A motorist was "horrified" to discover the cost of a replacement value for his eco-friendly Mercedes would set him back £15,000 – more than the current value of the car.
Ranjit Singh got a nasty shock when the battery on the eight-year-old car failed recently and he was quoted the huge sum of money for a replacement.
Ranjit, 63, who lives in the Knighton area of Leicester, bought the vehicle at a Mercedes Benz dealership for £27,000.
A big Mercedes fan, he was convinced he was doing the right thing by choosing a more environmentally-friendly car.
At the time of purchase, the car had done 49,000 miles and worked a treat until this year, he told LeicestershireLive.
He says he got the car checked by Mercedes Benz and was told that the battery had come to the end of its life after just eight years of motoring.
The car owner claims he was quoted £15,000 for a battery replacement – excluding labour costs which Ranjit learned would be in the region of £200 an hour.
He explained: "I have always been a Mercedes customer and loved the cars they produce and we bought the car for its reliability.
"I'm horrified by what has happened. I feel I now have just two options – scrap the eight-year-old car or spend more than it is worth.
"We checked on Auto Trader and it says the car value now stands at just £12,850."
Ranjit claimed that he went to see a hybrid specialist who advised him there was nothing else he could do and that there was no cheaper repair available.
His daughter, Ramnik Kaur, 36, works in the motoring industry herself.
She said: "Dad is very disappointed, stressed and doesn't know what to do with the car. As a a retired person, he doesn't have that kind of money.
She said the issue was tantamount to "mis-selling" on Mercedes's part.
However, Mercedes Benz insist that information is readily available online and customers are informed of the battery certificate upon purchasing.
A Mercedes spokesperson said: "We have based the general information below on a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class mild hybrid with a 125V high voltage battery, rather than a plug-in hybrid.
"In 2014, the 125V high voltage battery was covered by the standard three year manufacturer's warranty (unlimited mileage).
"Without the background information, we are unable to comment on why the high voltage battery required replacement in this particular case.
"Outside influences can contribute to reduced battery life, for example, operating conditions of the car, accidents, repairs and general maintenance.
"When purchasing a new or used hybrid car from a Mercedes-Benz Retailer, customers are informed of the battery certificate, which is alongside the warranty information on the Owners' Area of the Mercedes-Benz Cars UK website and the smart.com website."
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