1st Service due on Leased SLK 200 AMG Sport

[SLW79]

Hi Guys
Thanks for reading...
I have leased a SLK200 AMG Sport thorugh Mercedes Corporate and the 1st service is now due. Therefore my question is can i take the car to a less expensive Merc Approved garage?? The local Merc dealer at Tamworth quoted £225.00 all in. Seems steep for an oil change and a few checks. Not fussed about a clean & hoover as the car is already immaculate.
Any advice would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance
Steve

[anonymous-user]

If its financed by Merc its in the small print that a main dealer has to service it.

That pice is ok actually, you can offer to supply your own oil if you want to save a few £.

[GTIR]

Really?

I financed my car through Mercedes finance and it says no such thing. All it states is that "Must be serviced at a reputable garage using approved Mercedes parts" or some such.

I think all that dealer only servicing was stopped years ago.

Edited by GTIR on Wednesday 21st November 21:43

[anonymous-user]

My agreement signed in March of this year stipulates I have to use a Mercedes main dealer, they even wrote to me (the finance arm, not the dealer) when the car was approaching 1 year old to point this fact out.

ETA you can have the car serviced elsewhere and still retain warranty as long as it uses correct parts & is serviced to schedule, so guess the clause in the latest finance agreements is a way of combatting the loss of servicing they may have been experiencing.

[SLW79]

Thanks
I will double check the small print and then drop them an email and see how they respond. Will let you know how i get on
Steve

[GTIR]

I'm quite sure they can't stipulate where you get it serviced. This was all battled out in the European courts years ago.

Be interesting to see their exact wording as they may not technically be saying "You must use a Mercedes franchised dealership or you warranty will be void" or they are actually saying "You must use a Mercedes approved garage" which may meet any VAT registered garage using genuine Mercedes parts.

Saying all this. If I had a Merc under 3yo I'd take it to a Merc dealer. The only reason I don't is because my car has silly miles but it's early life was all Merc servicing.

[anonymous-user]

http://tinyurl.com/c8ybc2f

See page 6, step 4.

[Dog Star]

GTIR said:

I'm quite sure they can't stipulate where you get it serviced. This was all battled out in the European courts years ago.

That's for warranty purposes - for the finance on a leased car I think they are well within their rights to stipulate MB servicing only; it's their car after all, and in their position I'd insist on the same. That car has got to be punted out and sold on the forecourt at two or three years old and I don't think many potential buyers would be impressed with an indie servicing stamp - I certainly wouldn't be. It smacks of cheapskateness and cost cutting.

My "Agility" agreement makes this same condition, by the way. Taken out in July.

Incidentally - get a quote from an indie and get MB to match it - they always have for me when I had my SL (in the cases where the indie was cheaper, which wasn't a given).

And OP - £225 is pretty reasonable. My little runabout is a Citroen C1. Took in to Citroen in Leeds last week for it's 1 year service with 9300 on the clock. It's got a little 1 litre 3 cylinder 68bhp engine. Service (basically an oil change) £154. When I remarked on this the service bloke said that was actually discounted and it should have been £191. So the MB service looks pretty good to me.

[GTIR]

Ahh I see.

Like I said. If I had a Merc for three years I'd take it to MB anyway.