Another service, another hefty repair estimate :(

[Rory]

Moved away from the franchise dealer network a couple of years ago after they quoted repairs at its last service that would render the car and economic write off. A trusty local indie assessed the car and did what was needed.

He just serviced the car again (only done a few K miles over the intervening two years) and has found the car needs some chunky work. I glanced at the estimate while I was there and thought it looked OK, but turns out I was looking at the labour cost - the parts prices were considerably more frightening!

I know the car is cracking on now, but is this how it is with older MBs - scary lists of work every time anyone looks at them?

 

[clk208]

What’s on the list this time?

 

[Rory]

A/C condenser (I'd mentioned a zizzing noise when the a/c is on) and exhaust back box. He also said all the mountings for the front under-tray are rusting.

Just to show how of touch I am, my glance at the estimate showed the condenser at £120 and the back box at £45. I thought "that's cheap for an MB back box".

Doesn't sound a lot of things, but the estimate totals £860.

 

[renault12ts]

You can do without the A/c and get the box fitted cheaply somewhere. The undertrays...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

A/C condenser (I'd mentioned a zizzing noise when the a/c is on) and exhaust back box. He also said all the mountings for the front under-tray are rusting.

Just to show how of touch I am, my glance at the estimate showed the condenser at £120 and the back box at £45. I thought "that's cheap for an MB back box".

Doesn't sound a lot of things, but the estimate totals £860.

My four year old Passat Alltrack needs the air con pump doing - £600 and that's from a friendly indie who I've used for years, main dealer quoted a grand!

 

[Rory]

You can do without the A/c and get the box fitted cheaply somewhere. The undertrays...

I don't fancy being stuck without a/c to be honest, although I've never thought it worked very well in this car (I've had it since it was a few months old).

I was hoping that using an indie would mean cheaper parts - the labour charges they've quoted seen reasonable as I know it's quite a bit of work to change the condenser. To be fair, I've not had good experience with aftermarket exhaust parts on jobs I've done myself.

 

[Rory]

My four year old Passat Alltrack needs the air con pump doing - £600 and that's from a friendly indie who I've used for years, main dealer quoted a grand!

Gulp! Missus has a Tiguan coming to 3yrs old - I think I might extend the warranty!

 

[Eddy77]

To be honest it seems about right. The only reason to use an indie is to get lower labour. The parts are the same wherever you go assuming you buy OEM. I’ve had a few bills like you describe on my CLK and I think it is par for the course. Mercedes are not cheap cars to run as they get older. Flip side is zero or minimal depreciation!

 

[Eddy77]

If it makes you feel any better my best mate lives in Germany and runs a 2003 Porsche 996. It needed a new exhaust and a couple of other bits......EUR 7,000!!!!

 

[zipdip]

Well with aircon always try to find a company that only does aircon,I have one near to where I live and a condenser on my W221 S320 was £240 plus fitting with regard the pumps they always try and rebuild the old one much cheaper,they do a mobile service but I do not think they get to Cheshire,I know they go to Suffolk and Norfolk.

 

[Rory]

Well with aircon always try to find a company that only does aircon,I have one near to where I live and a condenser on my W221 S320 was £240 plus fitting

Thanks - actually the condenser itself is 'only' £142 +VAT. Couple of hours to fit plus an aircon regas (I kinda hoped they might throw that in at least).

 

[Rory]

If it makes you feel any better my best mate lives in Germany and runs a 2003 Porsche 996. It needed a new exhaust and a couple of other bits......EUR 7,000!!!!

If that was me I'd be suicidal!​

 

[Eddy77]

If that was me I'd be suicidal!​

Me too, but he loves the car and he has the money to spend on it. It’s a C4S.....nice car....I’ve driven it quite a bit.....but I’d still shudder at a seven grand bill! Problem with all these cars (AMGs included)....expensive cars to buy originally....tempting value second hand, but remain expensive to run!

 

[clk320x]

If the compressor is so expensive just get a used one for around £40??

 

[grober]

With labour intensive jobs always get new parts--- manufacturer or OEM unless totally financially stretched its false economy otherwise. With the aircon its often cheaper to go to an aircon specialist as has been said- indeed your trusted indie may already going to subcontract that anyway- there are strict regulations/certification issues on refrigerant recovery meaning not all smaller workshops have invested in the necessary equipment and training to be allowed to do this - it simply doesn't make economic sense for them. Bear in mind also that people sometimes build necessary "sundries" into the labour costs-- hoses, couplings , refrigerant, not forgetting a new drier and this bumps up the "labour" a bit.

 

[BTB 500]

We get 40% off labour at a main dealer plus 15% off stocked parts (and £20 MOTs) - this is automatic there for cars 9 or more years old. It's always worth asking around as policies vary a lot - our nearest dealer doesn't give any discount at all.

Agree with the comment about aircon though - we used a mobile specialist to do the condenser in the Vito last year ... he recommended and fitted an OE replacement for a very good price. I thought the compressor was on the way out too but he said it would be fine with some lubricant in the system and it has been.

 

[Darrell]

Me too, but he loves the car and he has the money to spend on it. It’s a C4S.....nice car....I’ve driven it quite a bit.....but I’d still shudder at a seven grand bill! Problem with all these cars (AMGs included)....expensive cars to buy originally....tempting value second hand, but remain expensive to run!

I have a 2004 C4S (996).
Some of the parts are suicide expensive.

 

[Will]

I have a 2004 C4S (996).
Some of the parts are suicide expensive.

Mine’s an ‘03 C2, relatively low mileage (65K) and there’s always something expensive to do.

Currently stripped all the exhausts off, coil packs/plugs etc to replace - MBs are far nicer to work on, everything on this is a hassle and expensive. The basic (non PSE) silencers are over a grand each parts only. Then the brackets that they bolt to are around £250 a side. Add in some bolts/clamps etc and it’s a £3k parts bill before labour. The PSE system will be a lot more.

On the plus side, old 911s aren’t depreciating any more - so some of the running costs can be offset against mild appreciation in asset value

 

[Rory]

We get 40% off labour at a main dealer plus 15% off stocked parts (and £20 MOTs) - this is automatic there for cars 9 or more years old. It's always worth asking around as policies vary a lot - our nearest dealer doesn't give any discount at all.

Agree with the comment about aircon though - we used a mobile specialist to do the condenser in the Vito last year ... he recommended and fitted an OE replacement for a very good price. I thought the compressor was on the way out too but he said it would be fine with some lubricant in the system and it has been.

My local dealer has been pretty good on pricing over the years but after the last visit I won't be going there again - it's not so much the work they found, it was the way it was handled and the refusal of the Service Manager to speak to me (even after going through MB UK customer service) that was just plain weird.

The indie I use does do his own a/c work. I'd think there's anything wrong with his pricing for that part of the work - it's a bumper off job so not trivial.


It's more the overall cost of all the work and other stuff with an older car - I start doing the "man maths" and thinking for not much more I could lease a new one....especially when you think that, unlike 911's, my old C Class is still depreciating, albeit slowly.

 

[Darrell]

Mine’s an ‘03 C2, relatively low mileage (65K) and there’s always something expensive to do.

Currently stripped all the exhausts off, coil packs/plugs etc to replace - MBs are far nicer to work on, everything on this is a hassle and expensive. The basic (non PSE) silencers are over a grand each parts only. Then the brackets that they bolt to are around £250 a side. Add in some bolts/clamps etc and it’s a £3k parts bill before labour. The PSE system will be a lot more.

On the plus side, old 911s aren’t depreciating any more - so some of the running costs can be offset against mild appreciation in asset value

Mines got 46000 on it.