Gearbox servicing, is it part of the normal schedule?

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btjtaylor

btjtaylor

New Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2020
Messages
21
Location
Derbyshire
Car
S212 E350 CDI
Hi all

Sorry if this is a stupid question but i've been struggling to find an answer

Is changing the automatic gearbox oil/filter part of the normal main dealer service schedule?

I've just put down a deposit on a 2011 E350 CDI with full MB service history and i'm wondering if I need to prepare to do it. Car is currently on 89k and had its last service at an MB main dealer at 84k (from memory). But the service history printout didn't mention anything about it, or at least not that I could see.

I have a bit of experience with this topic as my other car is a 2000 Audi S6 with a ZF autobox, Audi said that the transmission was "sealed for life", but after many failures ZF themselves said it needed servicing, and provide a kit to do so, so I replaced the fluid and filter in that as it had done about 40000 miles since being rebuilt, to try to prevent any expensive future issues!

Thanks in advance
 
It should be done around 4 years and 37.5k miles. Some models stretch to 5 years, some tighter at 3 years. I bet yours will be 4 years.

Budget £250 from a Mercedes specialist or transmission specialist, it could be a little more or a little less depending upon where you are.

You could ask you Mercedes main dealer to do it but I would imagine it would be £350 or more unless they operate a discount for older cars.
 
Hi welcome along. Ton's of information on this subject on this forum and on line. But the general opinion of most of us is that the MB 'sealed for life' thing was a marketing ploy aimed at fleet purchases. The more mechanically minded will ask ' If the gearbox is sealed for life why do MB themselves supply a full service kit for it ? "

If there is no sign of it being done either insist it is done before you buy the car or ask for a discount of around £300/£350 so you can get it done yourself by an good independent MB specialist.

At 89K miles the car is overdue it's ATF service.
 
Thanks for the replies all,

I'll check the service history in more detail when I can, maybe i just wasnt looking the right spot,

The car is from Mercland, who by the vast majority of accounts are a good dealer, and they said that it would be done before collection if it was due, but I just wanted to build up my own knowledge on the subject as I wasn't sure what MB's stance was on this topic.
 
If the car has a 7G box it will have one of two service schedules for the gearbox:

1) Once at 37.5K miles or 4 years and then 'never again'
2) Every 37.5K miles / 3-4 years

If it's the 7G+ box then it's every 75k miles or every 5 years.

My father has a 2010 E350 with the 7G+ with only 40k miles (he never uses it) and as it's now 10 years old, it just had its second gearbox service as part of the MB Service Plan

My 2009 unfortunately has a 7G and although I used to run an MB Service Plan (because I was told that the gearbox service was included for my car!!!), they did not cover gearbox changes as the 'official' line for my car is 'once at 37.5K miles or 4 years and then never again' - even though MB know that's bollocks, that's written on the Electronic Service Sheet and they will not deviate from it. As such, the Service Plan worked out at terrible value for me.

Anyway, hope that helps
 
btjtaylor said:
Thanks for the replies all,

I'll check the service history in more detail when I can, maybe i just wasnt looking the right spot,

The car is from Mercland, who by the vast majority of accounts are a good dealer, and they said that it would be done before collection if it was due, but I just wanted to build up my own knowledge on the subject as I wasn't sure what MB's stance was on this topic.
Click to expand...
Mercland is/was a member and a seller on here. Only heard good things , so you should be Ok.
 
You will need to get it done if not already, get Mercland to do it for you, even if it costs £200 as you can then forget it, unless you fancy doing it yourself?
 
You’re in safe hands dealing with Mercland. As suggested even if you have to pay (or contribute) then I would them to take care of it, so that you don’t have to think about it again.
 
I'd echo just getting it done.

I've no doubt ML would have done it had it been required but for piece of mind and the cost of it, it's worth doing.

7g+ is more expensive as the fluid is (at least was) more expensive and as is the filter. But then again, as above, the interval is longer.
 
btjtaylor said:
Thanks for the replies all,

I'll check the service history in more detail when I can, maybe i just wasnt looking the right spot,

The car is from Mercland, who by the vast majority of accounts are a good dealer, and they said that it would be done before collection if it was due, but I just wanted to build up my own knowledge on the subject as I wasn't sure what MB's stance was on this topic.
Click to expand...

If you're buying the car from Mercland at Nuneaton, then you have nothing to worry about, rest assured they'll get done everything that needs doing. They are a forum sponsor, BTW, and regularly get excellent reviews on here.
 
btjtaylor said:
Thanks for the replies all,

I'll check the service history in more detail when I can, maybe i just wasnt looking the right spot,

The car is from Mercland, who by the vast majority of accounts are a good dealer, and they said that it would be done before collection if it was due, but I just wanted to build up my own knowledge on the subject as I wasn't sure what MB's stance was on this topic.
Click to expand...
Did you get the car buddy ?
 
I have a 2011 E350 with the 7G+ box. I've had the gearbox service just done for the second time on age, as it's just about to tick into 10 years (so on 5 year invervals rather than mileage). I definitly notice a difference since the change at low gear shifts when cold.

My mate (unfortunately on my recommendation) bought a grey W213 E220 estate from Mercland toward the end of last year.
I am not comfortable going into the various issues he had on this forum as Mercland are a forum sponsor, but the gearbox service was overdue at the time of buying the car. He was initially told it was an optional item. Then that if he wanted it to be done he would have to book it in after he bought the car to get it done. Eventually it was agreed that the gearbox service would be done free of charge.

If the OP gets to 30 posts, feel free to message me about this in private.
One of my mates colleagues also had a few issues buying a car around the same time. OP, maybe this is you?

Preparation | Mercland | Mercedes-Benz specialists in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Here at Mercland, we feel that our careful sourcing of good quality vehicles, followed by an unrivalled, thorough preparation process, is what sets us apart from the rest. We strive to ensure that every car leaves our showroom in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in the best possible condition.
www.mercland.com www.mercland.com

Taken from the website:
"Our aim is to ensure that all consumable items have at least enough remaining life to comfortably reach the next scheduled service required"

Based on this statement people can form their own view on whether they expect the gearbox service to have been done if it is needed as part of the service schedule.
 
MrGreedy said:
I have a 2011 E350 with the 7G+ box. I've had the gearbox service just done for the second time on age, as it's just about to tick into 10 years (so on 5 year invervals rather than mileage). I definitly notice a difference since the change at low gear shifts when cold.

My mate (unfortunately on my recommendation) bought a grey W213 E220 estate from Mercland toward the end of last year.
I am not comfortable going into the various issues he had on this forum as Mercland are a forum sponsor, but the gearbox service was overdue at the time of buying the car. He was initially told it was an optional item. Then that if he wanted it to be done he would have to book it in after he bought the car to get it done. Eventually it was agreed that the gearbox service would be done free of charge.

If the OP gets to 30 posts, feel free to message me about this in private.
One of my mates colleagues also had a few issues buying a car around the same time. OP, maybe this is you?

Preparation | Mercland | Mercedes-Benz specialists in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Here at Mercland, we feel that our careful sourcing of good quality vehicles, followed by an unrivalled, thorough preparation process, is what sets us apart from the rest. We strive to ensure that every car leaves our showroom in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in the best possible condition.
www.mercland.com www.mercland.com

Taken from the website:
"Our aim is to ensure that all consumable items have at least enough remaining life to comfortably reach the next scheduled service required"

Based on this statement people can form their own view on whether they expect the gearbox service to have been done if it is needed as part of the service schedule.
Click to expand...
The manufacturer’s service requirements for transmissions have changed by model and over time. According the schedule:

1. Some are sealed for life, and never need changing

2. Some only need changing, at around 37k miles or so.

3. Some need changing periodically based upon age or mileage.

If the car in question fell into category #1 then it’s quite reasonable to say that it’s optional. If it fell into category #2 or #3 but was done free of charge, then that sounds fairly reasonable too.
 
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