Being charged to wait whilst your car is serviced?

[Sheepshanks]

Fox- said:

Just what it is about the Mercedes product that makes it so expensive to service?

I think they just make up the numbers sometimes.

Since 2007 the schedule has been 15500 miles or 12 months - mine is older so is on variable servicing and I do low mileage, so it will run to max variable period which is 2yrs.

What's really common on the MB forums is for a new member to appear having bought a 3yr old Merc and it gets to 4yrs which is the "big" service where everything serviceable needs changing. They're a bit shocked to be told the cost will be nudging a grand. Suddenly ServiceCare looks very attractive.

ATF change on the new boxes is time consuming and costs around £300. The latest diesel fuel filters are around £100. The V6 engines have 2 quite expensive air filters. The V6 petrol's have 12 plugs and changing those (every 4yrs) is awkward (so expensive).

I don't know if BMW does this, but Mercedes dealers charge insane prices for oil - some of the cars need 8.5L and they'll charge £150 for that alone. It's very common to supply your own oil for MB servicing - I'd never heard of doing that before I got one, but my dealer suggested it themselves!

The thing that makes it bearable for me is only having it every 2yrs and the Mobilo Assist package getting renewed with every service - that would cost quite a lot if I had to buy similar cover. I use my car for work sometimes and Mobilo includes like-for-like replacement car.


At least with ServiceCare, if it needs doing then it gets done. Our VW service package didn't even include the brake fluid change. Apparently it's not a scheduled service item - even though the book says change at 3yrs and then every 2. Any why do VWs need their first major service at 4yrs old, then need one every 2yrs?

Also, while our VW dealer doesn't charge for waiting appointment, they'll only book one per day - so the lead-time is as long as having a courtesy car.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 26th April 13:18

[Fox-]

Tango13 said:

I really don't see the problem, paying £20 or so to wait for the car to be serviced? Luxury

The only offer it for quick, simple and easy tasks though like a basic oil change or a brake fluid change or an MOT.

They don't offer while you wait major services. I'd always seen while you wait as a convenience for the dealer not for me. For me the most convenient way of having anything done on my car is to call in the night before at 5ish, drop it off, pick up a loan car and call back the next day at 5pm and swap back over again. Therefore it's the dealer that benefits from while you wait, not me - they don't need to loan a car out for 24 hours, whereas I need to sit around for 90 minutes (Which is frankly boring really). I see it as the cheaper option for the dealer - took the Mini in a few weeks ago for a brake fluid change, they offered while you wait which seemed fair enough because the car is under TLC so they'll be paid well under 50 quid for it, so I can see why they wouldn't want me in a loaner all day.

It had not even crossed my mind that this might be considered a 'luxury' let alone chargeable until this thread!

[Driver101]

Not that I agree with the charge, I'd guess it is to help pay for the lost time.

With the rapid services they have to either be ready for you, or stop what they are doing, then start on another car.

Stopping and starting work ends up wasting time.

Leaving a car for a day allows them to do one car at a time as it suits their time.

My dealer is at the other end of the city, so in busy times it can take me about an hour to get there. The same to come back again if it's the wrong time of the day.

Sometimes standing about waiting for the car is the quickest option. BMW don't charge for rapid services though.

Edited by Driver101 on Sunday 26th April 13:06

[vikingaero]

Fox- said:

Tango13 said:

I really don't see the problem, paying £20 or so to wait for the car to be serviced? Luxury

The only offer it for quick, simple and easy tasks though like a basic oil change or a brake fluid change or an MOT.

They don't offer while you wait major services. I'd always seen while you wait as a convenience for the dealer not for me. For me the most convenient way of having anything done on my car is to call in the night before at 5ish, drop it off, pick up a loan car and call back the next day at 5pm and swap back over again. Therefore it's the dealer that benefits from while you wait, not me - they don't need to loan a car out for 24 hours, whereas I need to sit around for 90 minutes (Which is frankly boring really). I see it as the cheaper option for the dealer - took the Mini in a few weeks ago for a brake fluid change, they offered while you wait which seemed fair enough because the car is under TLC so they'll be paid well under 50 quid for it, so I can see why they wouldn't want me in a loaner all day.

It had not even crossed my mind that this might be considered a 'luxury' let alone chargeable until this thread!

Kwik-Fit, Halfords, ATS, National, Formula One, STS etc etc all offer while you wait servicing and repairs... and they don't just serve the luxury end of the market.

[Fox-]

Driver101 said:

Not that I agree with the charge, I'd guess it is to help pay for the lost time.

With the rapid services they have to either be ready for you, or stop what they are doing, then start on another car.

Typically though what they'll do is have a rapid service bay and a tech who does that - so no stopping other jobs, as he's focused on rapid service jobs with them all pre-scheduled. Then the only cost is no-shows, but the cost of those is absorbed into the overall cost base anyway and reflected in the hourly rate.