A Service: Dealer or Independent?

[custardcream]

My 2011 C220CDI is due its "A" service soon, and I'd appreciated some advice as to whether I should go with the dealership, or an independent.

The recommended Mercedes service is as follows:

Service A £221
Replace brake fluid £96
Replace air filter £76
Replace fuel filter £130

Which is quite a bit of money (£523) for an oil and brake fluid change, which I could quite competently do myself. Same goes for the filters.

Although the car has been serviced to the recommended dealership levels so far, I'm not sure whether it's still worth maintaining the full dealership service. As far as I can tell, the only benefits to this are the extra Mobilo warranty and possibly FMBSH if/when I sell the car. However I don't plan on selling the car in the next two years or so, and Mobilo just seems to be roadside assistance (which I already have).

So my question is at what point does it no longer make financial sense to keep going to the dealerships for servicing, just to get Mobilo and FMBSH? Do they really make much difference to the resale value of a 5+ year old car? Which I realise may not have a definitive answer

 

[st13phil]

So my question is at what point does it no longer make financial sense to keep going to the dealerships for servicing, just to get Mobilo and FMBSH?

I'd say probably from year 5 onwards. Anecdotally you may get some goodwill assistance from MB for an out of warranty claim up to the four year old mark (or a couple of months longer), so it can be worth keeping it in the main dealer network up to then.

Do they really make much difference to the resale value of a 5+ year old car?

Not if the services have been carried out by a recognised Mercedes Independent using genuine parts and the electronic service history kept up to date.

 

[herby thr cls]

[I'd say probably from year 5 onwards. Anecdotally you may get some goodwill assistance from MB for an out of warranty claim up to the four year old mark (or a couple of months longer), so it can be worth keeping it in the main dealer network up to then./QUOTE]

Agree

 

[Liquid silver]

That seems a lot of money to me. I have just had my 2013 R231 500SL A service total cost of £192.44 including oil and filter and a few accessories, all carried out by a franchised dealer.
.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Are you sure it's £523?

I've not long had a B service on mine and it wasn't that much more than your figure

I'd personally stump up (if they do it cheaper) for the A, then enter into a service plan and get B-A-B services cheaper if you're planning on keeping it

 

[custardcream]

Thanks for your thoughts.

It's definitely that much, see the attached screenshot if you don't believe me!

 

[markjay]

Had cr4p service from MB Dealer.

Had fantastic service from Independents who are also forum sponsors.

Even before considering the cost, it is a no-brainer for me.

I am not too fussed about the 30-years anti-perforation warranty or the Mobilo roadside assistance.

And since I tend to keep my cars for very many years, resale value (even assuming that it is being affected) is not a consideration for me either.

I simply wanted what was best for the car - and in my case, it was not MB dealer service.

 

[Peter T]

My 2011 C220CDI is due its "A" service soon, and I'd appreciated some advice as to whether I should go with the dealership, or an independent.

The recommended Mercedes service is as follows:

Service A £221
Replace brake fluid £96
Replace air filter £76
Replace fuel filter £130

Which is quite a bit of money (£523) for an oil and brake fluid change, which I could quite competently do myself. Same goes for the filters.

Although the car has been serviced to the recommended dealership levels so far, I'm not sure whether it's still worth maintaining the full dealership service. As far as I can tell, the only benefits to this are the extra Mobilo warranty and possibly FMBSH if/when I sell the car. However I don't plan on selling the car in the next two years or so, and Mobilo just seems to be roadside assistance (which I already have).

So my question is at what point does it no longer make financial sense to keep going to the dealerships for servicing, just to get Mobilo and FMBSH? Do they really make much difference to the resale value of a 5+ year old car? Which I realise may not have a definitive answer

But if it's due for an A service, why do you need all the extra stuff?

 

[Rory]

Service A £221
Replace brake fluid £96
Replace air filter £76
Replace fuel filter £130

The service price isn't toooo bad for a dealer, but those additional work costs are absolutely insane.

I've always been able to negotiate with my dealer - maybe you could do the same, but it's become increasingly difficult as they move to call centres for service booking and often don't have on-site service managers.

 

[geraldrobins]

But if it's due for an A service, why do you need all the extra stuff?

Because its 4 year old I believe or 48000 miles. not sure why its not a B but maybe an additional service was slipped in at one point to mileage in a period.

 

[tec]

The service price isn't toooo bad for a dealer, but those additional work costs are absolutely insane.

Get the service done at MB if you really want a stamped book.

The brake fluid and filters can be done at any garage for a fraction of the MB prices, or just do those jobs yourself.

 

[Peter T]

get the service done at mb if you really want a stamped book.

The brake fluid and filters can be done at any garage for a fraction of the mb prices, or just do those jobs yourself.

+1

 

[The _Don]

Thanks for your thoughts. It's definitely that much, see the attached screenshot if you don't believe me!

Supply your own oil it results in a significant saving -


http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/121329168146

 

[custardcream]

Cheers guys, I think I'll just get them to do the glorified oil change (aka "service") then do the rest myself. I'm almost certain that an "A" service at this stage is correct:

01/2012 A
01/2013 B
01/2014 A
01/2015 B
01/2016 A

 

[BIRMA]

Here is a brief rundown on my main dealer experience which is why the car will be looked after by an independent (PCS) from here on.

First of all because I bought the car from a Porsche main dealer and it came with their 1 year warranty. So as not to get bogged down I decided that the A service due on my SL63 should be with a main dealer so as there could be no questions/wriggle out factor if anything major was found.

First of all when I entered my local MB dealership I was a little surprised at the size of the staff there must of been 50 people working there.

I decided to wait for the car, about half an hour in I was presented with a video of the underside inspection of the car now according to the guy doing the inspection all four tyres had excessive wear on the very inner tread of the tyre. According to his report the inner section of the tyres were 'bold' not bald as one would assume. I was then advised of the option to have an extra £1200 added to my £475 'A' service for the tyres.
Now I'm a bit of a fanatic about my cars and carefully check these things myself every other time I take the car out and knew full well my tyres were OK 4-6mm of tread but I will get the tracking/geometry checked by a very good chap in Southampton so I declined the offer of new tyres but thanked him for pointing out the fact I should get it checked by someone else.

Then the wipers were discovered to be smearing the screen so another £60 was needed to which I said I'll give them a jolly good clean when I get home. So again I declined the offer.

Now I know we all have to make a profit to survive but if an unweary owner (thinking about it I don't suppose many owners of SL63's are that dim) you would have come away with a very big bill which in my opinion was to say the least questionable.

I know there is a whole point about a main dealer stamp in your book but I suppose a 2008 car worth say about £45K at the moment will probably not be worth a great deal less in a few years time whether it has or has not a main dealer stamped history.

 

[AMGeed]

Get the service done at MB if you really want a stamped book.

.

Most indies can do this too and the record is digitally recorded at the dealer.

 

[Rory]

Get the service done at MB if you really want a stamped book.

Experiences seem to vary but strictly the dealer shouldn't stamp the book unless all the called for work is done, and some people have reported this happening in practice.

 

[WG M-B]

Problem is....
I constantly do new purchase inspections on cars with so called full main dealer histories. These cars never have full histories, only stamps !
A vehicle owner can have a service at a main dealer, decline the extortionate cost of additional items, and still get his stamp.
Just use a good independent and stay away from the dealers.

 

[TheFoX]

My neighbour runs his own garage and services anything and everything, including a number of modern Mercs. I asked him if he'd do my B service for me.

When he returned the vehicle, he had a tale of woe. The car had just turned the 30,000 mile mark and, in his opinion, had not been serviced since the car was first registered 4 years ago.

That surprised me, as the first three years was with Mercedes Benz Corporate, and you'd think they would insist on the vehicle being serviced at the required schedules. In fact, the Service Report does demonstrate that it was submitted at the relevant intervals.

The answer was quite simple. Considering that the vehicle was a low miler, the dealer didn't feel the need to do any work, and only did the absolute bare minimum. After all, the vehicle was a lease vehicle, not owned by the registered keeper.

The car has now undergone a full B service, including new pads front and rear, and all the filters, of which the original air filter was clogged to buggery.

If I had taken this car the a main dealer, I would have imagined that the bill would have been horrendous. In fact, a conservative estimate was somewhere in the region of £1300 to £1500.

As for the car, it now runs like a dream. It was running fairly smoothly before the service, but after the service it was uber smoothly, which demonstrates that it desperately needed the service.

I don't trust main dealers. I have been stung twice now, and prefer a quality independent dealer who I know and can trust.

(I also asked a number of other neighbours if they would recommend my mechanic, and they all said he was trustworthy).

 

[The _Don]

The car has now undergone a full B service, including new pads front and rear, and all the filters, of which the original air filter was clogged to buggery. If I had taken this car the a main dealer, I would have imagined that the bill would have been horrendous. In fact, a conservative estimate was somewhere in the region of £1300 to £1500.

A three year service plan for my c63 is £1620 which equates to £540 per service inclusive of a courtesy car, one would have to be brain dead to spend £1300 -£1500 on a single service.

We have had instances on this forum where indies have quoted more than main dealers so it pays to be prudent and shop around.