Hi All
Wondering if anyone has had any experience of this - I think the whole thing is pretty confusing.35
So, my 6 year old CLS is coming up to a MOT and Service B, including brake fluid replacement, - my local Mercedes franchised dealership where I have usually got it serviced is charging around £500 + approx £55 for the MOT, with availability next week.
Then I went on bookmygarage to see what local independent specialists might be charging and strangly I found the same Mercedes dealership, and another one within 6 miles or so, charging significantly cheaper - although it doesn't say service A or B, I was told the B is the same as a 'Major Service' - total including MOT was £350 with availability from tomorrow and all week this week!!
Spoke to the dealership to understand what is going on here, is it legit, is there some kind of parallel servicing system going on - is one inferior/quicker, less in depth than the other.
He said, no, servicing will be the same - the only thing you won't get is the 'stamp that it is done by a Mercedes Benz dealership', it won't go into the Digital Service Book and you won't get the 1 year roadside recovery assistance.
I don't mind about the latter, I asked - if it isn't stamped as being done by Mercedes Benz dealership - who is it stamped as being done by - the same technicians are doing it right? He kind of didn't really answer it and just said you will get more of a 'bookmygarage' service sheet with the usual dealership invoice. That seems fine to me, but it is a really strange business model, and confusing for the customer? If Mercedes Benz don't validate the service their own technicians are doing because it is done through a different route, but the same servicing quality is being undertaken, why wouldn't it be recordable in the DSB??
Wondering if anyone has had any experience of this - I think the whole thing is pretty confusing.35
So, my 6 year old CLS is coming up to a MOT and Service B, including brake fluid replacement, - my local Mercedes franchised dealership where I have usually got it serviced is charging around £500 + approx £55 for the MOT, with availability next week.
Then I went on bookmygarage to see what local independent specialists might be charging and strangly I found the same Mercedes dealership, and another one within 6 miles or so, charging significantly cheaper - although it doesn't say service A or B, I was told the B is the same as a 'Major Service' - total including MOT was £350 with availability from tomorrow and all week this week!!
Spoke to the dealership to understand what is going on here, is it legit, is there some kind of parallel servicing system going on - is one inferior/quicker, less in depth than the other.
He said, no, servicing will be the same - the only thing you won't get is the 'stamp that it is done by a Mercedes Benz dealership', it won't go into the Digital Service Book and you won't get the 1 year roadside recovery assistance.
I don't mind about the latter, I asked - if it isn't stamped as being done by Mercedes Benz dealership - who is it stamped as being done by - the same technicians are doing it right? He kind of didn't really answer it and just said you will get more of a 'bookmygarage' service sheet with the usual dealership invoice. That seems fine to me, but it is a really strange business model, and confusing for the customer? If Mercedes Benz don't validate the service their own technicians are doing because it is done through a different route, but the same servicing quality is being undertaken, why wouldn't it be recordable in the DSB??