Mumbai doctor couple pays Rs 2.5 lakh EMI for Mercedes SUV stuck at workshop for months after rat damage

Mumbai: A Mumbai doctor couple has been without their nearly Rs 1 crore Mercedes-Benz electric SUV for almost three months after rodents allegedly damaged its wiring, with the vehicle still awaiting a replacement part from Germany.  

The skin specialist and his wife, a gynaecologist, purchased a Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC in July 2024 and took it to a Landmark Cars service centre in Thane on August 27 after discovering damage to its wiring, reportedly caused by rats. Although the insurance company approved the repair, the vehicle has remained at the workshop as the required wiring harness is not readily available in India. 

According to reports, the replacement component has been ordered from Germany and is expected to reach the service centre only by the last week of December.

The prolonged delay has caused considerable inconvenience to the couple, who are continuing to pay monthly instalments of around Rs 2.5 lakh for a vehicle they cannot use. They have also raised concerns about having to bear the running costs of insurance and warranty coverage while the SUV remains at the workshop.

The doctor couple are currently staying in Thane as their home in Andheri is undergoing renovation, while both need to travel to Bandra for work. The owner reportedly said that he had to arrange a cab during a medical emergency because the vehicle was unavailable, NDTV reported.

They have also expressed dissatisfaction over the dealership's failure to provide an alternative vehicle or give a definite timeline for completing the repairs. The owner said, "Mercedes-Benz and Landmark just don't seem to care".

Responding to the complaint, Landmark Cars said the damage to the wiring harness had been caused by rodents and confirmed that a replacement had been ordered from Germany. The company's customer experience department said the expected delivery timeline had been communicated to the customer.

On the demand for a courtesy vehicle, the dealership maintained that such arrangements are generally considered in warranty-related cases. However, it said the present damage was classified as accidental and that its available courtesy vehicles were already in use during the festive season.

The delay is also linked to the vehicle's import status. The EQE 500 is sold in India as a completely built unit, meaning specialised replacement components have to be sourced from overseas, potentially extending repair timelines.

Reports have also pointed to the use of soy-based bio-plastics in wiring insulation in some Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, which may attract rodents and leave wiring vulnerable to damage.