Where can I find a good Indy for an SL55?

[CliveM]

I need a B service on a 2002 SL55 I've just bought.
MB have quoted me £1600 as there are several time related items to renew.
Although the car has a FMBSH so far, I'm more inclined to go for a specialist.
I'd like the work to be done properly and the horror stories of MB dealership work have put me off using a MB dealer. I'd also want to see the parts that have been replaced and have a mechanic talk me through any other work he feels should be done and why.

I live in London but travel to Market Harborough/Kettering/Corby area fairly regularly. Am guessing getting it done near there will be cheaper than London and the savings will outweigh the hassle.

Any recommendations of indys nearby? If a specialist is particularly good I'd be happy to travel further afield.

[Gouki]

You could try Auto Class in milton keynes. I've used them before for my SL55 and can highly recommend them.

www.auto-class.co.uk/

Best bet is to drop the car off and get a lift into town to pass the time. You could also provide your own oil (uses 8.5 litres) from Costco to keep costs down. If your car is over 7 years old then usually MB offer a discounted labour rate.

[Dog Star]

I'd probably stick with MB - I've found that they'll price match an Indie and in a couple of cases have given a cheaper initial quote - always worth checking as I imagine most people will steam in and simply assume the indie is cheaper.

[CliveM]

Although it'd be nice to keep the FMBSH, I don't think I'd trust a dealer mechanic to give me an appraisal of what other work could be done, or to do a decent job in the first place. I'm looking to save money on the £1600 I've been quoted but not looking for the cheapest quote. Given the car is new to me I'd like the best job done so that I can relax and enjoy the car more.

I'm sure the mechanics themselves are fine, but I'd assume that they are unlikely to be as expert in this car as a specialist. I also get the impression (not from any personal experience I'll admit) that Mercedes dealers care more about fleecing the gullible than providing a quality of service commensurate with their prices.

[Dog Star]

CliveM said:

Although it'd be nice to keep the FMBSH, I don't think I'd trust a dealer mechanic to give me an appraisal of what other work could be done, or to do a decent job in the first place. I'm looking to save money on the £1600 I've been quoted but not looking for the cheapest quote. Given the car is new to me I'd like the best job done so that I can relax and enjoy the car more.

I'm sure the mechanics themselves are fine, but I'd assume that they are unlikely to be as expert in this car as a specialist. I also get the impression (not from any personal experience I'll admit) that Mercedes dealers care more about fleecing the gullible than providing a quality of service commensurate with their prices.

Which is exactly the opposite impression that I've gained. I try to keep my mind and eyes open when dealing with any tradesmen, but your statement that a dealer mechanic won't do "a decent job" doesn't really make sense - why not (especially since it appears that just about every single indie is an "ex-MB factory trained technician")? Also - your indie bloke is going to trouser a direct proportion of what he makes as opposed to the salaried mechanic; which one is therefore more likely to upsell you stuff? I always try to speak directly to the guy that works on my car and get an honest assessment from him. The staff on the front desk don't get a look in.

The other thing that is a direct result of my experience with my SL - electrical items. I've had a couple of expensive black boxes fail. When these are diagnosed I'm always dubious that they've got it wrong. However my MB dealer will pull a unit from stores or order one in to test that it fixes the fault. If it doesn't then I don't pay for it. I can't imagine there are many indies that are going to stock spare ECUs, SAMs and the like just for testing. So they replace it and the fault isn;t fixed (how often do you read a variation on this tale?) - electronic parts cannot be returned (well not that I've seen). Who pays for it?

[chris333]

I think it really very much depends on the exact MB dealership and the exact Indie. I have been distinctly unimpressed by the dealer close by me when they failed miserably on the tricky challenge of ordering me a replacement warning triangle!

On the other hand, all the work I have had done on my R129 SL500 has been by Ollie at Prestige Car Service at Horndean near Portsmouth:

http://www.prestigecarservice.co.uk/

I can highly recommend him for doing an excellent job and giving a very honest view of what work does or doesn't need doing (apart from trying to persuade me I really needed an AMG engine transplant...). Also, Its worth the drive down from London just for the trip through the Hindhead tunnel!

Its a good point about the electronic boxes though. That may be the time to visit a dealership, if you can find one with good recommendations.

[Dog Star]

chris333 said:

Its a good point about the electronic boxes though. That may be the time to visit a dealership, if you can find one with good recommendations.

That said I'd use an indie for stuff that is a definite, defined job - for example a wheel bearing, driveshaft, PAS etc.

[CliveM]

Dogstar - good point re electics. I hadn't really thought of that.

There's nothing wrong with my car, it just needs a full service. I've only had a few dealings with dealerships and they've all been awful. Perhaps just bad luck. As you say, there are good and bad examples in both camps. I've just not got the energy to fight for better service or worry at every turn about being ripped off. I'd rather invest a bit of time and effort in choosing the right place to go to [... or just ask on PH ... ...]

I think I look at things slightly differently to you though.
A dealership to me is just a business. I assume (incorrectly for some I'm sure) that the chances of a mechanic there being allowed to tell me I don't really need my brake discs (for example) replacing for another 6 months is pretty much zero. Somewhere along the line that will be translated into a "recommendation" to change them immediately. Short term profit taking, driven by a sales culture inherited from selling new cars and dealing with warranty claims.

An indy has the same motivations but there are two key differences:
1 - they can specialise just in servicing rather than having half of their business being a sales forum for new cars
2 - it's possible that there is a long term view of profits being taken (without interference from a brand HQ) - where honesty and a good job is rewarded by customer loyalty. Crucially - forums like PH make this feedback loop stronger.

It's noticeable that the places being recommended are not main dealers. It's not always the case - in fact I recall reading great reviews of some main dealerships for other marques. Not Mercedes though?