The thing with premium brands like Audi, BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes-Benz (apologies to all those who feel left out) is that people don't just expect to buy a high-quality car, but have the same expectations regarding the services they will receive once they've taken custody of the new vehicle.
Taking your car to an official repair shop only to discover that the mechanics there took it out for an unnecessary spin while applying the classic "drive it like you stole it" mantra (which is essentially what they did) isn't exactly what you think you're signing up for when buying a car from a premium manufacturer. In all fairness, this wouldn't be acceptable from a non-premium brand either, but having higher expectations only makes it even worse.
And yet it would appear that some mechanics can't help themselves when presented with the keys to a new £40,000 (roughly $56,000) Mercedes-Benz E300 and the open road. Well, more like the outskirts of a British city with moderate traffic, but that's just details when there's mischief to be had.
Returning home after a warranty repair on a wheel sensor, David Argust (who not only works as a chauffeur but also bears an uncanny resemblance to Jason Statham in "The Transporter") checked the video footage on the dashcam installed in his car and discovered his E300 had been taken for a joyride by one of the mechanics working at Sytner Mercedes-Benz in Bristol. Upset, David went back to the dealer and asked whether he could receive reassurance that this wouldn't happen again if he took his business there in the future.
He says he didn't feel the apology was sincere and his complaint was taken seriously, so he chose to release the footage and the story to the media. After that, he received a mail from Sytner saying that he wouldn't be able to service his car at any other Sytner branch invoking a "complete breakdown in the relationship." They also claimed that the mechanic involved in the incident no longer worked for them, but they refused to respond to any further media inquiries.
Rest assured, if your car is even remotely interesting to drive, this could happen to you as well. If installing a dashcam is too much of a hassle, you could at least write down your mileage when you drop the car off for repairs. They might take it for a ride to check if everything's alright, but if there's more than two miles on the clock, that should raise a red flag. But be careful what you do from then on: make sure there's a close-by alternative to the franchise you're using, in case there's a "complete breakdown in the relationship."
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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