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Dropping off your vehicle at a franchise dealership often comes with an unspoken understanding: you accept their inflated prices and questionable practices, while they promise to use quality OEM parts and treat your car with care. However, a Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG owner from Bolton, England, is challenging this notion after a troubling experience with his local dealership, Marshall Mercedes-Benz.
Last Tuesday, the owner entrusted his A45 AMG—an impressive hot hatch not available in the U.S.—to the dealership for paintwork. He was informed that his car would be driven approximately 40 miles north to Blackpool for the requested service.
Out of curiosity about the route, the owner checked his Mercedes-Benz mbrace app, which includes a vehicle tracking feature. To his dismay, he discovered that his car had traveled 16 miles south instead of heading to Blackpool, and was meandering around Manchester instead.
Concerned about the situation, he contacted Mercedes-Benz support to confirm the app’s accuracy. He then got into his partner’s vehicle and set out to reclaim his A45 AMG. After more than an hour of searching, during which he tracked the car’s location, he flagged down a police officer and brought them to a South Manchester address where the app indicated the vehicle had parked.
When they arrived, the police found the car abandoned on the roadside, along with a Marshall Mercedes-Benz employee who appeared just as surprised as the owner. The employee reportedly claimed he intended to drive the car to Blackpool the following day, but an incensed owner took back his keys. He noted that the car was in Sport+ mode, which he used as further evidence of unauthorized driving.
The owner lodged a complaint with the dealership, which allegedly apologized by offering him a complimentary tank of gas. Unimpressed with this response, he decided to share his story with local news outlets.
“To say I’m appalled is an understatement… I don’t want any compensation, but I feel my trust has been abused,” he expressed. “I just want people to know that they took my car miles away from the dealership. It’s adding mileage and using fuel for a start. Who would want that?”
While Marshall Mercedes-Benz declined to provide a comment, the British headquarters issued an apology to the Manchester Evening News, assuring an investigation into the incident.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were contacted by the car owner and accompanied him to the employee’s residence, but no arrests were made as it was determined that "no crime had been committed." Legally, that may be true, but in light of the trust inherent in the dealership relationship, many would argue otherwise.
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