Was your Mercedes-Benz GLS financed under a
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or
Hire Purchase (HP) agreement during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024? If so, it may have been affected by the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation into motor finance mis-selling. The FCA found that
discretionary commission arrangements between car dealers and lenders led to millions of consumers potentially overpaying for their vehicles.
How the Mercedes-Benz GLS was Typically Financed
The Mercedes-Benz GLS, a luxury SUV known for its spacious interior and powerful performance, is often sold on PCP or HP finance agreements. During the FCA investigation period (6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024), it was common for buyers to enter into these financing arrangements, typically ranging from £15,000 to £30,000 over terms of 36 to 48 months. Common lenders providing finance for the GLS included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
PCP agreements often include a balloon payment at the end of the term, which can be settled through an optional final payment or by returning the car to the lender. This structure means that many buyers of the GLS may have been affected by mis-selling practices related to these agreements.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation uncovered significant issues with discretionary commission arrangements between lenders and dealerships, which led to millions of consumers potentially overpaying for their vehicles. As part of its findings, the FCA estimated that 12.1 million eligible agreements were affected (FCA estimate), with a total value of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) across all car brands and models. The average loss per consumer was approximately £829 (FCA estimate).
These arrangements often led to higher interest rates, larger balloon payments, or other hidden costs that consumers were not aware of at the time of signing their finance agreements.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for evidence of discretionary commissions paid to dealerships or any unusual terms that were not clearly explained at the time of purchase.
Relevant dates to consider are from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. If your agreement was arranged during this period, there is a higher likelihood of it being affected. check if your contract mentions "DCA" or "Discretionary
Commission Arrangement," which indicates that your finance deal might have been subject to these issues.
If you believe your Mercedes-Benz GLS financing agreement was mis-sold, the first step is to complain directly to your lender. Common lenders providing finance for the GLS include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
These companies are required by law to address complaints fairly and without charge. You can submit a complaint either online or via mail, requesting a full investigation into your case. Be sure to provide any relevant evidence that supports your claim, such as copies of your finance agreement and correspondence with the dealership.
you do not need a
claims management company to handle this process on your behalf. You can file a complaint directly and seek resolution without incurring additional costs or fees.
Sources and References
- FCA Estimate: 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026)
- FCA Estimate: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) total (FCA estimate)
- FCA Estimate: £829 average per eligible agreement
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.