As far as the GCB goes, they’re pretty easy going, wheel scuffs, smaller scratches, stonechips etc are all pretty much ignored – mid-major accident damage, long deep scratches which have never been reported, those are the kinds of things that may cause issues. The XC60 I have going back in the next week or so once my (also White) tiguan arrives has a small dent and chip on one wheel-arch from some bright spark opening a door on it in a car park (my guess) but its smaller than a 10p piece in total and the chip itself is millimetres across. I also have a few stonechips on the bonnet and have already been told those are things which won’t be issues.
Regarding the ability for us to top up payments, I personally don’t think it’s a bad idea but it’d be expensive as hell for MB to sort – instead of having guaranteed payments direct from the Govt plus a lump sum in advance, they’d have to deal with 3-dozen individual payments, not to mention chasing up missed payments etc. I think it’s more hassle than its worth to MB especially as they’d have to choose to make things harder for themselves which is unlikely at best.
"Man is born in freedom, but he soon becomes a slave, in cages of convention, from the cradle, to the grave."