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How do they do it?

SimonsMerc

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 3, 2004
Messages
1,147
Location
Sudbury, West London
Car
Merc S212 E350 CDI BlueEfficiency Sport 256bhp, Suzuki GSX-650F, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Dynamic
So I took my car in for a service today to MB Harrow. It was due an A service, last night it was showing 500 miles to an A service. This morning, as if by remote control, it suddenly started showing a B service.

How do they do this? Can I license the technology? I'm sure I'd make a fortune...

-simon
 
SimonsMerc said:
So I took my car in for a service today to MB Harrow. It was due an A service, last night it was showing 500 miles to an A service. This morning, as if by remote control, it suddenly started showing a B service.

How do they do this? Can I license the technology? I'm sure I'd make a fortune...

-simon

When they get it in they now hook it up to the computer to see what it is really due. So hopefully you will not pay for anything not needed.
 
Well, yesterday was kinda odd. The guy took went along to his technical people and came back and probably said it'd be an A service. Then he went to talk to his business people and then the story changed to a B service. Then they phoned this morning, and said that it also needs five other things done to it - from a change of coolant to a new oil filter. Total cost over £1000. Am I getting fleeced?

-simon
 
Over 1g for an indicated a/b service ??

Before you book it in, i would strongly suggest you take it to onother mb garage and see what they say about it, then make your final decision.

Better be safe than sorry
 
The service has already been done (so I'll be paying the £480 for a B service). The rest of the bits I have asked them to itemise and quote for - I will be going to George Fraser to get them done :P

-simon
 
Who delt with you at MB Harrow and who is George Fraser?

There is a good place in Hanwell called MercsOnly who have trained mercedes work people but are a heck of alot cheaper.
 
Well, I have my car back. MB Harrow tried to charge me for the oil I supplied! I thought this was hilarious, and the look on their faces when I asked why they were charging me for my own oil was pretty :-)

Final sum was £341.30 for:

Code:
£219.52 - ASSYST, Service Operations List B Perform
£ 13.50 - Collision Damage Waiver (not sure what that is, perhaps for the loan car?)
£  9.50 - Environmental Disposable Charge (for old oil I guess)
£  9.50 - Sundry items (dunno)
£  8.23 - Filtereinsatz
£ 14.53 - TS Filter
£ 13.22 - Wiper Blade
£  2.47 - Screen Fluid
£FOC - Workshop Mobil Synt S OI (the oil, which was over £100 until I pointed out I supplied it ;-)

Total of £290.47, plus £50.83 vat making £341.30.

So I guess that's fair enough for a B service. However they also found the following (the numbers are their estimated prices):

Code:
£ 44 - 0.3hrs - Air filter Clean, replace element as indicated
£ 72 - 0.7hrs - Main fuel filter Replace
£ 80 - 0.7hrs - Coolant with antifreeze Replace and check for leaks
£ 82 - 0.8hrs - Fluid in hydraulic brakce system Replace
£111 - 0.7hrs - Front passenger seat Remove/install (??)

Do these sound like reasonable prices? And the work time estimates? (Not sure if these prices included labour, but I'd guess they should do?). Anyway I'm planning on taking these items to an indipendant (either George Fraser in Alperton or perhaps the place in Hanwell that someone mentioned). Any of them easy things I could do myself? I mean how hard can it be to replace a fuel filter or clean an air filter and replace the element?

Oh, by the way, the engine runs visibly smoother after the service. Could that be because I had them use fully synthetic Mobil1 turbodiesel oil (0w/40)? I'm convinced the thieves I bought the car from put plain old dino oil in so that might be the difference ;-)

Cheers,

-simon
 
Hi Simon,

I can't comment on the prices as money has different values for different people. The hours look fine though. These are simple enough jobs that can be done by normal people.

The problem can sometimes be a lack of facilities. For example, to change the fuel filter is easy - 3 plastic bolts, 3 hose clips. The problem is getting under the car, and having pipe clamps to use on the the fuel lines. If you have ramps or stands, easy peasy. I did mine on the sloped ramp into my garage, and I used sockets over the jaws of a set of vice-grips to clamp the lines. If I'd stripped a clip then I would just go fetch another from my stash. If you've only got one screwdriver and it breaks, what are you going to do? How will you get to work? Will you get annoyed when you have petrol in your hair? "They said it was easy, but I wish I'd just paid the £72 quid now. My wife says I have to sleep in the shed etc" etc.

Most stuff is easy enough. The problem may sometimes be, and don't take this the wrong way if it isn't you, but "if you have to ask then you may not be the best equipped to do it". Get the fuel filter on the wrong way round and you could burst it. Rush the coolant change and you might not have heating for two weeks. etc.

To be honest, if there are no faults then you can do most of the service yourself, even the alignment if you buy the gauges from Demon Tweeks.

PS, why do they want to remove the seat?
 
PS, why do they want to remove the seat?[/QUOTE]

so that they can find any small change that can help to pay for the bill :o
 
SimonsMerc said:
Code:
£ 72 - 0.7hrs - Main fuel filter Replace
£ 80 - 0.7hrs - Coolant with antifreeze Replace and check for leaks
£111 - 0.7hrs - Front passenger seat Remove/install (??)
-simon

:confused: :confused: :confused:
 

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