3rd yr Service

[S30MSN]

Afternoon All,

I've got my car booked in for its 3rd yr service this Wednesday with Mercedes Benz of Colcehester (Chelmsford are closest, but I've had it in with Colchester before and they were really good).

I've asked for them to do/look at a number of things whilst they have it so I've made a tick-list as due to my OCD I want it all done, these include:

1). A0 Service (Merc referred to it as an A service, but the car says A0)
2). 3yr Transmission Service
3). Investigate occasional jerkiness with the gearbox between gears 1 & 2
4). Investigate annoying creak coming from around the central airvent in the Dash
5). Update Sat Nav to the latest version
6). First MOT

All the above will take a whole day (maybe longer) and I want to make sure everything I want/expect from Mercedes to be done on the car, so I have a couple of questions which include:

1). Service - I am going to explicitly mention that when changing the oil I want the car to be warmed up and the oil fully drained (including the oil cooler) so as much of the old oil is removed - as I've read a few instances on here where the oil coolers were not being drained and when owners checked their freshly serviced cars the oil on the dip stick is dirty/dark. Is there anything else I should request/highlight?

2 & 3 ). Transmission - I assume an ATF change is an ATF change, there isn't anything to look out for as the unit is sealed? Also I assume the fluid change will sort the occasional jerkiness or should I request a software update (or will this be done as part of the service)?

4). Creaking - This is a common issue which i've only noticed recently as I dont drive the car anywhere near as much as I'd like but as I know its there its tugging on my OCD so I want to get this sorted.

5). Sat Nav - I have looked through all the paperwork for the car and there's no record of this being done in the last 3yrs (so the assumption is that it has the version it had when it left the factory in Germany 3yrs ago). - Im assuming the changes with the latest version will be significant for me not to question whether it was done or not, but for my own peace of mind how do I check which version it currently has? and does anyone know the code for the latest it could/should have?

6). MOT - Weirdly looking forward to the test results as Im so **** about keeping the my cars in A1 condition and the last 3 cars I've owned (2 x BM's and 1 x Audi) were all sold before they were 3yrs old, but this one (first AMG) has got under my skin like no other so have kept it longer.

Apologies for all the questions but as mentioned I love to keep my cars in perfect condition and although I don't get to drive it as much as I want due to work and family taking priority (I've not even done 1500 miles in it yet since I purchased it nearly a year ago:fail) My OCD dictates that although I'm not driving it often it has to be in perfect working order and Wednesday's visit is costing nearly £900 so I'd like to be prepared.

Thanks in advance

 

[whitenemesis]

1) I think you'll find the majority of dealership suck the oil out, not drain it via the sump plug(s) as all the undertrays would need to come off. If you insist on draining and draining the cooler, expect it to cost and take significantly longer.

2&3) Don't assume anything, expect the jerkiness to require a software update. Do you want them to drain the torque convertor as well?

5) Again, don't assume. The differences may be very subtle, ask them to provide the before and after version codes. Again expect this could take 3-5hrs

 

[Alex]

Main dealer will love you.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Arm and a leg! Is it on a service plan?

Hope they can accommodate your requirements, subbed

 

[PhilT]

Mine passed 3 year old since owning from new 2 months ago & I kept the car.

1. Yes 3rd Service is A0, If you use the Mercedes service online find the best price anywhere in the country your dealer should match it, Mine was £700 and they have matched all the prices each year.
2. Its just a fluid change on the gearbox and any seals, filters etc
3. They wont fix it, they all do it, There is a gearbox softwear update that has only been out a few months which I had done on mine and only difference I noticed was quicker gear changes.
4. Yes some do it (mine doesn't luckily) but them pulling it all apart they will make it worse & may cause new creaks.
5. Yes there is a update & it takes hours to do & you will not notice any change what so ever (not sure what the updates included but they showed me the progress bar throughout the installation and it took ages then updated other things such as the voice command etc which took another 1 hour)
6. The only thing they advised on mine was the disks and pads were getting low and to come back in a few month for replacements (to be fair they have done very well over 3 years and how I drive the car)

If you plan on keeping the car I suggest you look into the extended warranty before the car is 3 year old for peace of mind. I paid £1300 with Mercedes for mine for one year & is the same warranty that was on the car for the first three years. If you take this warranty out with Mercedes even 1 day after its 3 years old it will cost you £2100 for one year.

 

[S30MSN]

Thanks Guys,

I will call them tomorrow and ask how the engine oil will be removed (sucked out or drained) and then go from there.

Never really thought about the oil for the torque converter - again will ask them tomorrow. Will also get them to give me the existing software codes for both the Transmission and Sat Nav and ask for the new ones once all the work is carried out. For the transmission its not a constant occurrence and actually quiet rare but just knowing it 'might' do it is enough for me to try and seek a fix so if future occurrences can be reduced then that would be great but the quicker gear-changes would be a real bonus - so will ask tomorrow.

I didn't think to ask them to price match other dealers, just used the online service tool and another dealer is almost £200 less so will see what they say.

Unfortunately I'm not on a service plan so this will be paid for in full on collection.

I have been thinking about the Warranty and although the intention was always to sell the car next Summer as I wanted to use the money to pay a chunk of the mortgage down, everytime I think about the car I just want to keep it, none of the previous cars I've owned, borrowed or driven have got under my skin like this one - I have a week to make up mind if I'm going to extend the warranty as its officially 3yrs old on the 16th Oct.

 

[Alex]

Given your mileage and that you are going to sell the car so soon, I'd say you worry over nothing (warm/cold oil change) and should not waste your money and leave the tranny alone. Doubt it even has the miles to justify an oil change.

 

[PhilT]

Thanks Guys,

I will call them tomorrow and ask how the engine oil will be removed (sucked out or drained) and then go from there.

Never really thought about the oil for the torque converter - again will ask them tomorrow. Will also get them to give me the existing software codes for both the Transmission and Sat Nav and ask for the new ones once all the work is carried out. For the transmission its not a constant occurrence and actually quiet rare but just knowing it 'might' do it is enough for me to try and seek a fix so if future occurrences can be reduced then that would be great but the quicker gear-changes would be a real bonus - so will ask tomorrow.

I didn't think to ask them to price match other dealers, just used the online service tool and another dealer is almost £200 less so will see what they say.

Unfortunately I'm not on a service plan so this will be paid for in full on collection.

I have been thinking about the Warranty and although the intention was always to sell the car next Summer as I wanted to use the money to pay a chunk of the mortgage down, everytime I think about the car I just want to keep it, none of the previous cars I've owned, borrowed or driven have got under my skin like this one - I have a week to make up mind if I'm going to extend the warranty as its officially 3yrs old on the 16th Oct.

There is no torque converter on our cars, That was the pre facelift C63 upto 2012 that used the old gearbox.

The same reason I kept mine, There is only two other cars I want being a black series and a 911 Turbo S and I cant afford either so kept the C63 as it still puts a smile on my face every day.

 

[Riverside Red]

Don't really understand how a third year service is as much as £900, I thought an A (A0) service was just an oil change.

I had my 4th year service on my R172 SLK 55AMG recently completed for a shade over £700 at a MB dealer but included the following:

1. Oil and filter change (always supply my own oil...lots to save on 9 litres of synthetic oil)
2. Spark plug change out, a pig of a job and 8 plugs of course.
3. Brake fluid changeout
4. MOT
5. Diff oil changed

Any idea how much the first year service was, as the third should be around about the same....

RR

 

[Riverside Red]

Just checked with Opie Oils, Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 is £24.95 for 6 litres, i.e. a shade over £4 a litre, whereas your friendly MB Dealer will remove over £11 per litre from your wallet for the same stuff........

RR

 

[st13phil]

Main dealer will love you.

It's one thing asking questions, or asking for specific work to be carried out, but telling the dealer that they must warm up the engine fully before they do the oil change is likely to get a response you won't like...