Servicing low mileage car

Servicing low mileage car

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Limpet

6,292 posts

160 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Not sure if you are being deliberately disingenuous.

An element of the ingredients might be mineral oil, but the finished product will be refined and processed to a set of controlled standards and contain no contaminants. Once the container is opened and the contents poured inside an engine, those controls disappear, and the oil is subjected to moisture, temperature changes, contamination, and combustion byproducts.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
rockin said:
DuraAce said:
rockin said:
RobM77 said:
Many things age with time, such as engine oil, gearbox oil...…..
Any evidence to back that up?
Any evidence to say it doesn't?!
Just the small matter the oil was in the ground for millions of years before it got anywhere near your car.
Firstly, the oil in the ground is crude oil; the stuff you put in your car is either highly refined, or entirely synthetic. The oil in your engine picks up contaminants during use, which compromise its effectiveness (why it's honey coloured at first and then goes black over time) and the heat in your engine causes it to chemically break down over time, losing its lubrication properties. Crude sits at about 40 degrees C in the earth, maybe 60-70, but temperatures inside an engine far exceed that, especially around the combustion chambers.

https://www.mobil1.co.uk/learning-centre/car-care/...

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/thermal-breakdown.h...

Sheepshanks

32,519 posts

118 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
I'm not aware of a local specialist other than a local Bosch approved service centre (who I have used many moons ago). Not sure how comparable their service would be to an approved MB one.
There's a list at the top of the Mercedes sub forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... or post up your location.

Having said that, there's nothing unusual about Mercs so any gargage could service it.

At 4yrs I think it'll need the plugs changing and it's considered a good idea to do that otherwise they can seize in place. Probably the air and pollen filter, and brake fluid too.

I would imagine a dealer service will be pretty expensive - you can look it up at https://www.mymercedesservice.co.uk/#/your-vehicle and it should pull the required work from the Electronic Service Sheet: http://lite.servicemercedes.co.uk/ess/pc/ but it sometimes misses stuff out of the mileage isn't what it expects vs age.

Pica-Pica

13,617 posts

83 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Surely a car this young is on a condition-based service. So do what it says. But at 3000 miles a year;
a) do you need it? Would taxis do?
b) i would only change the oil every two years, along with brake fluid and micro filter, to keep services at the same time.

RicksAlfas

13,354 posts

243 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
Surely a car this young is on a condition-based service. So do what it says. But at 3000 miles a year;
a) do you need it? Would taxis do?
b) i would only change the oil every two years, along with brake fluid and micro filter, to keep services at the same time.
The condition based servicing on a Mercedes will tell him 12 months as he's done low mileage. He's already says it needs the B5 service. So he can't do what it says, and do "b" as well. biggrin

Sheepshanks

32,519 posts

118 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
Surely a car this young is on a condition-based service. So do what it says. But at 3000 miles a year;
a) do you need it? Would taxis do?
b) i would only change the oil every two years, along with brake fluid and micro filter, to keep services at the same time.
Merc's have been on fixed interval servicing since 2007 - 15,500 miles or 1 year. It's something that often shocks people who lease them, if they've had an Audi or BMW before.

Mine is a 2005 model so is on variable servicing and I mainly use it for a long trip or two per month - I work from home and have another car for local use. Mine will run to the max two years between services, having done about 14K miles. Max theoretical mileage is 19500.

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
There's a list at the top of the Mercedes sub forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... or post up your location.

Having said that, there's nothing unusual about Mercs so any gargage could service it.

At 4yrs I think it'll need the plugs changing and it's considered a good idea to do that otherwise they can seize in place. Probably the air and pollen filter, and brake fluid too.

I would imagine a dealer service will be pretty expensive - you can look it up at https://www.mymercedesservice.co.uk/#/your-vehicle and it should pull the required work from the Electronic Service Sheet: http://lite.servicemercedes.co.uk/ess/pc/ but it sometimes misses stuff out of the mileage isn't what it expects vs age.
Thanks, one of those on the list isn't far from me. I'll have a proper look. I'd see that Mercedes Service link - it'd be good if it didn't just say, sorry every time you try to use it and tell me to phone my dealer for the quote!

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
Surely a car this young is on a condition-based service. So do what it says. But at 3000 miles a year;
a) do you need it? Would taxis do?
b) i would only change the oil every two years, along with brake fluid and micro filter, to keep services at the same time.
Yes, I need it. All over the place with kids at weekend and whilst it's no Ferrari, it's nice to have a blast in.

As others have said, it's time based and car has already told me it's due in 30 days (B5). I didn't care about any of this when the servicing was free!

Trevor555

4,404 posts

83 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Servicing isn't just about changing the oil.

Having someone look carefully at your tyres once in a while could save your life.

The amount of cuts/damage I've seen on the inner sidewalls where the driver can't see is disturbing.

If you're not going to put it in at least once a year I'd recommend to at least get one of the "free winter checks" somewhere.

Sheepshanks

32,519 posts

118 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
I'd see that Mercedes Service link - it'd be good if it didn't just say, sorry every time you try to use it and tell me to phone my dealer for the quote!
That's strange - have you got a private reg, or did the car have one before? It just works straight off for my older car.

Pica-Pica

13,617 posts

83 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
Pica-Pica said:
Surely a car this young is on a condition-based service. So do what it says. But at 3000 miles a year;
a) do you need it? Would taxis do?
b) i would only change the oil every two years, along with brake fluid and micro filter, to keep services at the same time.
Yes, I need it. All over the place with kids at weekend and whilst it's no Ferrari, it's nice to have a blast in.

As others have said, it's time based and car has already told me it's due in 30 days (B5). I didn't care about any of this when the servicing was free!
You may also want a pre-MOT check. As others imply, your tyres may deteriorate before they wear down to legal limit.

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
If for whatever reason I wasn't servicing it myself, I'd take it to one of those National Tyres places and get a cheap oil change every year for peace of mind, probably when it gets MOTd

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
That's strange - have you got a private reg, or did the car have one before? It just works straight off for my older car.
I do have a private reg although the system recognises my car correctly just won't provide a quote!

Ardennes92

606 posts

79 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
Not sure if it has synthetic installed (so should last “for life”) but dot brake fluid is hygroscopic, so absorbs about 3% water at atmospheric pressure if being used or not, hard use can make the problem worse, so i am of the opinion standard stuff it still needs changing after time rather than mileage

Sheepshanks

32,519 posts

118 months

Friday 7th February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
I do have a private reg although the system recognises my car correctly just won't provide a quote!
Find a similar age / model - I found one but it was June 2016 and it only brought up a basic B service at just over £300, but it wasn;t catching the stuff which should come up at 4yrs - unless they've changed the schedule it should be due brake fluid, spark plugs and air filter, about another £300 at MB dealer prices.

If you're keeping it, have a look at ServiceCare, especially if it's an auto as that will cover the ATF change.

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 21st February 2020
quotequote all
I thought worth an update on this now I have the prices.

MB wanted £820 for the service eek Stick the MOT on that and there won't be much change out of £900. I asked if they would match an independent they said no. After I got up off the floor, I said I'd let them know.

Independent using OEM parts has quoted £500 + MOT so heading down that route.


Sheepshanks

32,519 posts

118 months

Friday 21st February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
I thought worth an update on this now I have the prices.

MB wanted £820 for the service eek Stick the MOT on that and there won't be much change out of £900. I asked if they would match an independent they said no. After I got up off the floor, I said I'd let them know.

Independent using OEM parts has quoted £500 + MOT so heading down that route.
Is there an ATF change in there? If not, both those amounts seem pretty chunky.

SeeFive

8,280 posts

232 months

Friday 21st February 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
I thought worth an update on this now I have the prices.

MB wanted £820 for the service eek Stick the MOT on that and there won't be much change out of £900. I asked if they would match an independent they said no. After I got up off the floor, I said I'd let them know.

Independent using OEM parts has quoted £500 + MOT so heading down that route.
This is where the missus’s SLC goes here at the south coast. Last “A” service, added windscreen wipers which were supplied and fitted cheaper than I can buy the blades at retail.

Not a chrome and glass place at all, but then again I only want to pay for the service not their prestige.

http://smercs.co.uk/servicing/

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 21st February 2020
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Is there an ATF change in there? If not, both those amounts seem pretty chunky.
I don't think so but it does include spark plugs (MB said they take a long time to replace - don't shoot the messenger). Using MB's quote as a benchmark, I think the £500 sounds reasonable.

ro250

Original Poster:

2,734 posts

56 months

Friday 21st February 2020
quotequote all
SeeFive said:
This is where the missus’s SLC goes here at the south coast. Last “A” service, added windscreen wipers which were supplied and fitted cheaper than I can buy the blades at retail.

Not a chrome and glass place at all, but then again I only want to pay for the service not their prestige.

http://smercs.co.uk/servicing/
Cheers, I'm in Essex so that's a bit far unfortunately.