1,875 mile differential oil change for C63 no longer needed?

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BJC

Active Member
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
84
Location
Oxfordshire
Car
C63 Saloon
Hello,

As per the title, today I called the dealership to get the 1,875-mile differential oil change booked in for my C63. Talking to the dealership, they explained it is no longer required until either 3-years or 30,000 miles. I'm no mechanic, but I have a sticker on my windscreen stating I should get the differential oil changed.

Is this new information now correct and tie in with other recent owners experiences? I'm not sure on the costs of doing the oil change, but I'm tempted to get it done regardless. What are other members thoughts? Would the car benefit from it?

Thanks, Ben
 
There have been threads on here saying a policy change. You can exercise your right to change it.
 
I called dealer and insisted! I too had the sticker on window so wasn’t going to take no for answer! Try another dealer If you can but if not go back to original.
 
Seems a bit odd to me that main dealers refuse work unless they are playing the long game and hope more diffs die!

I'd ignore their policy and run with the original schedule.
 
Hello,

As per the title, today I called the dealership to get the 1,875-mile differential oil change booked in for my C63. Talking to the dealership, they explained it is no longer required until either 3-years or 30,000 miles. I'm no mechanic, but I have a sticker on my windscreen stating I should get the differential oil changed.

Is this new information now correct and tie in with other recent owners experiences? I'm not sure on the costs of doing the oil change, but I'm tempted to get it done regardless. What are other members thoughts? Would the car benefit from it?

Thanks, Ben


Checked your handbook ?
 
My 2019 C63 had a sticker and had the diff oil changed at the end of May, not a squeak from the dealer when booking it in.

Handbook suggests it should if I recall correctly but the sticker/dealer inconsistency confuses the situation.

If you contact Mercedes customer services, [email protected]-benz.com, they should be able to tell what their system says about the car rather than what the dealer is telling you.

Disappointing that we can't see detail of this type of service requirement via the Mercedes Me portal or the command system, all a bit vague.
 
Seems a bit odd to me that main dealers refuse work unless they are playing the long game and hope more diffs die!

I'd ignore their policy and run with the original schedule.
I think the issue is that dealers are concerned that they might not get paid.

What is not clear is whether MB did indeed change their policy, or perhaps some dealers are simply uniformed.
 
A bit like the 'sealed for life ' gearboxes MB touted fairly recently...but filter and gasket kits were available from MB..:rolleyes: and everyone with any sense who actually owned a car with said gearbox got it serviced.

If you own the car change the diff oil. If you don't own it leave it. I know post is more about the confusion caused by the sticker and the info you are getting from MB than the actual cost of the job. But I for one would err on the side of caution and go with the sticker recommendation, even if I had to pay for it myself.
 
When I had my E63s it was bought as an ex demo and nobody could confirm either that the oil change had been done or, indeed, if it was necessary.

I did it myself in the end as my local dealer wanted to charge for doing it (a lot) and the dealership where I bought the car was over 200 miles away. It cost 20 minutes of my time and <£50 in materials but I then knew that it was sorted.

Any decent indie will sort it for you for a few quid, worth it for the peace of mind it gives you.
 
Apologies, I should have searched the forum first.

I ended up contacting Mercedes directly, and after they double-checked, they emailed me a couple of days later confirming it's no longer required.

Mercedes have obviously weighed up the pros and cons on whether the oil change is required or not, and while they know what they're doing and any level of risk, I'm still contemplating getting the oil change done. Had the window sticker and manual not stated the oil change, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, so I see them as responsible for confusing me. :confused:

Decisions, decisions...
 
Apologies, I should have searched the forum first.

I ended up contacting Mercedes directly, and after they double-checked, they emailed me a couple of days later confirming it's no longer required.

Mercedes have obviously weighed up the pros and cons on whether the oil change is required or not, and while they know what they're doing and any level of risk, I'm still contemplating getting the oil change done. Had the window sticker and manual not stated the oil change, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, so I see them as responsible for confusing me. :confused:

Decisions, decisions...
I would get it done. The next buyer might research this whole thing and fine the same thing as you did and start this whole conversation over again, and possibly not buy the car because it 'missed' its first diff service.
 
So, in a non amg car, when would you expect to change the diff oil?
 
Apologies, I should have searched the forum first.

I ended up contacting Mercedes directly, and after they double-checked, they emailed me a couple of days later confirming it's no longer required.

Mercedes have obviously weighed up the pros and cons on whether the oil change is required or not, and while they know what they're doing and any level of risk, I'm still contemplating getting the oil change done. Had the window sticker and manual not stated the oil change, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, so I see them as responsible for confusing me. :confused:

Decisions, decisions...

My relatively recent experience of Nissan and CVT fluid suggested they changed things to reduce the running costs of the car.

Not something that is in the best interests of the car or the owner!
 
Apologies, I should have searched the forum first.

I ended up contacting Mercedes directly, and after they double-checked, they emailed me a couple of days later confirming it's no longer required.

Mercedes have obviously weighed up the pros and cons on whether the oil change is required or not, and while they know what they're doing and any level of risk, I'm still contemplating getting the oil change done. Had the window sticker and manual not stated the oil change, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, so I see them as responsible for confusing me. :confused:

Decisions, decisions...

That's interesting, I only had mine done ~2 weeks ago. I also had an email directly from MB saying it needed to be done, I called up MB just to confirm as there are a number of threads suggesting it didn't need doing, they confirmed that it did need doing and I didn't have to pay for it. When I got to the dealer that was a different story, although I've generally found my local dealer experience extremely poor. After pushing the local dealer and showing them emails etc they finally did the work. Not only did I have major issues trying to buy a car from them (bought elsewhere in the end) the service department seems to have the same chip on their shoulders.

If you have the sticker in the windscreen telling you it needs to be done I would be calling MBUK again and advising them of this.
 
That's interesting, I only had mine done ~2 weeks ago. I also had an email directly from MB saying it needed to be done, I called up MB just to confirm as there are a number of threads suggesting it didn't need doing, they confirmed that it did need doing and I didn't have to pay for it. When I got to the dealer that was a different story, although I've generally found my local dealer experience extremely poor. After pushing the local dealer and showing them emails etc they finally did the work. Not only did I have major issues trying to buy a car from them (bought elsewhere in the end) the service department seems to have the same chip on their shoulders.

If you have the sticker in the windscreen telling you it needs to be done I would be calling MBUK again and advising them of this.

Interesting, thanks for the info. I'll double-check as none of this is adding up, it looks as though there is a lot of confusion and miscommunication going on somewhere.
 
I've got a facelift C63 estate bought in May 19 and just called up the dealer in July to have the diff done - they asked no questions and just did it FOC. I used the words complimentary when talking to them to ensure I didn't get charged. I also took out the monthly maintenance package so if they did come back saying it's chargeable I would have argued I've paid for 4 years servicing through the plan. I didn't have any sticker in the car saying it needed it and my onboard maintenance schedule has always said 12,000 miles or 1 year until service however in my instruction manual there was one part which said the diff needed doing after 3,000km so I had something to go back to them with if they argued.

As others have said I would rather it was done in a car like this so ultimately would probably have paid to have it done if ness.
 
I think the only way, that this early / running in, Diff oil change will not be required, is if MB is not using a running in type of oil in the diff, as the factory fill anymore.

When the oil was being changed without argument, and as par for the course, surely it would have been because of the type of factory fill oil in the diff.

So most likely MB are now not using a running type of diff oil, and their communication of this to the dealer network, has inefficient to say the least.

Just a thought of course !
 
That’s an interesting point you make about running in oil. I would say it’s essential to change that oil early at 1,875 - 2,000.Despite what MB say I think the cars without running in oil should still have the change but it’s more important with a C63 with Limited Slip and loads of power. The diff is pushing the weight of the car all the time and there are no oil filters, I’m not even sure if there is a magnetic drain plug.
 

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