The Mercedes-Benz GLB was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which lasted from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. During this time, many consumers who purchased or leased a GLB through these financing options may have been affected by motor finance mis-selling practices.
How the Mercedes-Benz GLB was Typically Financed
The Mercedes-Benz GLB is often financed through PCP and HP agreements that typically range from £15,000 to £30,000. The most common terms for these agreements are 36 to 48 months. Common finance providers for the GLB include
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In a PCP agreement, customers typically make monthly payments over an agreed term with a final balloon payment due at the end of the contract. This balloon payment is usually determined by a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV). If the customer opts to return the car at the end of the agreement or take out another finance deal, they may not have to pay this balloon amount.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance highlighted significant issues with
discretionary commission arrangements used by lenders. These arrangements allowed dealers to receive payments from lenders based on the type and volume of financing provided to customers. This practice was widespread and affected 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) across the UK, resulting in a total estimated cost to consumers of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026). The average loss per agreement was around £829 (FCA estimate).
The investigation found that these commission arrangements often led to higher finance costs for customers due to an increased focus on sales volume over customer needs and affordability.
How to Check Your Agreement Specifically, check for any mention of discretionary commissions or dealer incentives that could have influenced the pricing of your loan. If your agreement was arranged between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, it may be affected.
if you see "DCA" (Discretionary
Commission Arrangement) mentioned in your finance documentation, this is a strong indicator that your contract could have been impacted by the FCA investigation. You should also review any correspondence from your lender regarding changes to interest rates or terms during the relevant period.
If you suspect that your Mercedes-Benz GLB finance agreement was mis-sold, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for the GLB include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
To file a complaint, contact your lender's customer service department or visit their website for specific instructions on how to submit a formal complaint. Make sure to provide detailed information about your finance agreement, any discrepancies you have found, and the dates of relevant transactions.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process; it is entirely free to complain directly to your lender. If your lender does not resolve your issue satisfactorily, you can escalate the complaint to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS) for further review.
Sources and References
- FCA estimates on agreements affected: 12.1 million (FCA estimate)
- Total estimated cost to consumers: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026)
- FCA-estimated scheme average per eligible agreement: £829 (FCA estimate)
Based on 375,769 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Mercedes-Benz C has a pass rate of 81.1%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the C performs about average in MOT testing.
The C pass rate is in line with the overall Mercedes-Benz average of 82.3%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 86,936 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 81.1%
- MOT failure rate: 18.9%
- Tests analysed: 375,769 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 86,936 miles
- Mercedes-Benz average pass rate: 82.3%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.