to shoulder a percentage of the replacement costs to outright refusals of acceptance for vehicles still within dealer warranty!

You absolutely hit the nail 100% on the head when you point out that the decision and authorisation sits with MBUK but in order to get to them you have to pass the centralised Customer Services hurdle, which by it's very nature means that you have to be unhappy with the response of your dealer (otherwise you would be happy and have a new roof!)...this route is effectively escalating the issue out of your dealers hands.
I think if you make your dealer complicit in your actions, tell them what you are doing they will accept that and may even be supportive (mine did) and so far in my experience when your case hits MBUK it is much easier to communicate and discuss.
I genuinely still feel that MBUK are supportive of this issue (even for vehicles beyond their warranty period), they do want to help but it does take a little leg work and patience to navigate the procedures.

*My extended reply to you Vandolfthegrey simply for any others stumbling onto this thread in the future...it is clear to me you have the issue well under control. Keep us all in the loop!

 

[Vandolfthegrey]

Totally understand and a very good idea to keep your dealer on-side, especially as they may well be fitting your new roof!!


This is the 100% the nub of the whole issue as far as I can see, you have nailed it!...the UK dealer network has patchy service when talking specifically about the MP roof, some are excellent, others less so.
Personally, I had an MB dealer refuse to do the work full stop, even though it had been pre-authorised by MBUK.
And in speaking to other owners they have varying responses, from being told they need to shoulder a percentage of the replacement costs to outright refusals of acceptance for vehicles still within dealer warranty!

You absolutely hit the nail 100% on the head when you point out that the decision and authorisation sits with MBUK but in order to get to them you have to pass the centralised Customer Services hurdle, which by it's very nature means that you have to be unhappy with the response of your dealer (otherwise you would be happy and have a new roof!)...this route is effectively escalating the issue out of your dealers hands.
I think if you make your dealer complicit in your actions, tell them what you are doing they will accept that and may even be supportive (mine did) and so far in my experience when your case hits MBUK it is much easier to communicate and discuss.
I genuinely still feel that MBUK are supportive of this issue (even for vehicles beyond their warranty period), they do want to help but it does take a little leg work and patience to navigate the procedures.

*My extended reply to you Vandolfthegrey simply for any others stumbling onto this thread in the future...it is clear to me you have the issue well under control. Keep us all in the loop!

I emailed complaints and pre warned my dealer. I'll keep you with the reply.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

My warrantee is up in March so I booked in for an inspection lasts Tue, I set off for the 2.5hr round trip to Exeter but my plans were scuppered by a double blowout!!

Front tyre:



Rear tyre:




Not a particularly narrow road by Devon standards but a lorry approaching meant I was close to the verge This was the culprit;



Rebooked for next Thursday and hoping for a better outcome

 

[Grand Tourismo]

My warrantee is up in March so I booked in for an inspection lasts Tue, I set off for the 2.5hr round trip to Exeter but my plans were scuppered by a double blowout!!

Front tyre:

View attachment 2067View attachment 2068

Rear tyre:

View attachment 2069View attachment 2070


Not a particularly narrow road by Devon standards but a lorry approaching meant I was close to the verge This was the culprit;

View attachment 2071View attachment 2072

Rebooked for next Thursday and hoping for a better outcome

Ouch!!
Sorry SBD for sure that's an expensive aborted trip...that MB Exeter coffee better be good and plenty of it!

 

[Steve B]

Thats bad luck there. Doubly worse if there is still good tread on the tyres

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Thats bad luck there. Doubly worse if there is still good tread on the tyres

I was 50m from a safe pull in that happened to be my local village garage, I was up and running with 2 new tyres by the end of the day, unfortunately £396 light in the pocket

 

[Steve B]

Good life in those!! A bit of damage on the alloy as well.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Good life in those!! A bit of damage on the alloy as well.

Steve! You do like to rub it in a bit don't you...

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Good life in those!! A bit of damage on the alloy as well.

Jeez!!! I hadn't noticed that



Edit; I have reported the offending rock to Devon County Council to get a ref number so I can try and make a claim, doubt I'll get anywhere but it's worth a try.

 

[Steve B]

Jeez!!! I hadn't noticed that



Edit; I have reported the offending rock to Devon County Council to get a ref number so I can try and make a claim, doubt I'll get anywhere but it's worth a try.

I came off my bike (cycle not motorbike) in winter 2020 hitting a submerged pot hole and wrote off the bike but miraculously didn't badly injure myself. I tried to claim and had support from my insurance company but hit the aggressive wall of 'you will fail and waste your time if you try to claim from us'. I felt pretty upset and i'm not a claimer, but this made me more annoyed, but councils hide behind a get out clause in the highways act of adequate road inspection systems. They are not adequate but in mine they had completed a drive by six months earlier, which passed, and did an emergency fix within a week. Its rare to win these bit if you have the patience worth a try.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

I came off my bike (cycle not motorbike) in winter 2020 hitting a submerged pot hole and wrote off the bike but miraculously didn't badly injure myself. I tried to claim and had support from my insurance company but hit the aggressive wall of 'you will fail and waste your time if you try to claim from us'. I felt pretty upset and i'm not a claimer, but this made me more annoyed, but councils hide behind a get out clause in the highways act of adequate road inspection systems. They are not adequate but in mine they had completed a drive by six months earlier, which passed, and did an emergency fix within a week. Its rare to win these bit if you have the patience worth a try.

I'm like you @Steve B more of a 'these things happen' sort of guy not a claimer. I think if it had been one tyre that would have been my attitude but two seems more than bad luck. When the tyre place suggested a claim I didn't think about what I had to gain but what have I got to lose!
You're right about patience, the actual report of the rock to the council that needs to be done to make a claim will supposedly be dealt with by today. The instructions following the claim for damages state not to chase the claim until 16 weeks have passed.

 

[Steve B]

Here's the comment from Northants (now a disbanded failed council) trying to deter you. I tried but i wasn't prepared to exaggerate injuries or claim any 'mental health' implications, so the insurance company suggested dropping it - which I did. Failed Council team 1, me 0, a clear win for them.

 

[Vandolfthegrey]

Totally understand and a very good idea to keep your dealer on-side, especially as they may well be fitting your new roof!!


This is the 100% the nub of the whole issue as far as I can see, you have nailed it!...the UK dealer network has patchy service when talking specifically about the MP roof, some are excellent, others less so.
Personally, I had an MB dealer refuse to do the work full stop, even though it had been pre-authorised by MBUK.
And in speaking to other owners they have varying responses, from being told they need to shoulder a percentage of the replacement costs to outright refusals of acceptance for vehicles still within dealer warranty!

You absolutely hit the nail 100% on the head when you point out that the decision and authorisation sits with MBUK but in order to get to them you have to pass the centralised Customer Services hurdle, which by it's very nature means that you have to be unhappy with the response of your dealer (otherwise you would be happy and have a new roof!)...this route is effectively escalating the issue out of your dealers hands.
I think if you make your dealer complicit in your actions, tell them what you are doing they will accept that and may even be supportive (mine did) and so far in my experience when your case hits MBUK it is much easier to communicate and discuss.
I genuinely still feel that MBUK are supportive of this issue (even for vehicles beyond their warranty period), they do want to help but it does take a little leg work and patience to navigate the procedures.

*My extended reply to you Vandolfthegrey simply for any others stumbling onto this thread in the future...it is clear to me you have the issue well under control. Keep us all in the loop!

Sorry for the late response but just thought I'd keep you in the loop, after a very apologetic 30 min phone call from Mercedes customer services about a month ago, I can confirm the new roof is at the dealer and just waiting to be painted at chartwells (derby) so all in all I'm pretty happy with the turn around (compared to some folk waiting nearly a year!) Obviously not fitted yet but expecting a date within the next week or so. Let's just hope it's now sorted, I keep you posted once it's finished.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Sorry for the late response but just thought I'd keep you in the loop, after a very apologetic 30 min phone call from Mercedes customer services about a month ago, I can confirm the new roof is at the dealer and just waiting to be painted at chartwells (derby) so all in all I'm pretty happy with the turn around (compared to some folk waiting nearly a year!) Obviously not fitted yet but expecting a date within the next week or so. Let's just hope it's now sorted, I keep you posted once it's finished.

Sounds like it is all systems go! Nice job.