Mercedes Service
Author
Discussion

remabehnam

Original Poster:

1 posts

207 months

Monday 12th January 2009
quotequote all
I have just been quoted an extortionate price for a B service on a CLK by my local Merc garage.

Can anyone tell me what the advantages of using a Merc garage are (apart from free breakdown cover)

Also are there any garages that do merc services in Surrey/Sussex?

Thanks!

ShadownINja

79,412 posts

306 months

Monday 12th January 2009
quotequote all
www.prestigecarservice.co.uk

Used him before; would use him again if I bought another Merc.

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 12th January 15:49

liner33

10,861 posts

226 months

Monday 12th January 2009
quotequote all
remabehnam said:
I have just been quoted an extortionate price for a B service on a CLK by my local Merc garage.

Can anyone tell me what the advantages of using a Merc garage are (apart from free breakdown cover)

Also are there any garages that do merc services in Surrey/Sussex?

Thanks!
`

shop around the dealers and get anything else done by a guy like Olly at Prestige

r129sl

9,518 posts

227 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
quotequote all
I am quite a fan of my local dealer (Mercedes-Benz of Newcastle), having generally had a positive experience. These are my thoughts. However, before I start, I should make plain that it has taken a little time to get the relationship right and I now deal directly and only with a particular senior technician who has been working on these cars since I was in short trousers. I believe this is the key to success with the dealer: find the resident expert.

First, any warranty is preserved and goodwill maximised. I have had a fair bit of warranty and good will work and cannot grumble on that score. There is no doubt also that a full Mercedes-Benz service history, backed up with invoices, helps more than anything to retain value in your car.

Second, my experience of the dealer is that he is much more efficient than my local specialists. With the dealer, I drop the car off in the morning and it is ready in the afternoon; I am taxied to and from my office; or, if he need smore time, I am given a new courtesy car foc. With the specialist, I drop the car off on a Monday and it is ready some time in the distant futre, when he gets round to it, after he has ordered the parts, and in the meantime I have to look after myself for transport. Last time my (very expert and well-regarded) specialist had the car for five weeks and did not do all of the niggly little things I asked him. Sure, what he did he did well and cheaply but, frankly, I would rather have paid £1,500 not £500 and had everything done in 2days.

Third, you do not say what work is comprised in the 'B' service for which you have been quoted. There may be substantial additional maintenance work included for the particular interval your car is now at. For example: a CLK with a M112 or M113 engine will require spark plugs at some stage: there are two on each cylinder and they cost £10 each. On my V8 this is £160 just for starters.

Fourth, the dealer will generally give a discount of 10 to 20 per cent just for the asking, especially if you are a good customer or club member.

Finally, you cannot expect something for nothing. If you make plain that you want the work done well and thoroughly and are willing to pay for it, you will probably find the dealer extremely helpful. What they cannot stand are people who want all the bells and whistles without paying for it. And rightly so.

G Man

4,053 posts

284 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
I have used autoclass at Milton Keynes for my SL55AMG if thats a help

http://www.auto-class.co.uk/index.html

XB70

2,491 posts

220 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
ShadownINja said:
www.prestigecarservice.co.uk

Used him before; would use him again if I bought another Merc.

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 12th January 15:49
Ditto - don't even waste time with the dealers and go straight down to Olly (he serviced mine)

R170Merc

11 posts

207 months

Friday 16th January 2009
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Hi, according to my local MB dealer, they will price match any price that an indy quotes to service my car, also they are discounting parts on Mercs over 5 yrs old...speak to your local service manager, they want your business.

ShadownINja

79,412 posts

306 months

Saturday 17th January 2009
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Wow. They certainly do want your business. Snag is, will they try to fix something for £30 or replace the entire unit for £3000?

r129sl

9,518 posts

227 months

Saturday 17th January 2009
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I find they tend to fix it for free.

Mercedes007

2 posts

206 months

Thursday 5th February 2009
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I take my SLK320 to John Haynes in Goring-By-Sea, West Sussex 01903-500000. Always get excellent service, they even collect my SLK free of charge from Surrey as well.