B-service

[Bobby Dazzler]

B - Service
Oil and Filter change
Labour - £427.80
Parts - £47.74
Oil - £128.95 (7.5L)
Total - £604.49

Made a few calls yesterday to get some prices for a B-service on Mrs D's ML270 CDi, and as usual quite a dramtic spread of prices. Generally service costs seem to have gone up (not surprising as VAT is 2.5% more than 1 year ago, and 5% more than 2 years ago.

All prices below are for a B-service with NO additional items. Air filter is due but that was changed at last service.

Most expensive - pre "fixed price" (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £517.99
B-Service: £517.99
Supply own oil: £417.72
(Reduced by £100 - the actual cost of the oil as shown in the breakdown)

My former usual (franchised MB main dealer from same group as cheapest): £320
B-Service: £379.99
Supply own oil: £320
(Reduced by £60 - a random figure, less than the cost of the oil!!)

Local MB Retail - post "fixed price" (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £269.99
B-Service: £369.99
Supply own oil: £269.72
(Reduced by £100 - the actual cost of the oil as shown in the breakdown on the pre "fixed price" tarrif)

My usual (franchised MB main dealer): £240
B-Service: £379.99
Supply own oil: £240
(Reduced by cost of oil and then a discount on top)

Remarkably MB Retail are now cheaper than some franchised MB dealers around here since they introduced "fixed pricing"!! They're old pricing is eye watering though - they quoted me on both in case it was cheaper without oil.

My usual dealer is cheapest again at £240, plus the Mobil1 I got from Costco for next to nothing (2x £5+VAT which was 17.5% at the time) when they cleared the old style 4 litre cans last year, so £251.75 in total.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Made a few calls yesterday to get some prices for a B-service on Mrs D's ML270 CDi, and as usual quite a dramtic spread of prices. Generally service costs seem to have gone up (not surprising as VAT is 2.5% more than 1 year ago, and 5% more than 2 years ago.

All prices below are for a B-service with NO additional items. Air filter is due but that was changed at last service.

Most expensive - pre "fixed price" (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £517.99
B-Service: £517.99
Supply own oil: £417.72
(Reduced by £100 - the actual cost of the oil as shown in the breakdown)

My former usual (franchised MB main dealer from same group as cheapest): £320
B-Service: £379.99
Supply own oil: £320
(Reduced by £60 - a random figure, less than the cost of the oil!!)

Local MB Retail - post "fixed price" (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £269.99
B-Service: £369.99
Supply own oil: £269.72
(Reduced by £100 - the actual cost of the oil as shown in the breakdown on the pre "fixed price" tarrif)

My usual (franchised MB main dealer): £240
B-Service: £379.99
Supply own oil: £240
(Reduced by cost of oil and then a discount on top)

Remarkably MB Retail are now cheaper than some franchised MB dealers around here since they introduced "fixed pricing"!! They're old pricing is eye watering though - they quoted me on both in case it was cheaper without oil.

My usual dealer is cheapest again at £240, plus the Mobil1 I got from Costco for next to nothing (2x £5+VAT which was 17.5% at the time) when they cleared the old style 4 litre cans last year, so £251.75 in total.

We had the car serviced at MB Derby yesterday - I emailed them Friday afternoon, and they could fit me in the very next morning, and were the cheapest to the tune of £30.

It came to a grand total of £209 plus the oil, so about £220 all inclusive. No additional items this time. It's further afield for us but it was an opportunity to go exploring Derby (not been shopping there for 18 years), and the saving paid for fuel and a nice breakfast.

Service was fine. Lady I dealt with when booking was good. Car nice and clean. Shame they didn't offer us a lift into the city centre though, especially as there were no other customers around when we got there or when we went back to collect - either service or sales.

Sat in an SLS for the first time. Decided the entry/exit isn't so well suited for my body type. Decided I'd rather have the G350 they also had in the show room - or maybe two. Mrs D has always said they're horrible, but took a shine to the new one. Shame they're £80k plus!!

 

[Rory]

plus the Mobil1 I got from Costco for next to nothing (2x £5+VAT which was 17.5% at the time) when they cleared the old style 4 litre cans last year, ..

Blimey - you did well stumbling across that!

especially as there were no other customers around when we got there or when we went back to collect - either service or sales.

The dealer I use (MB Chester) always seems very quiet - yet they still always manage to deal with me very slowly,

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Blimey - you did well stumbling across that!

An incredible bargain.

TBH I wish I'd gone back for even more. Only got 2x 4l left.

 

[salmanhamid]

My local dealer the the most expensive one I know, any cheap dealers around in or around heathrow?

 

[dokalj]

We had the car serviced at MB Derby yesterday - I emailed them Friday afternoon, and they could fit me in the very next morning, and were the cheapest to the tune of £30.

It came to a grand total of £209 plus the oil, so about £220 all inclusive. No additional items this time. It's further afield for us but it was an opportunity to go exploring Derby (not been shopping there for 18 years), and the saving paid for fuel and a nice breakfast.

Service was fine. Lady I dealt with when booking was good. Car nice and clean. Shame they didn't offer us a lift into the city centre though, especially as there were no other customers around when we got there or when we went back to collect - either service or sales.

Sat in an SLS for the first time. Decided the entry/exit isn't so well suited for my body type. Decided I'd rather have the G350 they also had in the show room - or maybe two. Mrs D has always said they're horrible, but took a shine to the new one. Shame they're £80k plus!!

WOW!!! £209 is cheaper than an 'A-service' at my local dealer before any additional items are added.

 

[Rory]

WOW!!! £209 is cheaper than an 'A-service' at my local dealer before any additional items are added.

That's without the oil, of course, which the dealer would charge £100ish for.

In reality, there's little difference between an A & B service now. They should change the pollen filter on the B service but garages (of all marques) often "forget".

 

[dokalj]

My dealer charges £299 for an A-service plus the additional items. £399 for the B-service + additional. (London prices)

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

MB Derby charge £289 for a B-service on the ML, and gave £80 discount for supplying my own oil.

 

[Rosemeyer]

I've just been quoted £644 for a B service, which includes £190 for an ATF change by the stealers in Coventry.... seems steep to me!

 

[Usuf_x]

this is an old thread.....
im due for a B Service too, I am too looking around to get some quotes

 

[Rory]

I've just been quoted £644 for a B service, which includes £190 for an ATF change by the stealers in Coventry.... seems steep to me!

How much does it say it should be on their website: Mercedes Servicing - Fixed Price Services, Repairs, MOT, Service Parts and Accessories

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The B-service is due on my W203 C32 AMG, so I've just called around a few dealers in the Midlands to see what they can do.

I actually quite like MB dealers - well some of the people in some of the dealerships - but I can see why so many owners refuse to darken the dealers' doors. The difference in customer service between the average main dealer and trusted independent specialists like Olly and Jay is the difference between the light side and dark side of the moon.

Mercedes workshops must be ram-packed at the moment...
...Even on a 9-year old car, the AMG mark-up is still alive and kicking.
...At least two dealers are so busy they can't pick up the phone.
...A dealer quotes double that of one just a few miles down the road.

Fortunately, they're not all like that, and my usual dealer came up with a very price, and spoke to me like a returning customer, rather than a child.

Dealer 1
Tried three times over the course of an hour, but got through to voicemail each time.

Dealer 2 when they thought it was a C320:
B-Service: £299
Brake fluid: £52
Conclusion: A reasonable start for negotiation, but hang on a minute...

Dealer 2 after I told them it was a C32 AMG, they also needed an hour to get me a price and had to call me back:
B-Service: £360
Brake fluid: £53
Conclusion: Ahh the AMG mark up. They also insisted that I must spend £89 on air filters and £299 on spark plugs despite me telling them they had just been done 3 weeks ago.

Dealer 3
Tried twice in half an hour, voicemail both times.

My old usual dealer
B-Service: £400 (negotiated down from £455)
Conclusion: How much??

My usual dealer
B-Service: £190 (first price) with me supplying my own oil
Brake fluid: £30 (first price)
Conclusion: Straight out with a reasonable price, remembered I like to supply my own oil. I feel cheeky at thought of negotiating so it's booked in.

Recap of previous prices...

All main dealer quotes for my C32 AMG in Summer 2009:

Most expensive (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £980
B-Service: £495
Fuel & air filters: £310
Brake fluid: £175

My usual (franchised MB main dealer): £459
B-Service: £280
Fuel & air filters: £127
Brake fluid: £52

Other (franchised MB main dealer from a different group): £445
B-Service: £275
Fuel & air filters: £125
Brake fluid: £45

I ended up using my usual franchised MB main dealer. Actual final price was £379 for B-Service, all filters including fuel filters, brake fluid change, ATF level check, STAR scan, valet (a good job too), and a thorough shakedown.

Same car in December 2010:

I didn't even bother shopping around this time.

I'm sat in my usual franchised MB main dealer now having drank their coffee & Diet Coke, hammered their wifi, and I just handed over £91.20 for an A-Service on my C32 AMG with no additional items (none required).

That includes all service items like oil filter & screen wash, and the all important MB stamp in the book & invoice, but excludes oil.

I supplied my own oil: 2x 4 litres @ £5 + VAT each. They gave it a really good grilling too and gave it a clean bill of health.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Fortunately, they're not all like that, and my usual dealer came up with a very price, and spoke to me like a returning customer, rather than a child.

My usual dealer
B-Service: £190 (first price) with me supplying my own oil
Brake fluid: £30 (first price)
Conclusion: Straight out with a reasonable price, remembered I like to supply my own oil. I feel cheeky at thought of negotiating so it's booked in.

Just sat in the plush surroundings of an MB dealership as I type: free WiFi, BBC News, two frothy coffees, and to take away with me a can of Diet Coke and a posh muffin.

Actual price was £180 including the brake fluid change and VAT. Full valet and visual health check completed too. That includes screenwash, pollen filter, and fob battery.

It excludes the cost of the oil which was £60 but should leave 2 litres in the can, so taking all that into account and separating out the additional items, it makes the true cost of the B-service £198. The additional items were:

Brake fluid £30 - main dealer supply and fit
Air filter £22 - main dealer supply and I fit
Spark plugs - performed separately last month by Jay

So if this MB dealership can offer great customer service, and come in at 20% beneath what I thought was already a good deal, why can't the others I tried?

Very happy.

 

[Rory]

Brake fluid £30 - main dealer supply and fit

......

So if this MB dealership can offer great customer service, and come in at 20% beneath what I thought was already a good deal, why can't the others I tried?

That's the cheapest I've ever seen a bf change! Which dealership did you use?

I suppose if you add the dealer's normal price for oil then the bill would have been near £300, so they basically did the brake fluid change free.

I think they must sometimes screw up a bit - I've seen the invoice from another forum member who uses my dealership and they did an ATF change but didn't charge any labour for it so his bill looks stupidly cheap. It was great your bill was cheaper than you expected, but from a business point of view, it's a bit daft to just throw away £40 of profit.

I've heard dealerships (of all makes) are very, very quiet on service work, and mine (MB Chester) has never seemed busy.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

That's the cheapest I've ever seen a bf change! Which dealership did you use?

I suppose if you add the dealer's normal price for oil then the bill would have been near £300, so they basically did the brake fluid change free.

Cheapest I've encountered too!!

It seems £50-60 is roughly the price most main dealers charge for a brake fluid change. I can't see the precise breakdown of what the actual charge was - it's the first invoice I've seen which has listed the parts and labour 'operations' without unit costs, and with a sub-total instead.

Not sure what the dealers charge for oil these days, but yes it's sure to be £250-£300 if I hadn't supplied my own oil, so in effect they waived the silly AMG premium and did the brake fluid change for free.

That's why I don't understand dealers who persist with the AMG premium - if they can afford to service a C320 for £299 then surely they can afford to service a C32 for the same price.

It was great your bill was cheaper than you expected, but from a business point of view, it's a bit daft to just throw away £40 of profit.

I've heard dealerships (of all makes) are very, very quiet on service work, and mine (MB Chester) has never seemed busy.

When I called I think he gave me a figure off the top of his head for the service and brake fluid and when he worked it out the price came in under. I guess he could have stuck to the original price, but it's that honesty that takes me back to that dealer, and why I ask for him by name. With two MBs which are of a certain age, we're fairly regular customers. It's also the reason I send other people to him too.

They seemed remarkably busy.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The C32 was due an A-service last week with just one additional item: IIIRC a flexi coupling check (?!).

Phoned around for prices - interesting to note:
1. Sharp increase in prices - A's appear to cost what B's did last year - ramps must be busier
2. AMG premium is still alive and kicking - £455 for 10 year old car with no additional items to speak of
3. All dealers prepared to negotiate - even MB Retail
4. Worth shopping around - last year's dearest is this year's cheapest

Most expensive (an MBUK owned MB main dealer): £405
A-Service: £455
After negotiation: £405 (or £385 if opted not to check flexi coupling)
Conclusion: Surprised the call centre staff even entertained a discount. Not able to supply own oil. Very slow!

My usual (franchised MB main dealer): £245 plus oil
A-Service: £455
After negotiation:£385
After finally getting through my usual contact: £245 plus oil
Conclusion: Sharp increase on previous.

My old usual dealer (franchised MB main dealer from same group): £149 plus oil
A-Service: £Unknown as I just asked for best price
After negotiation: £149 plus oil


I ended up using my old usual franchised MB main dealer. Service completed on time, good service, wifi and coffee on tap and a valet (a good job too). They noticed the new number plates and holders in the boot and asked if I wanted them to fit for me - the reason they were still in the boot was stubborn rusty 10 year screws which I ave up on

 

[The _Don]

Hi the seven year value service is pretty much an A service for £139 inclusive of oil.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi the seven year value service is pretty much an A service for £139 inclusive of oil.

It's fair value but it's the small print which concerns me as I like to retain Mobilolfe, and not clear which oil is used - I'm sure the dealer would say though.

Source: http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...ance/understanding_your/7__value_service.html

If your Value Service highlights that more work is necessary, we won’t do anything without asking you first. You can also rest assured that your car will be worked on by Mercedes-Benz trained technicians using Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts.

*Please note that the Value Service does not follow the Manufacturers recommended service schedule.

The Mercedes-Benz Value Service excludes collection and delivery and loan car charges if required.

Prices are inclusive of VAT.

 

[Rory]

...
4. Worth shopping around - last year's dearest is this year's cheapest
.....
After finally getting through my usual contact: £245 plus oil

The thing I find tremendously frustrating is getting a decent price seems to be totally dependant on being lucky and getting hold of someone in the dealership who is bothered enough to want to negotiate with you.

In 8 years of dealing with my local Mercedes garage, I haven't been able to establish a "usual contact", in my experience they're gone the next time I ask for them.


In the other forum a member mentioned that the Mercedes South West dealerships have a 'privilege' service plan for cars 10yrs and older which does two proper service and 2 MOts for £15/mth.