Mercedes service costs.
Discussion
I've just had my Mercedes A180D back from it's "C" service and was hit with a bill of almost £600!!
The service included an oil change,new brake fluid,new front brake pads,new oil, fuel and ventilation filters and various standard checks to suspension components etc.
I've had servicing done at Audi,BMW,Renault and VW over the years but none have come close to the costs involved here!
If you're on the lookout for a good small car, just bear in mind the servicing costs at Mercedes before taking the plunge!
The service included an oil change,new brake fluid,new front brake pads,new oil, fuel and ventilation filters and various standard checks to suspension components etc.
I've had servicing done at Audi,BMW,Renault and VW over the years but none have come close to the costs involved here!
If you're on the lookout for a good small car, just bear in mind the servicing costs at Mercedes before taking the plunge!
The local dealer offered be 'fixed price servicing' on my 2005 (55) E320 for about £340, but then added a gear box oil change (£160), brake fluid (about £67), and filters. The £340 was soon £600+.
In the end I just had them do the gearbox oil and had my local garage do the rest with Merc parts. They tested the brake fluid and it was far from needing to be replaced and I had a bill for £200.
In the end I just had them do the gearbox oil and had my local garage do the rest with Merc parts. They tested the brake fluid and it was far from needing to be replaced and I had a bill for £200.
I don't think that is expensive for the extensive work you had done. You hardly had a mere oil service. Did you have a courtesy car? Lift to and from the office?
What would you charge, parts and labour, to--
(1) drain and refill my engine oil (with a premium oil);
(2) change my engine oil filter (with a Merc filter);
(3) remove and replace my brake pads (with Merc pads);
(4) drain, flush, refill and bleed my brake fluid (using Merc brake fluid);
(5) remove and replace the fuel filter (with a Merc filter good for another 60k miles);
(6) remove and replace my cabin filter (ditto);
(7) inspect my car and put your name to it, bearing liability in the event that something you missed failed and caused me injury;
(8) wash and vac the car;
(9) provide me with tea and coffee and a peper to read;
(10) lend me a Mercedes for the day or run me to and from my office.
Of course, I would prefer it if you did all of this from very swanky premises equipped with all the latest gear.
What would you charge, parts and labour, to--
(1) drain and refill my engine oil (with a premium oil);
(2) change my engine oil filter (with a Merc filter);
(3) remove and replace my brake pads (with Merc pads);
(4) drain, flush, refill and bleed my brake fluid (using Merc brake fluid);
(5) remove and replace the fuel filter (with a Merc filter good for another 60k miles);
(6) remove and replace my cabin filter (ditto);
(7) inspect my car and put your name to it, bearing liability in the event that something you missed failed and caused me injury;
(8) wash and vac the car;
(9) provide me with tea and coffee and a peper to read;
(10) lend me a Mercedes for the day or run me to and from my office.
Of course, I would prefer it if you did all of this from very swanky premises equipped with all the latest gear.
r129sl said:
I don't think that is expensive for the extensive work you had done. You hardly had a mere oil service. Did you have a courtesy car? Lift to and from the office?
What would you charge, parts and labour, to--
(1) drain and refill my engine oil (with a premium oil);
(2) change my engine oil filter (with a Merc filter);
(3) remove and replace my brake pads (with Merc pads);
(4) drain, flush, refill and bleed my brake fluid (using Merc brake fluid);
(5) remove and replace the fuel filter (with a Merc filter good for another 60k miles);
(6) remove and replace my cabin filter (ditto);
(7) inspect my car and put your name to it, bearing liability in the event that something you missed failed and caused me injury;
(8) wash and vac the car;
(9) provide me with tea and coffee and a peper to read;
(10) lend me a Mercedes for the day or run me to and from my office.
Of course, I would prefer it if you did all of this from very swanky premises equipped with all the latest gear.
I think it unlikely you would ever be able to make any sort of claim under your point 7.What would you charge, parts and labour, to--
(1) drain and refill my engine oil (with a premium oil);
(2) change my engine oil filter (with a Merc filter);
(3) remove and replace my brake pads (with Merc pads);
(4) drain, flush, refill and bleed my brake fluid (using Merc brake fluid);
(5) remove and replace the fuel filter (with a Merc filter good for another 60k miles);
(6) remove and replace my cabin filter (ditto);
(7) inspect my car and put your name to it, bearing liability in the event that something you missed failed and caused me injury;
(8) wash and vac the car;
(9) provide me with tea and coffee and a peper to read;
(10) lend me a Mercedes for the day or run me to and from my office.
Of course, I would prefer it if you did all of this from very swanky premises equipped with all the latest gear.
Also bear in mind Merc do not make pads ,filters or oil and equally good parts can be had elswhere ( although Merc would of course not approve them )
I currently run a Merc and BMW and have had Jaguar/ Volvo and Audi. Merc are on a close par with BMW for cost i.e very expensive.
There seem to be more good quality BMW Indy's about than Merc, so I use an Indy for the BMW , get a basic ol change done by Merc to keep the book stamped and change pads ( 1 hour max ) filters ( 15 mins) and even discs ( 1.5 hours front or rear) myself. And that is with basic tools and no fancy ramp.
Interesting. My 3 series BM is about to go and I need a replacement. My short list is a C class, A4, another 320 or maybe a Passat.
Reading this thread I think I'll forget the Merc. In 78000 miles my 320d has cost less than £700 in servicing, in total, not counting tyres.
A pity because the C class was looking really good to me.
Reading this thread I think I'll forget the Merc. In 78000 miles my 320d has cost less than £700 in servicing, in total, not counting tyres.
A pity because the C class was looking really good to me.
I love my CLK however last service (B) with oil change was £420.
The main problem I have is tyres, I am lucky if I manage to get about 8000 miles out of a set of tyres, they scrub really bad on the outside on the fronts. even across the back but at £600+ a set, not sure I would go for a new merc. again.
The main problem I have is tyres, I am lucky if I manage to get about 8000 miles out of a set of tyres, they scrub really bad on the outside on the fronts. even across the back but at £600+ a set, not sure I would go for a new merc. again.
I use an independent for my servicing.
I don't do it myself because it is seen as so important to have a service history at resale time. I do however do all other work on the car such as brakes etc. so save there and know it is done right.
The last oil change service on my SLK32 was £90.
What really put me off was when the dealer wanted £180 to change the coolant. I had an E46 six cylinder and BMW wanted £60 so why do merc want 3x that amount for the same number of cylinders. Again I would do it myself but where do I get rid of the used coolant. I can dispose of oil at the tip but not coolant.
I don't do it myself because it is seen as so important to have a service history at resale time. I do however do all other work on the car such as brakes etc. so save there and know it is done right.
The last oil change service on my SLK32 was £90.
What really put me off was when the dealer wanted £180 to change the coolant. I had an E46 six cylinder and BMW wanted £60 so why do merc want 3x that amount for the same number of cylinders. Again I would do it myself but where do I get rid of the used coolant. I can dispose of oil at the tip but not coolant.
jmn said:
Can anyone recommend a Merc Specialist in South West England. My SLK32 is due for a service in December...
How about the sticky at the top of this sub forumhttp://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
clk55pete said:
I'm not surpised. I posted on another forum the costs of running my CLK55 AMG from new in July 2003 until now. Its just done 73800 miles and cost me £23157 excluding insurance and tax. 
But it's been great fun to drive
Pete, I was considering getting this car a couple of months ago, I drove one, great fun and a brilliant engine, the the prices for a 2004 car with reasonable miles are not too high at all considering the looks (I think the clk w209 shape is one of the nicest looking mercedes I have seen) and performance.But it's been great fun to drive
Reading this though (and other similar accounts) I have to say I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger and instead got a lesser clk sport performance wise, but a much newer car, with as good (if not better) a specification.
3860 a year just in servicing would have been way out of my comfort zone.
I would have driven the car much less than you did (I believe you tracked it too?) as it would have been a second car, but still...
BTW- to the original poster I don't think around 600 from a mercedes garage is too unreasonable for the amount of work being carried out. Okay, it's probably more than you would pay for another make of car of similar size/performance but still it's nothing outrageous.
Chad_Hugo said:
clk55pete said:
I'm not surpised. I posted on another forum the costs of running my CLK55 AMG from new in July 2003 until now. Its just done 73800 miles and cost me £23157 excluding insurance and tax.
But it's been great fun to drive
Pete, I was considering getting this car a couple of months ago, I drove one, great fun and a brilliant engine, the the prices for a 2004 car with reasonable miles are not too high at all considering the looks (I think the clk w209 shape is one of the nicest looking mercedes I have seen) and performance.But it's been great fun to drive
Reading this though (and other similar accounts) I have to say I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger and instead got a lesser clk sport performance wise, but a much newer car, with as good (if not better) a specification.
3860 a year just in servicing would have been way out of my comfort zone.
I would have driven the car much less than you did (I believe you tracked it too?) as it would have been a second car, but still...
BTW- to the original poster I don't think around 600 from a mercedes garage is too unreasonable for the amount of work being carried out. Okay, it's probably more than you would pay for another make of car of similar size/performance but still it's nothing outrageous.
Glad to be of help - the costs did include some little
changes that probably added up in total to about £5K. But hey - one life and all that. 
Ok, finally a topic which I can begin my rant....
I was handed down the task of selling my girlfriend's fathers' Mercedes Benz S500 LWB 1999 T registration. The car had done 100K miles and I had the pleasure of using this car while choosing which car to buy for myself (it eventually swayed me to the MB fold and I purchased an SL 55 AMG).
While I was driving to the MOT station to sell the car with a full years MOT the Service A light illuminated. Again with MB fixed priced servicing I thought I would pay for this service out of my own good will for the paltry sum of £150. I dropped the car off at main dealer X and I was frankly amazed at the opulence and extravagance of the whole outfit. There was a receptionist whose sole job was to inform me where the parts/service/sales department were located. The fact that there were 10 foot wide signage for each department indicating their location made her job somewhat irrelevant.
There were three people on the service desk. I couldn't understand why you need three people. When I visit a VW dealership close by you find one employee at each desk.
I could have also potentially enjoyed the plethora of newspapers and leather chairs to relax in while the car was being serviced (though I couldn't take advantage of these because I had to go to work!).
Then about lunchtime the same day I got the dreaded phone call from MB, " Hello Mr Gouki, we have had your S500 in for the day and we have found a few things that need doing..."
Bottom line is that it didn't need a 'Service A', but needed a 'Service B'. In short total bill could have been £2400. I requested them just to perform the Service A as I would be selling the car for the paltry sum of £4000. I asked Mercedes whether customers with cars only worth £4000 would spend £2400 on a service and they said customers sometimes would.
I also asked them to take photos of the rust under the arches and submit a potential Mercedes Benz warranty claim. I received a phone call 6 months after I sold the car explaining that they had lost the photos!
Also I have just had the tandem pump replaced on the SL55, prices were as follows, bear in mind the part is £740.
MB = £1700
Auto Class = £1100
I was handed down the task of selling my girlfriend's fathers' Mercedes Benz S500 LWB 1999 T registration. The car had done 100K miles and I had the pleasure of using this car while choosing which car to buy for myself (it eventually swayed me to the MB fold and I purchased an SL 55 AMG).
While I was driving to the MOT station to sell the car with a full years MOT the Service A light illuminated. Again with MB fixed priced servicing I thought I would pay for this service out of my own good will for the paltry sum of £150. I dropped the car off at main dealer X and I was frankly amazed at the opulence and extravagance of the whole outfit. There was a receptionist whose sole job was to inform me where the parts/service/sales department were located. The fact that there were 10 foot wide signage for each department indicating their location made her job somewhat irrelevant.
There were three people on the service desk. I couldn't understand why you need three people. When I visit a VW dealership close by you find one employee at each desk.
I could have also potentially enjoyed the plethora of newspapers and leather chairs to relax in while the car was being serviced (though I couldn't take advantage of these because I had to go to work!).
Then about lunchtime the same day I got the dreaded phone call from MB, " Hello Mr Gouki, we have had your S500 in for the day and we have found a few things that need doing..."
Bottom line is that it didn't need a 'Service A', but needed a 'Service B'. In short total bill could have been £2400. I requested them just to perform the Service A as I would be selling the car for the paltry sum of £4000. I asked Mercedes whether customers with cars only worth £4000 would spend £2400 on a service and they said customers sometimes would.
I also asked them to take photos of the rust under the arches and submit a potential Mercedes Benz warranty claim. I received a phone call 6 months after I sold the car explaining that they had lost the photos!
Also I have just had the tandem pump replaced on the SL55, prices were as follows, bear in mind the part is £740.
MB = £1700
Auto Class = £1100
Edited by Gouki on Tuesday 27th October 11:19
Edited by Gouki on Tuesday 27th October 11:21
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