7G+ Transmission change every 5 years... regardless of milage?

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It’s five years or 77,500 miles on my 7-speed GL63 AMG too. I guess it must vary for different models/years. Remember the old days with the 5-speed boxes MB stipulated ‘sealed for life’, I think it was quite a bit before 2007 as there was no service interval for the 5-speed 722.6 when it came out (mid-late 90s?) IIRC :)

Just about to pull the trigger on a 3-year service plan on mine, works out £499 a service all inc but next year’s B-service (service 8) requires spark plugs, brake fluid etc and service 10 likewise another ‘B’ will be brake fluid again plus an auto transmission service - first done at 5 years old. Plus the usual air filters (3 yearly I think) and the pano roof on the ‘A’ in between. Not sure on fuel filters on my model but anything service wise that isn’t wear/tear should be covered. I intend to keep it a while so despite the low mileage I think it’s worth keeping it serviced to schedule and it has another year’s warranty anyway.

I think the spark plugs and gearbox service alone would be a few hundred quid each so seems like decent value when you include the B,A,B services and the other jobs in between.

Running a car does unfortunately cost money even if you don’t do many miles. I have said before that I feel the road tax (VED or whatever) is a little unfair when it takes no account for the amount a vehicle is driven - but it’s our own choice of course. If you/your father are intending to keep the car a while you might as well get the gearbox serviced to schedule IMHO.
 
My father has had his car on the service plan since new, and he had to pay for his transmission service at 5 years old himself.

Similarly my 2009 W212 E350 is on a service plan and they would not do the transmission oil change - I had to pay for it myself. £366 inc VAT at MB Cardiff. Yes, includes torque converter flush. Yes, I know indies are cheaper!

So, worth checking that it's actually included!
 
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One point I'd add, following your comment, is do keep the wheels on your Dad's car turning.

Giving a reasonable drive every fortnight will keep it in fine fettle. Leave it longer than a month on a regular basis and it'll start producing niggles. From brakes to oily bits, from sticky windows to lazy air conditioning.

Some people get anxious about driving other people's cars but it really is for the good of the car.
 
Yes, I 'borrowed' it to head back to Cardiff for some work, gave it a spruce up and a clean, then drove it back. Enjoyed the extra torque and MPG over my earlier revision!

Now back safely on a car charger.
 
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My father has had his car on the service plan since new, and he had to pay for his transmission service at 5 years old himself.

Similarly my 2009 W212 E350 is on a service plan and they would not do the transmission oil change - I had to pay for it myself. £366 inc VAT at MB Cardiff. Yes, includes torque converter flush. Yes, I know indies are cheaper!

So, worth checking that it's actually included!
Was that a specific dealer service plan or an MB service plan ? I was certain that the service plan, from MB, included all and any service that needed to be done over the life of the plan.
 
I'm not quite sure what you mean - with regards to the 7G box car - I took out the service plan at the start of 2019 when I got the car (I'm the 3rd owner), and I actually signed the service plan in person at the Cardiff dealer. The previous owner(s) had the car on the service plan and the gearbox services were not included or noted on the service sheet. My car has full MBSH except for the 3rd or 4th service, which I assume the original owner did elsewhere, along with the gearbox service. There are no records of MB servicing the gearbox in the 125k miles before I owned it, despite being on the service plan since whenever it was created.

It was a huge palaver to find the correct service intervals for the car - I was new to MB and the dealers had no idea, I was told several different things. Long and boring story short, I was told that the gearbox service was included the MB Service Plan (so I thought it worked out at great value at £39 a month), however, they refused to do it and said it wasn't included, despite what the service rep said. This was on the 2009 E350 with 7G box.

So MB insisted that the gearbox service was not included in the service plan for my 7G box. I'll try to get some info off my dad with the 7G+ box, i.e. was he on the service plan back then in 2015, or not (maybe he was just paying for the services annually) - perhaps the service plan didn't exist back then. He's definitely on the service plan now though.
 
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My father has had his car on the service plan since new, and he had to pay for his transmission service at 5 years old himself.

Similarly my 2009 W212 E350 is on a service plan and they would not do the transmission oil change - I had to pay for it myself. £366 inc VAT at MB Cardiff. Yes, includes torque converter flush. Yes, I know indies are cheaper!

So, worth checking that it's actually included!


You might want to check the T&Cs of whatever plan you signed up to, as gearbox fluid and filters are specifically included in the one I am looking at.

Diesel / Petrol / Hybrid / Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
Items completed at every service:
• All service tasks as fully specified within the Electronic Service Sheet as published to the Retailers at the website www.servicemercedes.co.uk, and carried out according to the applicable Mercedes-Benz Cars technical publications;
• All safety, electronic and mechanical items checked as per manufacturer’s specification;
• Measurement of wear on all wear items such as brake pads, brake discs, wipers and recording of the percentage of wear, where required; and
• AdBlue level checked and topped up by maximum of 10 litres (any additional litres is to be paid for by the customer).
Items replaced at every service: • Engine oil
• Oil filter
• Sump plug washer
Items replaced every 2 years:
• Brake Fluid
• Key Fob Battery
Items checked and replaced subject to age and mileage (varies by model/engine):
• Combination filter
• Air filter
• Spark plugs
• Fuel filter
• Automatic transmission oil filter, gasket, seal and fluid.

 
I went through all of this at the time with my car - arguing, calling MB HQ etc. They wouldn't do it. I've forgotten some of the details unfortunately.

I'll double check with MB on my dad's service plan to see if his is covered.
 
There’s no argument to me - if the gearbox fluid is due, it is included. That’s what the T&Cs are for - it’s there in black and white :)

If you have proof of this, and they refused to do the work I would pursue it.
 
Ah, I just checked my old posts to jog my memory - they said that it would be included in the service cost, but eventually they told me that the service interval for this car is the 'once at 37,500 miles then never again' type. This was a bit of an 'anomaly' in the era of 7G boxes, but that's what my car's ESS says from factory and MB will not budge one inch from the ESS.

So that's why it wasn't included in my service plan.
 
Good news - my dad is saying that the 7G+ gearbox service WAS included by his Service Plan in 2015! :thumb:

Bad news - he didn't renew his service plan after November last year... :doh:

Despite all the diesel emission software nonsense, I'll be trying to figure out how to renew the plan for him...

I'll also be googling to make sure that his 7G+ gearbox is not also a 'once at 75000 miles or 5 year and never again' interval like my 7G...
 
Okay - so they weren’t saying it was due and you had to pay, just that it wasn’t due and you wanted it done anyway? I guess that’s fair enough, the idea of the plan is to follow MB’s servicing schedule.

I appreciate the differences in mileage etc but it’s ironic that this thread is about a scheduled ATF change that’s due and you’re considering not doing it, versus MB saying you’re ATF isn’t due and you opting to have it done anyway! :)
 
Good news - my dad is saying that the 7G+ gearbox service WAS included by his Service Plan in 2015! :thumb:

Bad news - he didn't renew his service plan after November last year... :doh:

Despite all the diesel emission software nonsense, I'll be trying to figure out how to renew the plan for him...

I'll also be googling to make sure that his 7G+ gearbox is not also a 'once at 75000 miles or 5 year and never again' interval like my 7G...

They’re doing 20% off the plans at the moment if you pay upfront :thumb:
 
Well the 'once at 37500 miles and never again' rule is generally considered to be nonsense - it doesn't even apply to 7G boxes on other MBs, just my car and a few others have that. Most 7G box intervals say every 37500/3 years. Plus I had no proof that mine was ever done - I just *assumed* that the original owner took it to an indie for that service :)
 
My father has had his car on the service plan since new, and he had to pay for his transmission service at 5 years old himself.

Similarly my 2009 W212 E350 is on a service plan and they would not do the transmission oil change - I had to pay for it myself. £366 inc VAT at MB Cardiff. Yes, includes torque converter flush. Yes, I know indies are cheaper!

So, worth checking that it's actually included!

Very odd... is this the garage own service plan, or the official MB Service Care Plan?

I have the latter, and at 5 years old MB Brooklands replaced the ATF, no questions asked.

I am pretty sure that the ATF is included with the official MB Service Care Plan... unless it's one if those boxes that were classified as 'sealed for life', or the 'once at.....', and the ATF change does not show on ESS?
 
That’s what I’m saying, my 7G is/was a ‘once at 37500 miles and never again’ so it doesn’t show up on the ESS and they don’t deem it necessary on the service plan!

The gearbox service being included was a large factor in me agreeing to the service plan in the first place, so this reminder that my car doesn’t need include the gearbox services in the plan is bringing up some very traumatic emotions for me!

Edit: I’m not sure what you mean by garage plan vs MB Plan. It’s the official service plan from MB, I didn’t know garages offer their own plans. I pay £39 a month for my E350 with 7G box. I plan to cancel it soon but as you can just get a backdated refund at any time, I think I’ll leave closer to service time. Gives me mobilo coverage in the meantime!
 
Isn’t the Mobilo cover just part of the normal service with MB - ie renewed for a year following each service? I don’t think it’s specific to the service plan (and whether you cancel it or not)

If your car has been serviced at MB within the last year it should be covered regardless AFAIK :thumb:
 
Ah, I just checked my old posts to jog my memory - they said that it would be included in the service cost, but eventually they told me that the service interval for this car is the 'once at 37,500 miles then never again' type. This was a bit of an 'anomaly' in the era of 7G boxes, but that's what my car's ESS says from factory and MB will not budge one inch from the ESS.

So that's why it wasn't included in my service plan.
That is correct , it is the same as both my cars , once at 37500k
 

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