75000 Miles - Service B - How Much??

[Baron_Samedi]

Right,

Wheezy has just set off for a Service B at approx 75000 miles....

The service price is £299.99 plus £49.99 for an aircon service.

Am I being naive in thinking I will pay £349.98 when I get it back?

If I am being a bit naive, estimate (as a Monday morning game) how much the final bill will be.....

I think that if I pay less than £550 it will be a win

 

[Matt45]

I'll raise you to £950.

 

[R2D2]

I wouldn't let MB touch your car for a 75,000 mile service. They will charge you a fortune and not do useful things like change the gearbox oil. Find a specialist independent in your area and get your car properly looked after. One of the last times I went near a MB main dealer they left my radiator fan unplugged which caused the car to over heat just as I arrived home. My garage was flooded with green coolant

 

[Baron_Samedi]

£950!!

Taking your point R2D2, I am letting them have the car this time as I have only recently bought it and I want "an official take" on its condition.

Henceforth, I shall be looking closely at specialist maintainers with a view to creating a relationship for service, maintainance and certain upgrades I intend to make.

Ta!

 

[verytalldave]

I'll raise you to £950.

You have obviously been there and worn the tee shirt.

I must, with some degree of reluctance, agree with this estimate.

If its less, then consider yourself fortunate.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Double !!!

What the heck can they do to the car in such a short time that will uplift the service charge so far?

 

[verytalldave]

Double !!!

What the heck can they do to the car in such a short time that will uplift the service charge so far?

There are many "little" things that can go wrong over a period of time.

For example, its very (VERY) common on the C Class for the gearbox sensor socket to leak. There is no cure - it has to be replaced.
I would say IF that needs doing then you can add at least £400 on the bill for starters.
I stick by the figure of £950 - but I hope I am wrong.
And what if they find a leaking seal on the aircon?
Another can of worms.
I dont mean to frighten you or make it seem all doom and gloom. Just be aware that Mercedes DO cost more to service than a Vauxhall or Ford.
In my humble opinion its always best to expect the worst, and then you are not too shocked. If its less, then you can go out for a slap-up meal for free.


.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Okay,

The answer is in.

After only three hours, MB called and told me the damage will be.....

£536!!

So, service and aircon = £350

But another £180 or so for fuel filter and change of brake fluid - am I right to have the bent over feeling or is it that the fuel filter and brake fluid are a bit on the pricy side?

Could have been wayyy worse

 

[BaldGuy]

As its a dealer... its 536 quids worth of peace of mind..... Now use Ollie at PCS for a top job always....

 

[crockers]

Who did you use ? I find MB in Swindon to be pretty good....

They charged me £96 for a fuel filter and £60 for brake fluid change

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Crockers,

I used MB Bath... or more truthfully Peasedown St John....

A chappy collected my car at 10am ish and dropped it back just before 4pm.

Found nothing wrong with the car so far and your kind comments about the filter and brake fluid stack up with my costs.

They addressed the flickering parking brake light (took slack out of cables)and re-aligned my headlights.

Given the nature of what we buy into when owning a prestige car I would award them 9/10 - not 10 because they didn't get someone to quote me for the scuff on my bumper that they said they would.

 

[verytalldave]

One of the few instances I am glad to be proved wrong.

BTW...........has the auto fluid ever been drained and refilled in the cars life?

 

[richard]

my SL55 went in for a 5 years old, 18k miles A service last week. I supplied oil.

Cost me £1250 in the end :-(

MB now (for a while) require all outstanding work needs to be done for the service book stamp. Car needed (correctly) the following

A service
MOT
Brake fluid change - should have been done a year ago at 4
Air filters
Fuel filter
Spark plugs 60k or 4 years (and changing them surprisingly has made the car idle perfectly)
Supercharger belt (4 years)

Eeek

R

 

[Baron_Samedi]

One of the few instances I am glad to be proved wrong.

BTW...........has the auto fluid ever been drained and refilled in the cars life?

No.

The reason being that the car has a manual box

 

[Matt45]

I think you did well for that amount of money. Hope she runs well and you enjoy knowing she's all fine. As a guide, my brake fluid change was £200 on its own which is a lot when you find out that my SL changes it's own fluid automatically - they just hook it up and the brake computer pumps it through with clean fluid - simples!

My last service was an A service at approx £350 but I had fluid changed, new back brakes and disks, new polen filter and a couple of clips that had broken. Result £1150. But then I only do about 8000 a year so only have a service about every 15-18 months.

 

[richard]

I think you did well for that amount of money. Hope she runs well and you enjoy knowing she's all fine.

Actually, she is running brilliantly - I guess spark plugs and air filters do make a difference even on a car thats only done 18k miles

Greenoaks now have a nice discounted servicing plan - fixed price servicing, and a discount based on age which seems to have nicely dropped the service pricing.

R

 

[Adam230K]

Who did you use ? I find MB in Swindon to be pretty good....

They charged me £96 for a fuel filter and £60 for brake fluid change

i'd rethink what you're saying here! £96 for a fuel filter, which costs £15 from the dealer and 5 mins to fit is ALOT! i might be wrong though, 5 mins to fit on my W202, but i cant imagine it being much different on your 203.

 

[BaldGuy]

This may be in the tank Adam... like my 500...

 

[crockers]

i'd rethink what you're saying here! £96 for a fuel filter, which costs £15 from the dealer and 5 mins to fit is ALOT! i might be wrong though, 5 mins to fit on my W202, but i cant imagine it being much different on your 203.

This may be in the tank Adam... like my 500...

I have no idea where the fuel filter is or how to change it......perhaps someone else can answer that......

 

[Adam230K]

Mine is right infront of the tank on its way back to the engine, so i'm probably talking from an incorrect perspective.