Are service plans worth it?

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flowrider

MB Enthusiast
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Aug 25, 2011
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United Kingdom
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SL500 (R230) / Audi S5
A couple of years ago I was talked into taking out a service plan on my ML. The convincing argument was that the service i had just had would cost me £900. I took out a 3 service 24month plan costing £1296. I am now wondering if it has been money well spent as I have had just two small and one large service, according to the service printouts. The small services appear to be just oil changes which cant be that expensive even on an ML.

What do you think? Have I had value for money?

David
 
No they are not and they have also increased the prices I have not taken one out this time as it is £37 a month for my E350
Over 2 years that's £888 if I pay for an A service and a B service each time it is £259 and £399 total £658 saving me £230 now if that's no a rip off paying monthly I don't know what is Mercedes have gone wrong some where
 
I have to vote for service plans. The other half and I have both just bought our first mercedes and it gives peace of mind on the budgeting.

Pen has an E350 Cabriolet which we got on a new car price plan which worked out at £25 per month (I think), the bill she has just had for her service was about 50% more than she has paid.

I have an S500 and pay £45 per month. As it's not a new car plan the benefits are not so obvious, but the comfort factor works for me.
 
The convincing argument was that the service i had just had would cost me £900. I took out a 3 service 24month plan costing £1296. I am now wondering if it has been money well spent as I have had just two small and one large service,

Can't quite follow that - was the £900 service included?
 
Not forgetting that I assume MB don't pay retail labour rates...

Oh the days of Service Plus...
 
The other thing to consider is the FMBSH .. Not sure who on the forum highlighted it ( sorry!!) but service by MB and repairs by an independant seems best.
 
When I bought my SL I was offered a service contract, £40/month for 3 years, which I declined, more by luck than judgement!

Turns out I was lucky. The last service done by the previous owner had been the big one, £1500 big! The service schedule I will have for the next 3 years will be A, B, A, nothing like £1440 worth.

So, it's important to check your service schedule before making any decisions.
 
Don't forget its not just the cost of the A and B services that are included. It also includes various filters that are in addition to the basic service cost at various intervals and brake fluid change every 2 years and maybe atm oil change.
Having said that I didn't think it was worth taking a plan out. It may be on a new car where the costs are less, possibly because the first few sevices have no additional items required.
My local dealer gave me a sheet detailing the A and B service costs, and costs and intervals of various filter changes etc. If you can obtain one of these it will help anyone decide.
Of course the service plan will help spread and define your finances.

Ive had a B service and brake fluid change at £350 and have been quoted £235 for an upcoming A service. A 2 year service plan would have cost me about £730. I didn't have the coutesy car option as I have a dealer quite close. If I had use of a courtesy car then not much in it. Don't think I need the ATM changed yet either. Also consider if you might want to change your car before the service term ends and you buy another make.
 
Don't forget its not just the cost of the A and B services that are included. It also includes various filters that are in addition to the basic service cost at various intervals and brake fluid change every 2 years and maybe atm oil change.
Having said that I didn't think it was worth taking a plan out. It may be on a new car where the costs are less, possibly because the first few sevices have no additional items required.
My local dealer gave me a sheet detailing the A and B service costs, and costs and intervals of various filter changes etc. If you can obtain one of these it will help anyone decide.
Of course the service plan will help spread and define your finances.

Ive had a B service and brake fluid change at £350 and have been quoted £235 for an upcoming A service. A 2 year service plan would have cost me about £730. I didn't have the coutesy car option as I have a dealer quite close. If I had use of a courtesy car then not much in it. Don't think I need the ATM changed yet either. Also consider if you might want to change your car before the service term ends and you buy another make.

Totally agree with the points you make.

People don't think about the so called "additional items" when looking at the MB low cost fixed price servicing. Cost of atf fluid/filter, coolant refresh, brake fluid, adblue (if fitted) and various filters really rack up.
Service plans do stack up but my only argument would be that you can haggle service bills. That's the way to save a few quid.
 
People don't think about the so called "additional items" when looking at the MB low cost fixed price servicing.

First time "low cost" has ever appeared in a sentence with MB and servicing. :D

From my last foray with the dealer network I would say MB is using the MyService scheme to make ServiceCare look attractive by jacking up the price of PAYG servicing.

For example, going for the courtesy car option in MyService adds £50 to the cost, when my dealer has never in the past charged me for a courtsey car (my own insurance covers it).

The additional work all comes in at bonkers prices - previously the dealer had agreed a "package" price, but this time was anxious to keep it all separate.
 
First time "low cost" has ever appeared in a sentence with MB and servicing. :D

From my last foray with the dealer network I would say MB is using the MyService scheme to make ServiceCare look attractive by jacking up the price of PAYG servicing.

For example, going for the courtesy car option in MyService adds £50 to the cost, when my dealer has never in the past charged me for a courtsey car (my own insurance covers it).

The additional work all comes in at bonkers prices - previously the dealer had agreed a "package" price, but this time was anxious to keep it all separate.

The term "Low Cost fixed price servicing" is used frequently by the salesmen. It's one of their favourites!

I never book online. The dealership told me not to as they can't apply individual discounts like the free loan car. I've been a customer for years and am always left feeling that they look after me.
 
I think I have come out about even to be honest when taking into account the extras needed for specific services. interestingly I have a recently installed a dashcam in my ML, it was fasinating to see and sometimes hear the mechanic doing my last service.

David
 
I have a service plan and think their worth the money , Excpecially when there going to be biggies !!! Brake fluid change etc , all including !!!! I'll be having another on my next ml !!!
 
Whether or not it's worth it depends on a lot of factors. You just have to do all the sums for yourself because there is no one answer of 'yes' or 'no'. In my case with a new 6-pot car and a 4-year service plan I calculated a saving of £269 with the service plan, PLUS any savings resulting from service price increases over the 4 years of the plan. I consider my £27/month money well spent. Older cars are likely to benefit less, if at all, because of higher monthly payments and savings that are easier to negotiate at the dealer or independent.
 
Whether or not it's worth it depends on a lot of factors. You just have to do all the sums for yourself because there is no one answer of 'yes' or 'no'.

What are the expected costs of A & B services to compare? In my case, I'll keep the car three years ~13k a year, so two A's and a B I assume.

Cheers

Steve
 
This is something I'm also looking. I've just ordered a new E350 estate 9G and have been quoted £30 per month. I only do 8000 a year and will be changing it after 3 years. They quoted me £320 for an A and over £400 for a B. £57 for AdBlue refill. £320 for an oil and filter change and check round seem a little steep and the only extra on a B is the brake fluid change. Adblue I can do myself unless I need a special tool.
 
I don't think it's worth it for three years from new because that's two As and one B. I plan on keeping my car much longer than that and took out a four year plan that includes the second B service with its associated expensive additionals including ATF and spark plug changes (over £300 worth). Over the four years (at £27/month) I will have saved a total of £269 on the prices at the time I took out the Plan - probably more by the time inevitable inflation is factored in. Also I don't have to worry about having to fork out the big money when the services are due because I'm spreading the costs.

I'll review the position after 4 years and decide whether to take it up again, try to negotiate better service charges with the dealer or find an indie. The car will have already taken a massive depreciation hit by then so I won't be too concerned with possible sell-on value because of non-dealer servicing (but will have to factor in the "free" Mobilo breakdown cover with dealer servicing).
 
If you plan to have main dealer servicing then the plans make sense. They base their monthly price on the costs of everything that the car will need and discount it.
The adblue tank by the way has to be emptied and refilled with fresh additive after two years as constantly refilling can leave crystals of the chemical in the tank which can lead to blockages in the delivery line. You'll still need a top up (possibly a litre or so) as it may not last until the next service. You can save a bit of money by doing it yourself but to my mind it isn't worth any potential problems with warranty if they don't supply it.
I should elaborate..... I just had a downstream adblue sensor fail, Diagnosed and replaced all under warranty. Might there have been discussion about the quality of any adblue I put in? I don't know. I just let them do everything and never need worry. All I do is enjoy my car!!! Happy motoring :thumb:
 

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