[rohank024]

Hey guys, few months back i discussed the idea of buying used GLC, which i ended up doing in Feb. My reasons were fairly simple, the car had run only around 15000 kms and was 2020 registered and so i thought i would have warranty support of atleast an year and won't have to worry about any issue that come up with the car. However, i am now stuck with an issue, with very limited options and need some help.

I was traveling for a couple of days and when i came back i noticed that my car was showing an error "Power Steering Malfunction". I got it towed it to Landmark dealership in Kalina (Mumbai), and the guy called me today that wires connected to steering wheel got chewed by rodents/rats and the whole assemble (steering rack) would need replacement. I can believe the diagnosis as i did notice some rats in my building. Anyway, the service engineer is saying that Merc warranty doesn't cover rodents/rats bites and couple of people in the past few months also faced this issue but Merc declined for free replacement so those guys tried with their insurance companies and one get paid by insurer, while the other case is still being processed. My insurance is Reliance General and i have own damage insurance (with zero dep) as well as third party insurance (2 different insurances) from Reliance.

My worry is that if insurance declines the claim, then the service guy is talking about a cost of upwards of Rs. 5 lacs. So my questions are as follows-
1. Would anyone have an experience where insurance company creates issue for honoring claims for such rodent damages? From quick internet read, i could make out that rodent damage is "a case of accidental external means" and hence its a valid case of insurance claim.
2. In case, insurance co declines then does it make any sense at all to go for such expensive replacement from an authorized dealer? I mean this is like more than 10% purchase cost of my car. If not, then could someone please suggest a cheaper option to fix this problem in Mumbai.

Thanks in advance guys.

[GTO]

No car manufacturer's warranty will cover rat damage.

Originally Posted by rohank024

My insurance is Reliance General and i have own damage insurance (with zero dep) as well as third party insurance (2 different insurances) from Reliance.

Some insurance companies offer rodent damage as an add-on. Attached to this post is a sample PDF from Bharti-Axa. Regardless, no harm in trying with your current policy. Take the help of your insurance agent.

In case, insurance co declines then does it make any sense at all to go for such expensive replacement from an authorized dealer?

Not at all. Go to an independent garage. Will be fixed for anywhere between 20k - 1 lakh, depending on extent of damage. I don't think anything other than the wiring will need to be replaced.

Over & above, equip your car with:

- AutoShine Rat Spray every 2 months
- Varna Suraksha rat repellent device
- Cover all wires in Honda's rat repellent tape
- Keep the area around your parking spot clean (e.g. no junk / food / garbage cans)
- Use rat poison / cakes / paste / traps

There is no permanent "fix" for rats. It's a continuous, never-ending battle.

[Maverick5490]

Originally Posted by rohank024

I was traveling for a couple of days and when i came back i noticed that my car was showing an error "Power Steering Malfunction". I got it towed it to Landmark dealership in Kalina (Mumbai), and the guy called me today that wires connected to steering wheel got chewed by rodents/rats and the whole assemble (steering rack) would need replacement.

Why do they need to replace the complete steering rack assembly? The should only repair/replace the wiring harness. Please ask them to share images and reason for replacing the rack assembly.

Also certain insurance companies cover rodent damage as well, please speak with your agent as well as the insurance company for clarifications. In case there is insurance coverage, the dealer also needs to prove why they need to replace such an expensive part for rodent damage.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by rohank024

2. In case, insurance co declines then does it make any sense at all to go for such expensive replacement from an authorized dealer? I mean this is like more than 10% purchase cost of my car. If not, then could someone please suggest a cheaper option to fix this problem in Mumbai.

Thanks in advance guys.

Rodent Damage:
Rat damage is unavoidable in a country like ours. Where there are people and animals, there will be food and waste. Where there is food and waste there will be rodents and other animals who form a part of the food chain. Whether you live in a house or apartment or anywhere at all, the parking area absolutely has to be kept clean and litter free at all times. Add to this the various anti rat repellents etc.

No other go, I m afraid.


The Repair Bill:
There is no easy way out of this. You could read my notes elsewhere in the forum in getting my Mini’s suspension completely overhauled and the attendant the drama of obtaining the parts and then going to my FNG for the labour.

Yes, the service engineers have quoted large sums of money to you - they are all rogues and scoundrels and typically will do that because service and parts is how the dealer makes his regular income after selling the car.

First things to do.
1. Find out if all the part/ parts are available, how large / heavy they are.
2. Ask how much exactly the parts cost.
3. Get the lead time for repairs and the actual cost of labour at Mercedes Servicing.
4. Ask the Mercedes chaps to give you at Least a screenshot, if not a printout of the entire bill of materials required. This is essential, so that you know what is needed.

Note that it is a real pain to get this info, but use your best wiles, influence and beg and plead all you have to, to get the details. They typically do not cooperate. But with perseverance, you will get there.

In tandem with the above, identify a competent FNG in your city - I am sure there will be plenty of advice you can get on tbhp itself. And go and meet them personally and ask them the likely cost of the repairs, labour. ( no harm asking if they can help you to source the parts as well.)

Next things to do;
1. Find out the prices of these exact parts in the UK, Australia, HongKong, Sri Lanka, EU and USA. (But when checking in UAE, EU and USA, be careful to check and specify this is a right hand drive vehicle.)
2. Please make sure to get a proper freight estimate.
3. Note that Duty and IGST will cost you quite a bit, nearly 28% IGST and Duty also will be chargeable as per the EAN codes / category of the parts, which determines the rates.

It is also a good idea to activate your friends and family networks outside of India once you get the info ref the parts. If the parts are easily available in Sri Lanka it may even be a good idea to just fly down, buy them and bring them in yourself. (Combine this with a quick holiday maybe)

These steps may help you to make an informed decision by comparing, whether it makes sense to quietly bite the bullet and give the vehicle for full repairs to the Mercedes Service or take the alternate route that I am suggesting, in order to see if you are going to save some money.

The bottomline is, you’re going to have to invest in this by way of money or your valuable time and effort.

Resources:
The following US web sites twill give you the details of European car parts. These are the ones I ve been using and they’ve worked nicely for me so far. Make sure you check the model/ chassis number etc carefully - you can also check parts availability by VIN No.
1. www.ecstuning.com
2. www.pelicanparts.com
You can raise a query or clarify a doubt by either emailing them or calling them.

Additional resources which are good, from what I have read (though I don’t own a Mercedes) are;
1. https://www.mbonlineparts.com/
2. https://www.mercedesbenzpartscenter.com/
3. https://www.eurocarparts.com
4. https://www.fast parts.co.uk
5. https://www.mbfwann.com.au


All the best in the repair journey. Be tough and persevere.

[The Mechanic]

Originally Posted by rohank024

1. Would anyone have an experience where insurance company creates issue for honoring claims for such rodent damages? From quick internet read, i could make out that rodent damage is "a case of accidental external means" and hence its a valid case of insurance claim.

Check if your policy specifically excludes damage by rodents, if not

Assuming the rodent was not part of standard equipment provided by Mercedes, damages caused by it should come under the damage caused by " accidental external means "( 6th Point in standard policy I think ).

If the rodent was standard equipment provided by Mercedes its malfunction should be covered under any applicable warranty.

In that case get the rodent replaced by Mercedes via warranty.

BUT in that case also as far as I know the rest of the damages caused by rodent should be covered under insurance.

Originally Posted by GTO

Some insurance companies offer rodent damage as an add-on. Attached to this post is a sample PDF from Bharti-Axa. Regardless, no harm in trying with your current policy. Take the help of your insurance agent.

If the standard policy excludes a specific damage or peril, go for such add-ons, else these are unnecessary.

As per policy wordings of particular add-on " Items Covered: Rubber, Plastic, Rexene or leather upholstery and other non-metals parts of the
vehicle.", wouldn't this exclude wiring harness?, which is the most common item damaged by rats.

[jinojohnt]

Originally Posted by rohank024

I got it towed it to Landmark dealership in Kalina (Mumbai), and the guy called me today that wires connected to steering wheel got chewed by rodents/rats and the whole assemble (steering rack) would need replacement.

Thank God my apartment building is not built by Merc. If there was a leaking tap, they would have asked me to demolish and rebuild the whole room.

[vinay.sathyan]

I know too late to talk about insurance now since the issue is already present, but just for general info-

I own a GLC too and based on my previous experience with rat bites, i ended by taking the add-ons along with the insurance.

So Mercedes gives 4 types of insurance.. Bronze, silver, Gold and Platinum.. its Mercedes tying up with insurance partners like Reliance, Tata AIG, etc.

Any of these categories have add-ons and they are inclusive of rat bites cover.

Advantage with this, since you are paying Mercedes, they take care of working with the insurance partner and get the job done..

it is unfortunate that your car got damaged due to rat bite and i really feel bad about your situation, this is the pain of owning these german cars. :(

[Raghu M]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Note that it is a real pain to get this info, but use your best wiles, influence and beg and plead all you have to, to get the details. They typically do not cooperate. But with perseverance, you will get there.

Beg? Seriously? You own a global brand that is associated with luxury and reliability and the brand makes the customer beg. Man, reading such threads make me think if I'd ever own a German brand even if I had the money. If this is the way these brands operate, I would blame all the customers for making them do this. It's the right of the customer to get itemized billing, why wouldn't they give it?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Raghu M

Beg? Seriously? You own a global brand that is associated with luxury and reliability and the brand makes the customer beg.

This is Figuratively speaking. Not to be taken literally.
Most owners of luxe brands will not stoop to beg and nor are they required to.
But it is an established fact that dealerships are not the most cooperative of folks especially if one is planning to get one’s servicing and repair work done at an FNG.
The fact is that the dealerships all have their internal rules. They will not just give you a full detailed parts estimate and its bill of materials print out because you ask for it. Their Managements will simply not allow it. At least, this was what I encountered when I wanted and asked for the detailed list. But there are ways to get the information.
At the same time, they do have a strong mission to sell and ensure Genuine Spare Parts are being used. So they encourage all the empanelled and accredited FNGs by offering parts price discounts for bulk purchases - usually based on how much the FNG buys in a year. This can go up to 12-15% at times and this is a sizeable saving.
So the FNG itself can procure all the parts from the authorised dealer and fix your car. Or else the individual can also go and make the order with the dealership spares centre, pay an advance and wait. Or the FNG or indeed the individual can choose to use the import route. It finally depends on the cost comparison of these parts procured from the dealership spares centre in India or if sourced from abroad - factors like weight, the freight cost and the likely duty cost and the lead time needed.
Often, if the vehicle isn’t a current model, or if it is an obscure or slower moving part, the authorised dealership may not have the requisite parts in stock in their inventory or in their India HQ and the parts will have to come from Germany or somewhere in the EU. This can result in a lead time of 1.5 to 3 months that the dealer will ask for. By contrast, if you import the parts from some websites in the US by yourself (pelican parts/ ecs tuning etc) and have them delivered by Fedex International Economy you will receive them in your hand in one week’s time. Of course you ll have to bear the freight and duties.
This is why I said either way - by way of money and/ or time and effort, one will have to make a significant investment.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

They will not just give you a full detailed parts estimate and its bill of materials print out because you ask for it.

It's not like that, at least with Mercedes and BMW. They will give you a proper estimate and depending on the efforts, the maximum they can demand is an estimation fee in case the job is not carried out. That estimate will have a complete part number.

I think the workshop has taken the easy way and given an estimate for the complete assembly. OP should ask them nicely to check with MB India if they can suggest a child part. Suppose OP has already tried this, no harm in escalating to MB India directly.

[HighRevving]

Replacing the entire steering rack for a cut wire is daylight robbery.

Whether your policy covers it or not, if you hint at using insurance, it will only make your service advisor happy because you've accepted defeat. I am not sure of Mercedes, but in Skoda you can get power steering malfunction even if the battery is short as it blows one of the main fuses that control multiple functions including power steering.

Insist on their diagnosis report and if they don't provide it to you, get the diagnosis done outside from a reputed shop. If the steering rack indeed needs replacement, my suggestion would be to go back to Mercedes and get it done through insurance or otherwise. But do not immediately agree for replacement as the problem may be much simpler.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

It's not like that, at least with Mercedes and BMW. They will give you a proper estimate and depending on the efforts, the maximum they can demand is an estimation fee in case the job is not carried out. That estimate will have a complete part number.

I think the workshop has taken the easy way and given an estimate for the complete assembly. OP should ask them nicely to check with MB India if they can suggest a child part. Suppose OP has already tried this, no harm in escalating to MB India directly.

My experience with BMW has been different. I had gone to the spares chaps and asked for the printout of the entire bill of materials. They said they had a rule whereby they cannot share such a printout from their system. This was for my 10 year oldd Mini Cooper’s suspension overhaul.

[rohank024]

Thanks to all who found the time to reply, all very useful suggestions. Insurance guy would be visiting the repair shop in a couple of days to inspect and subsequently I will know whether or not insurance is covering the cost. Accordingly, will decide on the way forward but from what I have understood from most of you, shelling 5+ lacs out of my own pocket makes no sense so it would need to be a combination of sourcing parts & finding a good repair shop.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

My experience with BMW has been different. I had gone to the spares chaps and asked for the printout of the entire bill of materials.

I can't say about your place, but here you can walk to the dealership, ask for parts and they will give you an estimate or order for you to BMW, maybe ask advance for non-standard parts.

What I am sure is that if you had sent your Mini for repairs, they would have prepared an estimate for you. In case you have taken back the car citing high costs, and the dealership would have charged you time for estimation depending on the work they carried out. These fees depend on the dealer.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I can't say about your place, but here you can walk to the dealership, ask for parts and they will give you an estimate or order for you to BMW, maybe ask advance for non-standard parts.

What I am sure is that if you had sent your Mini for repairs, they would have prepared an estimate for you. In case you have taken back the car citing high costs, and the dealership would have charged you time for estimation depending on the work they carried out. These fees depend on the dealer.

Yes. When I bought it I had it checked at BMW. They gave me its service history printout after putting it up on the two post lift and I paid Rs 5000 for the ‘inspection’.
They did give an estimate for the suspension work, but that did not contain a full list of all the parts needed line by line, item by item. I actually referred to multiple sources and looked up the full suspension OE replacement set on pelican parts and ecs tuning and made the complete list myself, had it validated by my FNG and then sat with BMW and got them to cross verify and then ordered everything with them. More details appear in my detailed post on the suspension upgrade work.
Basically what Im trying to illustrate here is that there is no common predictable standard being followed across dealerships across India. Its all a but whimsical. And this is why I said that this whole repair job will require time, effort and money.