A/B services alternately?

[Davo]

My W215 is pestering me for an 'A' service soon. I don't want to argue with it, as the 'A' service is much cheaper, but according to the service history, the last service, 13k miles and 16 months ago , was an 'A' too, and all the previous services have alternated A,B,A,B etc.

Did the garage (an MB specialist, not a main dealer) **** up when they reset my service indicator (is that possible?), or is ASSYST being clever and deciding which I need, based on how the car has been driven?

 

[steve333]

My W215 is pestering me for an 'A' service soon. I don't want to argue with it, as the 'A' service is much cheaper, but according to the service history, the last service, 13k miles and 16 months ago , was an 'A' too, and all the previous services have alternated A,B,A,B etc.

Did the garage (an MB specialist, not a main dealer) **** up when they reset my service indicator (is that possible?), or is ASSYST being clever and deciding which I need, based on how the car has been driven?

What is the service due in miles/time according to the service book(for example 12,000/annually whichever comes first)?

 

[Davo]

The service book tells me that ASSYST will calculate it for me, 'depending on my driving style'.

 

[steve333]

The service book tells me that ASSYST will calculate it for me, 'depending on my driving style'.

The service book should still indicate at what mileage/time servicing is due,sounds like it should be due a B service as the last was an A & others before alternated A then B.

 

[Davo]

Hmm, when I bought the car I saw an 'A' was due soon, of course I hadn't seen the service book then, and assumed that ASSYST was accurate.

If I'd known it was due a megabucks 'B' soon, I would've insisted this was done or reduced my offer. Can the ASSYST be 'knobbled' to show the wrong service is due?

 

[steve333]

Would have helped negociate the B service cost into your budget but it's hindsight now unfortunately,not sure if assyst can be changed to read a different service due but i'm sure one of the gurus on here will

 

[Davo]

So, does anyone know if there can ever be consecutive 'A' services, say where absolutely everything has been done in a 'B' with 2 and 3 yearly items thrown in, then the car is only lightly used for a couple of years with an 'A' service in the middle - could my ASSYST be right?

Or has a previous owner used a STAR machine to knobble the readout? Is that even possible?

 

[crockers]

My services have been. B. B. A. A. B. All depended on the way car is driven.

 

[Rory]

I think Mercedes, the car and the dealer make it up as they along. I do lowish mileage and was told if the car got to 2yrs between services (which it has done twice) then it would need a B service. However, since MercedesPlus were paying the bill, A's were deemed fine.

In reality, on my car there's little practical difference between A & B services anyway - they're both oil & filter changes with the B service adding pollen filter and key battery change. The checks are supposedly a little more detailed on the B service but they don't do things like remove the wheels anymore, which used to be the case on B's.

 

[Davo]

My services have been. B. B. A. A. B. All depended on the way car is driven.

Thanks, that's what I needed to know - It is possible for ASSYST to want 2 'A' services on the trot, so I can do what it says in confidence.

@ Rory, on my CL500 there's a big difference, in cost at least. As you say, when all's said and done there's nothing special, they're both a glorified oil & filter change with some extra checks thrown in.