[gewitzt]

I have had my 2015 smart ED for one year now. When I purchased it (used), I took it into what used to be a smart dealer for service to keep the warranty intact. I wound up paying for new brakes, pads and tires, all of which aren't covered under warranty. Still, I wanted my new car to be correct mechanically.

My smart ED has been performing without problem for the past year. Recently, I got the "30 day warning" notice on startup that "care service" was due. Last weekend, we had a taste of forthcoming summer as the temperature climbed into the 80s for a couple of days. During these days, I noticed the A/C wasn't blowing cold. This influenced my decision to take the car in for service as opposed to trying to do the service myself. Besides, my days as a shade-tree mechanic are gone by.

Yesterday I took the car into the dealer. My experience was quite different from the first time. That may have been because my service advisor was still new to the company.

In any event, he looked up the car's VIN and history, informed me that it was still under warranty, but that it would expire in a few months (hint: get things looked at/done before then). I indicated I wanted routine three year/30,000 mile service and to look at the A/C. My guy offered me a loaner ("something we don't usually do for smart owners") because they "might have to get parts not readily available." I guess that must be the case, because here it is a day and a half later, and I still haven't heard from them that my car is ready.

Weird, because the first time I had it in, it was done by the end of the day. I guess brakes and tires are at-hand, but filters and such aren't? It may be that the A/C is broken and needs to be fixed. If that's the case, I'm glad I took it in, as this should be covered by the warranty. Still, they have me driving around in a Mercedes CLA250, which should be embarrassed to have the three-pointed star affixed to it. Between the two, I'd take the smart!

This has me scratching my head. Part of me says this is all well and good, and that MB is performing the service to spec. The other part of me says this is taking too long and something has gone awry. I hope I'm not concerned for cause.

 

[MB DNA]

I wound up paying for new brakes, pads and tires, all of which aren't covered under warranty.

OMG, MY15 ED needing brakes, pads and tires - how many miles?

 

[gewitzt]

OMG, MY15 ED needing brakes, pads and tires - how many miles?

When I bought it, it had about 19,400 miles on it. High mileage compared to others I'd seen online.

I'm guessing it wasn't well maintained. When they put new tires on it, they told me the left front tire was a snow tire!

 

[InjuredAgain]

I'm in the midst of my first 30-day "care service" window for my 2015 ED, and have contacted the lone smart dealer left in our state, fortunately only 15 miles away. I told the service advisor that according to the service manual, I could perform all of the specified services myself but wanted to know what was required to be performed at the dealer to maintain my warranty, which runs through 2021. I told him I purchased the traction battery outright and am not paying BAP, which was greeted with a few seconds of silence. He called back a day later and said he needed the VIN to research further. I gave him the VIN and now a day later, nothing. How hard can it be?

 

[MB DNA]

He called back a day later and said he needed the VIN to research further. I gave him the VIN and now a day later, nothing. How hard can it be?

smart ED, sometimes it is Rocket Science!

Your Service Writer will be with you just as soon as he has THE ANSWER . . .

 

[InjuredAgain]

Your Service Writer will be with you just as soon as he has THE ANSWER . . .

I am not holding my breath. Of course, if I did, I'd be blue and dead by now.

Well, no matter! The world needs another service writer who is a proficient brain surgeon as well as a rocket scientist. . .

 

[sokoloff]

I think you all realize this, but you do not have to take your car in to a dealer to keep the warranty in effect. The only time that is required would be if you are leasing the battery. Then you are required to have an annual battery check, but that is at no cost to you.

Len
2014 EV Coupe 14,500 miles
2014 EV Cabriolet 4,500 miles

 

[InjuredAgain]

I think you all realize this, but you do not have to take your car in to a dealer to keep the warranty in effect. The only time that is required would be if you are leasing the battery. Then you are required to have an annual battery check, but that is at no cost to you.

I would be delighted if that were the case - I just want the service advisor to tell me that same thing. I already have the brain surgeon's name, after all!

 

[gewitzt]

Well, this is probably the last time I'm taking my smart ED into the stealership for service. Mostly routine stuff: change the dessicant cartridge (they refer to it as a "dryer pack"), change the cabin filter, and -- alas for me -- completely flush the A/C and fill with new freon (I imagine it isn't truly freon, but whatever's taken its place these days). With tax and rag charge, just under $750.

Yep, the price was pretty steep. Too steep, actually. I've read here the cost of the dessicant cartridge, the means to replace it and figure they charged me $250 just for labor.

They also kept my car for three days. That would be intolerable except they did give me a loaner. I spent $25 in fuel during those three days, which makes me appreciate the smart even more; that's about a month of driving when I charge at night!

I was also informed that my warranty is up in a few months. Given that nothing they did was covered under warranty, I guess the next time it needs work I'll either find a way to do it myself, or take it to my local service station (where I get my annual safety inspection), who has told me they'd love to work on it!

 

[Yinzer]

I would be delighted if that were the case - I just want the service advisor to tell me that same thing. I already have the brain surgeon's name, after all!

Why would you ever expect a MB Service advisor to tell you that? But, in fact, the Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 prohibits a manufacturer from requiring routine service from their dealers as a condition of a warranty.

 

[MB DNA]

Mostly routine stuff: change the dessicant cartridge (they refer to it as a "dryer pack"), change the cabin filter, and -- alas for me -- completely flush the A/C and fill with new freon (I imagine it isn't truly freon, but whatever's taken its place these days). With tax and rag charge, just under $750.

$750 OMG, they charge a bunch to put new batteries in the key fob!

Are you sure that they didn't include an oil/filter change with new plugs too? Don't laugh, first time in with our ED they were going to change the oil???

And did the A/C flush and fill fix your problem?

Sounds like you opted for one of their Gold or Platinum "packages." What were the major cost line items on the service report?

But hopefully you got the FREE coffee, a Danish and car wash...

 

[InjuredAgain]

Why would you ever expect a MB Service advisor to tell you that? But, in fact, the Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 prohibits a manufacturer from requiring routine service from their dealers as a condition of a warranty.

Because I have had service advisors from multiple other brands, including BMW, tell me basically the same thing.

 

[10470]

I would be delighted if that were the case - I just want the service advisor to tell me that same thing. I already have the brain surgeon's name, after all!

Get any response in writing... something you can “point to” in the case of any future discrepancy of information. Don’t rely on verbal assurances w/out documentation!!

 

[Yinzer]

Was the AC malfunctioning? There is no reason to replace the refrigerant except if it needed recharging.

 

[Yinzer]

Because I have had service advisors from multiple other brands, including BMW, tell me basically the same thing.

Tell you basically that you do not have to have service done at a dealer? Or, that you do?

The law is the law...

 

[MB DNA]

I would be delighted if that were the case - I just want the service advisor to tell me that same thing. I already have the brain surgeon's name, after all!

Service Advisor is often a commissioned salesperson, doubt that they would "advise" you away from their MONEYMAKER?

As for having the individual's name who may or may not have "told you," without something in writing be prepared for deny, deny, deny.

 

[InjuredAgain]

Get any response in writing... something you can “point to” in the case of any future discrepancy of information. Don’t rely on verbal assurances w/out documentation!!

I did talk the BMW service advisor into putting that down in writing on one of the early service invoices, and I got it in some written form for the Corvette (which was easy since I purchased it from an out-of-state dealer). I got it verbally from the Toyota sales manager. In each case, I always had inquired as to what mandatory services were required to maintain my warranty and was told that as long as I could show usage of OEM or OEM equivalent/approved parts, and that the service was performed in an approved fashion, that my warranty would be good.

 

[InjuredAgain]

Tell you basically that you do not have to have service done at a dealer? Or, that you do?

The law is the law...

Told me that as long as OEM or OEM equivalent/approved parts were used, it was done according to the maintenance schedule, and performed in a factory authorized manner, that the warranty would not be void.

 

[InjuredAgain]

Service Advisor is often a commissioned salesperson, doubt that they would "advise" you away from their MONEYMAKER?

As for having the individual's name who may or may not have "told you," without something in writing be prepared for deny, deny, deny.

I try to be an intelligent consumer. I research opinions on the dealerships before I buy, and will stay away from places that consistently receive bad reviews. I typically know what common problems are with each vehicle and understand what kind of warranty service may impact those problem areas.

The service advisor, no matter where his paycheck comes from, still has to abide by the laws regarding warranty service for vehicles and should be truthful in sharing that information with customers. I would like to think I come across as an informed consumer who would not stand for being bs'ed, and so I have never been misinformed by a business I choose to use on these matters at least as far as I understand the laws and regulations. I would and have walked away from places that were untruthful (rather than being oblivious, which is another issue).

In my 40 years of car ownership, I have never had a warranty service denied to me due to factory maintenance having been performed by myself or at another reputable shop. Can it happen? Sure! But seeing that I feel I do my due diligence leading up to the decision to either buy or have my vehicles serviced at a shop (unless there is literally no reasonable choice as in the case of my smart), and that I haven't had issues in all of my car ownership life, I feel I have other things to worry about rather than if someone denies a warranty repair. If it happens, I'll bring forth the appropriate paperwork showing the maintenance has been performed. If it still gets denied and I feel it has been done unfairly, I will move up the ladder. If it still isn't resolved, I'll make sure I get the word out to as many people as I can reach, and at that point I'll be done with it. My philosophy is that life is too short (and for someone my age, that is more true than most) to spend too many cycles worrying about warranty service on a car. Now, talk to me about long term health care and it's another matter entirely!

 

[ElementalDragon]

I have had my 2015 smart ED for one year now. When I purchased it (used), I took it into what used to be a smart dealer for service to keep the warranty intact. I wound up paying for new brakes, pads and tires, all of which aren't covered under warranty. Still, I wanted my new car to be correct mechanically.

My smart ED has been performing without problem for the past year. Recently, I got the "30 day warning" notice on startup that "care service" was due. Last weekend, we had a taste of forthcoming summer as the temperature climbed into the 80s for a couple of days. During these days, I noticed the A/C wasn't blowing cold. This influenced my decision to take the car in for service as opposed to trying to do the service myself. Besides, my days as a shade-tree mechanic are gone by.

Yesterday I took the car into the dealer. My experience was quite different from the first time. That may have been because my service advisor was still new to the company.

In any event, he looked up the car's VIN and history, informed me that it was still under warranty, but that it would expire in a few months (hint: get things looked at/done before then). I indicated I wanted routine three year/30,000 mile service and to look at the A/C. My guy offered me a loaner ("something we don't usually do for smart owners") because they "might have to get parts not readily available." I guess that must be the case, because here it is a day and a half later, and I still haven't heard from them that my car is ready.

Weird, because the first time I had it in, it was done by the end of the day. I guess brakes and tires are at-hand, but filters and such aren't? It may be that the A/C is broken and needs to be fixed. If that's the case, I'm glad I took it in, as this should be covered by the warranty. Still, they have me driving around in a Mercedes CLA250, which should be embarrassed to have the three-pointed star affixed to it. Between the two, I'd take the smart!

This has me scratching my head. Part of me says this is all well and good, and that MB is performing the service to spec. The other part of me says this is taking too long and something has gone awry. I hope I'm not concerned for cause.

At least you had a CLA. My local former Smart Center only had a Mercedes GLE 350 left to loan out to me for a day while the main drive belt in my 453 was being delivered and then replaced. Used half a tank of gas by the time i got back down there the next day, topped it off, which cost a tad over $30. Then had to bring my Smart home and fill it for $24. lol

Though, i will say, i rather enjoyed how much more isolation there was from road noise and such in that SUV. I've always been debating if I wanted to try to do something to reduce road noise heard while in the Smart... now i really kinda want to do it. But i know it won't be cheap or easy.