Mercedes-Benz Comand system customers slam Australian service

A Sydney woman logged 15 faults with her 2018 Mercedes-Benz coupe, which cost $165,000. An expert says the carmaker throws too many customers “under the bus.”

One of the most prestigious car brands, Mercedes-Benz, has been condemned as “among the worst” in dealing with customer problems.

Autoexpert.com.au founder John Cadogan said owners of faulty Mercedes too often “feel like they are being thrown under the bus — and that’s exactly the opposite of what they expected”.

Mr Cadogan’s strongest criticism was of Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific’s treatment of customers who bought vehicles boasting the Comand online system.

Comand delivered internet browsing until it went kaput in March last year.

“It’s disgraceful,” Mr Cadogan said, because ­Mercedes-Benz’s parent Daimler is one of the “largest companies on earth and therefore it has virtually unlimited resources to achieve anything technically it would like to achieve with its cars”.

It was a key selling point for Nick Mills (inset), who bought a Mercedes GLC250 for $89,000 in 2018.

Nick Mills and his Mercedes-Benz, without web connection. Picture: Tim Hunter

The screen on Nick Mills’ Mercedes-Benz. Picture: Tim Hunter

Following Comand’s demise, Mr Mills sought a refund from the dealer. When that failed, he asked NSW Fair Trading to intervene. That didn’t work either. He was offered $1500 in compensation.

“I was floored,” Mr Mills said.

So he has commenced proceedings in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

Going in the favour of Mr Mills is the fact ­Mercedes-Benz has already refunded owners over Comand.

Townsville’s Chris Thurley got back the purchase price for his Merc — and that of his partner and her mother — last year.

The refunds were provided begrudgingly. When contacted by The Telegraph, Mr Thurley said he could not comment due to a nondisclosure agreement.

Jemma El-Helou with sons Jason (left), 6, and Charbel, 5. Picture: Toby Zerna

Jemma El-Helou's Mercedes-Benz being towed recently. Picture: Supplied

A Mercedes-Benz spokesman said the loss of Comand’s web-browsing “has no impact on the use or enjoyment of any of the vehicle’s primary functions”.

Jemma El-Helou and her husband of Guilford paid $165,000 for a GLC63 coupe in 2018. She has catalogued 15 faults since then.

Mr Cadogan said “if you pay $160,000 and your car has these rolling series of defects the least you could expect is a bit of urgency and actually empathy when it comes to rectifying problems.”

A Mercedes spokesman said “any vehicle concerns” had been “rectified at no cost to her”.