Thanks for the replies guys!
Well it was worth a shot!
Decided to buy privately after all kinds of issues both with MB and DWP. After reading so many underwhelming experiences on these boards we leaned to having more control of our situation. I may detail our experiences on here for others at a later date – I know I found the experiences of others informative.
Had no idea the car we bought was ex-MB until the dealership sorted the tax for us yesterday. Picked it up today. Nice to have wheels again. Glad I’m not waiting on an unspecified lead time. The anxiety disorder in me is terrified of returning to ownership after 10+ years of warranted PCP driving, but the car is for my wife and she basically can’t leave the house without one, so that’s that.
Thanks so much to all the lovely folks on here. I’m tempted to hang around every now and again just for the community vibes!