Decision Time

[as400]

Bit of an old chestnut this but I'm still interested in peoples opinions.

Recent purchase of an SLK55 R172 (2012) which I totally am in love with having sold my BMW Z3 and have got the air con sorted but its approaching service time in August.

95K with a full Mercedes main dealer service history from one previous owner..must have cost them quite a bit...but I have found an independent close to home and the question is should I continue with main Mercedes or let it drop?

I would lose Mobilo but have AA anyway...main concern is if I have to make a claim for say rear subframe rust I wouldn't have the full dealer history.

Would anyone be tempted to continue paying main dealer prices at this point or would that be throwing money away?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Bit of an old chestnut this but I'm still interested in peoples opinions.

Recent purchase of an SLK55 R172 (2012) which I totally am in love with having sold my BMW Z3 and have got the air con sorted but its approaching service time in August.

95K with a full Mercedes main dealer service history from one previous owner..must have cost them quite a bit...but I have found an independent close to home and the question is should I continue with main Mercedes or let it drop?

I would lose Mobilo but have AA anyway...main concern is if I have to make a claim for say rear subframe rust I wouldn't have the full dealer history.

Would anyone be tempted to continue paying main dealer prices at this point or would that be throwing money away?

I would definitely keep up the the full main dealer service history, although I would be in the minority. In my experience main dealer servicing isn’t really much more expensive than a reputable independent, especially when you factor in the value of Recovery..

 

[fabes]

And on the other hand, when buying the exact same car as you just over a year ago, I did break the FMBSH and took to my local independent.

Serving labour rate is over half (!) what my local main dealer charges and I've always had good service, work, advice and the odd favour from MBS

And I've not had the best experience with the main dealer when the E400 went in for a recall last year - it took way to long and left the driver's window down in a thunder storm (no, no apology, just a handful of blu roll to mop up the pool inside)

It's a sausage factory in there for 3 year PCP service plan work

 

[fabes]

Losing Mobilo is one drawback I weighed up as I have used it and it's good, but not that much better than the AA (plus it will never breakdown)

 

[MrGreedy]

It depends on what you want servicing and where. When I looked at MB pricing around the New Year, certain dealerships were offering crazy cheap prices on some service items at some service intervals, including gearbox service. So much so, that my indy dropped their prices to remain more competitive than the local Merc dealer!

I also found if you faffed around with the mileage to allow the online booking tool to add in certain service items that were actually due (e.g. to allow a brake fluid change or gearbox service), further faffing around with mileage meant these same services could be found even cheaper when booking online. Goodness knows how it works. I don't know if, having found the rock bottom price, when you get to the dealer the mileage on the car is out that they then try to charge you more for e.g. brake fluid change or gearbox services. I'd want to know exactly what extra work is required on those items due to mileage discrepancy. I could guess zero.

Via here:
https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/passengercars/services/online-appointment-booking.html

 

[DesireeE]

Bit of an old chestnut this but I'm still interested in peoples opinions.
the wheat from the chaff
Recent purchase of an SLK55 R172 (2012) which I totally am in love with having sold my BMW Z3 and have got the air con sorted but its approaching service time in August.

95K with a full Mercedes main dealer service history from one previous owner..must have cost them quite a bit...but I have found an independent close to home and the question is should I continue with main Mercedes or let it drop?

I would lose Mobilo but have AA anyway...main concern is if I have to make a claim for say rear subframe rust I wouldn't have the full dealer history.

Would anyone be tempted to continue paying main dealer prices at this point or would that be throwing money away?

To my mind the full main dealer service history is more of an interest when it comes to buying a car and not so much when selling or PX, as so long as the car has been regularly serviced that's what counts and as far as PX goes, the car will only go for around book price with a bit of jiggling room to get you to make the purchase on the new motor.

A lot of folks value an Indy as much as they do a main dealer as from what I have read over the years, it seems to me that the former can very often give a better service than the latter, although there will always be the exception to the rule, the problem is of course, sorting the wheat from the chaff and for me, I would try to go by recommendation if I could.

Being devil's advocate here, I see where you are coming from with making a claim for something like rear subframe rust if you were still with Mobilo who are supposed handle manufacturer defects, but I doubt very much they would honour it and pay up on a 13 year old car, as you know what warranties, insurances etc., are like, if they can weasel out of it they will.

Another thing to bear in mind is what you plan to do with your 'baby', e.g. keep her a couple of years or hold on to her long term, high or low annual milage etc. and I'll explain why I say this.
With my Bentley I do very low mileage each year and I have no plans on moving her on, until they carry me out of our bungalow in a box which means:

* I am less likely to need road/home assistance, and wouldn't want to pay through the nose for something like a Mobilo. I have however been with the AA for over 25 years and they have never let me down on the rare occasion I have needed to call them out.

* I don't have to worry about a main dealer stamping the service book etc, which also means I don't have to travel to find one

* I can go to an Indy for special fixes and when requiring their Bentley diagnostic computers our local garage doesn't have

* I can go to our trusted local garage who looks after all our cars and Transit and save a small fortune in the process


Just out of interest on the type of money that can change hands and what can be saved by choosing between garages in my case:

Bentley Indy Full Service Labour Charge January 2020 - £562.25

Local Garage Full Service Fixed Labour Charge October 2024 - £119

 

[Spider10]

Just buy what it needs from MB Newcastle put it in the boot and then you only pay labour charges (main dealer if they allow it) ive done that for year's

 

[as400]

OK thanks for the views all very valid. I still have a little time before the next service is due...I'm going to get my local MB indie to get the car up on a ramp and inspect the subframe proper. They have in the past submitted cars to Mercedes for the subframe work and not had a problem with that if issues have been found. Though did make mention that they have heard MB are tightening up on that especially if there is missing history or extensive non MB work.

If it all looks good I will probably drop the MB route, the car is a garaged weekend sunny day thing as the main vehicle is a Tesla (sorry) so will do minimal mileage.

I used to go to MBS many years ago when they worked out of the 'big shed'...the Southampton set up now looks better but its a bit further to travel, TBH I'm spoilt to have them and PCS not too far away.

Lets see what the local indie comes back with on the subframe inspection.

Thanks

 

[ALFAitalia]

Even as an ex main dealer employee...I'd say only the gullible pay main dealer prices outside of the warranty... and legally you don't have to even in the warranty period but that's for a different thread. Indies are at least as good and often better too. A FMDSH will add pennies if anything to the PX price compared to an indie one...and almost certainly not as much as you would have paid extra at the main dealer.. plus of course the main dealer will be trying his best to rip you off on other things...how often on this forum do we hear about them trying to get you to replace brakes less than 50% worn that go on to last years longer? To those saying it's not much more expensive than a main dealer....well I've got some magic beans and a bridge you might be interested in! I like a car with a bit of history....but I'm not fussed where it was done. I've seen mint cars with next to no history...like when I bought my last ALFA....and I've seen abused nails with FMDSH. It's the individual car....not the history that decides it's value to me.
As far as the subframes goes...well many have been replaced with next to no dealer history at all...luck of the draw depending on your dealer.

 

[Spider10]

I've been told MB aren't doing the subframes FOC anymore ,my SLK55 AMG 171 was done a couple of year's ago and that was a CAT car so history wasn't really needed

 

[ALFAitalia]

Since when?...just curious...I know of one done FOC last month on a 2009 212.

 

[Spider10]

I was told at SCITP beginning of may

 

[DesireeE]

OK thanks for the views all very valid. I still have a little time before the next service is due...I'm going to get my local MB indie to get the car up on a ramp and inspect the subframe proper. They have in the past submitted cars to Mercedes for the subframe work and not had a problem with that if issues have been found. Though did make mention that they have heard MB are tightening up on that especially if there is missing history or extensive non MB work.

If it all looks good I will probably drop the MB route, the car is a garaged weekend sunny day thing as the main vehicle is a Tesla (sorry) so will do minimal mileage.

I used to go to MBS many years ago when they worked out of the 'big shed'...the Southampton set up now looks better but its a bit further to travel, TBH I'm spoilt to have them and PCS not too far away.

Lets see what the local indie comes back with on the subframe inspection.

Thanks

Good call and it will be interesting to see what they come up with