Mercedes-Benz is one of the more popular makes brought into Malaysia by grey importers, and there are many “UK Spec” and “Japan Spec” units running on the road. Nearly new or used units at a steep “discount” over official imports may be tempting, but you may run into trouble, souring the ownership experience.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has issued an official circular to all its authorised dealers and service centres concerning warranty coverage for failures resulting from fuel quality on grey market vehicles. The circular clarifies that any failures in Mercedes-Benz cars brought in through unofficial channels will not be accepted under warranty by Daimler AG as they are unprepared for local fuel quality.
“The fuel quality in Malaysia does not meet the operating requirement of vehicles produced in other countries. As such, imported vehicles which have not been suitably adapted to the local fuel quality, may experience failures,” explained MBM president and CEO, Roland Folger.
The original CLS, with an NA CGI 350 engine, may be tempting at below RM200k, but is it worth the risk?
“Only vehicles purchased through Mercedes-Benz authorised dealers are prepared adequately for the local conditions and it is our obligation to warn the public of the risks that are taken in purchasing a Mercedes-Benz from an unauthorised dealer.” Folger added.
As we’re all aware of, fuel from Malaysian pumps, both petrol and diesel, are of Euro 2 standards. That’s a few rungs lower than the standard of fuel in Europe, Japan and even our neigbouring ASEAN countries, so cars meant for those markets may not run smoothly with our fuel, and complications may arise.
We recall that when Merc’s direct-injection CGI (Charged Gasoline Injection) engines were first introduced in Malaysia a couple of years ago, MBM said that engine programming had to be tweaked to suit local fuel.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments largely agree that low fuel quality in Malaysia, mainly Euro 2 standard, adversely affects grey import cars, especially direct injection engines like Mercedes CGI and BMW N53, causing performance issues and potential damage. Many suggest ECU reprogramming or tuning as a solution, but some believe manufacturers avoid providing such services officially. Critics also blame government policies, fuel subsidies, and local industry practices for perpetuating inferior fuel standards, which lead to higher maintenance costs and engine problems. A few comments highlight the discrepancy between Malaysia's oil exports and domestic fuel quality, accusing authorities of misinformation and poor regulation. Overall, sentiments are negative toward the current fuel standards and governmental handling of the issue, with frustration expressed about the impact on vehicle performance and consumer choices.