C-Class servicing costs

[juux]

Looking to buy a new C-Class and the only thing that's putting me off is that lack of a pre-paid service plan.

We got three years servicing with our VW for £249 (now £349) and BMW only want £350 for a full five year plan, but somehow M-B want to charge £27 a month - £972 over three years!

Unless M-B service costs are truly extortionate and I'm in a for a real shock, I can't see how that is good value. I'm assuming that the car will require two services in the first three years before it gets traded in again (i.e. it'll be due it's next service only after trade-in). Even if the first is £300 and the second £400, that's still nearly £300 less than the 'service plan' costs.

The M-B website mentions they have fixed price servicing but stops short of telling you exactly what the prices are. I'm due to pop in over the weekend to discuss the finance options and will ask about the fixed service costs then, but does anyone know what kind of figures they'll throw at me so I can 'prepare' my wife?

 

[st13phil]

Unfortunately, Mercedes-Benz are well behind the curve as far as perceived value of the pre-paid service plans goes.

As far as sevice costs go then depending upon where you are in the country, budget for around £200 - £220 for the first service and £350 - £375 for the second. Don't forget that the service intervals are 12-months / 15,500 miles whichever comes first, so depending upon your annual mileage you could well require a third service in the three years. Your quote of £27/mth is based on two services in 24 months and totals £648; you can find a table of all the different terms / number of services on the Mercedes-Benz website.

If you go to your local dealer's website and follow the links for Aftersales and then Fixed Price Servicing, you'll find a chart that gives you the rates they charge. Be aware that there can be "extras" on top of the fixed price element though...

 

[A210AMG]

You can also have it serviced at an Independant garage?

How many miles a year do you do and what Mercedes is it?

 

[srefre]

If you go to your local dealer's website and follow the links for Aftersales and then Fixed Price Servicing, you'll find a chart that gives you the rates they charge. Be aware that there can be "extras" on top of the fixed price element though...

Actually, the extras tend to make the service care plan a good deal, as they are included in the service care plan, but are added as extras on a normal service.

See the 3rd bold item here - Mercedes-Benz UK - Service Care - What Service Care covers

As an anecdote:
My parents needed their C Class to be serviced a couple of months ago, a few extras were needed, which bought the cost up to around £900 the total cost of the service care plan they went for was less than this.

So not only did the service cost less than it would have, they took the plan out the day before the service, so effectively they are paying interest free in arrears, and they still have either another 1 or 2 services left.

Just paying for the service interest free would be a no brainer to me, let alone the rest of the deal that they ended up with.

 

[srefre]

In addition to my point above, things considered extras for a service may be things you wouldn't think of as extras, such as spark plugs, filters, brake fluid. In fact as far as I recall a service is basically a glorified oil change, with an inspection of the car.

If I remember correctly the plugs for a C Class are about £125 and filters around £75, so it's very easy for the 'extras' to add up, if any are needed.

 

[st13phil]

...they took the plan out the day before the service, so effectively they are paying interest free in arrears, and they still have either another 1 or 2 services left.

Actually, imo that's the best way to use the ServiceCare package, especially if you're keeping the car up to year 4: Pay for the first Service A (there won't be any "extras" so it will cost the published fixed price) then take out a 3-year ServiceCare plan so it covers 2 x B services, the A service in between and the extras that can get quite expensive at years 3 and 4.

 

[Stan the Man]

Actually, imo that's the best way to use the ServiceCare package, especially if you're keeping the car up to year 4: Pay for the first Service A (there won't be any "extras" so it will cost the published fixed price) then take out a 3-year ServiceCare plan so it covers 2 x B services, the A service in between and the extras that can get quite expensive at years 3 and 4.

£27 per month is the service care cost for a new 'C' class and, depending on how many payments you decide to make, will cover the cost of 2 services in 24 months, 3 services in 36 months and 4 services in 48 months.

Should you decide to pay for the first service yourself prior to opting for the service care plan, your 'C' class is then regarded as 'used' and will incur a increased monthly charge of £31 for the duration of the plan.

 

[withabix]

If you don't take the service plan, book your services online.

Main Stealers have a habit of adding about 20% to the price on the website.

Hear this Sytner, I'm talking about you!

 

[rob_miller]

and supply your own oil if you dont take the service plan.

 

[juux]

Thanks to all.

I'm buying a diesel so no spark plugs, despite the salesman listing this as an advantage if I took the service plan!

Anyway, most of the big ticket items are only due after the PCP is finished by which time I'll be in something else.

 

[Leakeo]

Great post guys,

 

[Leakeo]

Great post people, i'm in the same boat just got a new C Class Sport Plus and dealer asking for the same prices . I've taken out a 3 year PCP doing 30k year so 'm hoping i will need 5 services. The dealer tells me the 4th service is around £800? and has offered me a £36/month for 4 services which looks a good deal.
So
£36*36 = £1296 ( this includes all extras and is fixed)
against
2 * A services = £400 + £2*B services £600 ish = £1000 (need to add extras)
So thinking about taking out the dealers offer.
However after looking on other web sites, Service Stop, you can get an interim for £150 and full for £245 which would be around £790 in total. They say their approved and only use gen parts. Any advice would be helpful.

cheers

 

[Rory]

If you're using MB finance for the PCP then it has to be serviced at a franchised dealer (or authorised repairer, but there's only a couple of those left now).

 

[wooddoor6]

I have never quite understood the benefits of the MB service plan as the costs appear to be too similar to the actual costs for a service on the day. Apart from the oil an filters which you can budget in, what parts do they provide under the plan that they would charge for on the day, just curious as I have a C class due for a B service in the next month and looking at £430 including oil, filter and brake fluid

 

[Kingy68]

Depending on your mileage the potential savings of the service plan v sort it individually at Merc dealer are £200 to £300. (You need to be 13k to 15k per annum ideally).
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/140482-service-intervals-2.html#post1592874

 

[Rory]

I have never quite understood the benefits of the MB service plan as the costs appear to be too similar to the actual costs for a service on the day. Apart from the oil an filters which you can budget in, what parts do they provide under the plan that they would charge for on the day, just curious as I have a C class due for a B service in the next month and looking at £430 including oil, filter and brake fluid

If you assume annual servicing, the once every 2yrs B service would be oil and filter, pollen filter, key batteries and brake fluid.

At 4 years it also needs the air filter changing and (if diesel) the fuel filter or (if petrol) the plugs.

The slightly vague thing is that (if an auto) it will probably need the ATF changing. It doesn't seem to come up on every car, and on some it's at 31000 miles (so I assume 2 yrs) and on others it's at 37,500 miles. This costs around £250 so is the tipping point on whether the service plan makes sense or not. But if the ESS doesn't call for it then the dealer won't do it.


I don't know if the dealers will refuse to discount service pricing on newer cars, but my local dealer recently did a B service, brake fluid and ATF change on my car for £430, and I know someone who had exactly the same work done for £400 a few months before. So the value of the service plan falls apart if the dealer will discount the service prices.


I've mentioned this before, but the VW scheme as mentioned by the OP seems good value - we paid £300 for 3yrs for daughter's Golf. But at the first service the dealer showed me the invoice they send to VW - it was for £68 inc parts, labour & VAT! The dealer would be better off offering services for, say, £100 and steering people away from the VW deal.

 

[artyman]

Just had my 4 year service, asked them to do some additional jobs, but the basic Service cost was £300 which included the air con

 

[Harrythedog]

If you don't take the service plan, book your services online.

Main Stealers have a habit of adding about 20% to the price on the website.

Hear this Sytner, I'm talking about you!

I've just phoned my local MB dealer for a quote and what they appear to be doing is adding 20%vat onto the web price whereas the web price includes vat.

No doubt it's one of those "computer glitches"

 

[slater9000]

Also in the same boat, interesting post, I have just taken delivery of a C Class Coupe C250 CDI and dealer now ringing me about the Service plan. its on a 3 year PCP and dont do anymore than 9k millage per year, Im still wondering what the advantage would be.

Andy.

 

[SmartMAC]

Also in the same boat, interesting post, I have just taken delivery of a C Class Coupe C250 CDI and dealer now ringing me about the Service plan. its on a 3 year PCP and dont do anymore than 9k millage per year, Im still wondering what the advantage would be.

Andy.

I have just done it for my 250CDI coupe. I did some basic calculations and at the current rate, it will work out slightly cheaper to go for the service plan without taking into account prices going up. I have gone for the 3 years deal with the idea of taking the car to an indi after that once the car is completely out of guaranty.