Huge increase to service plan cost

[W1ghty]

Completely agree. From my back of a fag packet calculations, I would be £800-900 worse off with a service plan at that price, than paying for three services on an ad hoc basis.

Appreciate the numbers maybe right, but I still think it's completely ridiculous that the price has doubled and my dealer could offer no explanation as to why. Looks like I'll be giving the service plan a miss, which is a shame as I thought it was a good deal for customers and dealers.

Might be MB specialist time and keep the £pm in your own account ?

 

[TC350]

This is all interesting.

My car is booked in next month for the last of the services on the current plan. I've been using Service Plans for the entirety of the car's 11 years (so coming up for an A service). I've convinced myself that the Service Plans (which I've taken for the longest duration possible each time) have been worth it for three reasons: protection against inflation, convenience and breakdown cover.

I'll soon need to decide whether or not to carry on with the Service Plans, or indeed whether or not it's time to use an indie since the car will be 12 years old by the next service. That next service (2024) is a B service, but not a massive one like last year's that included ATF and brake fluid replacement. However, it will have to include new spark plugs (6 of them). It seems that my local dealership doesn't do any discounting for older cars like Sandown mentioned above. I'll chat to them about what they can do when I take my car in next month. They've always done the MoTs for £35 so they may be able to offer something.

What I won't get by going to an indie is breakdown cover included, so that's an expense to be considered. They probably won't be able to offer a courtesy car either. (My local dealership is actually only a 20 minute walk away, but they always supply a courtesy car, which I see from the latest online stuff isn't a standard inclusion in Service Plans.) Unless my local Mercedes can offer something on the lines of Sandown's excellent discounts, it's unlikely that they'll be able to be as financially beneficial as the nearest indie (that's several miles away.)

Or I'll just take the lazy route and carry on with a new 3-year Service Plan at £44/month (compared to £36/month for the last 4 years).

 

[jayboy222]

Might be MB specialist time and keep the £pm in your own account ?

Tbh the car has a full Mercede service history and I want to keep it up now! So I think just paying for each service at Mercedes is prob the way I'll go.

 

[jayboy222]

This is all interesting.

My car is booked in next month for the last of the services on the current plan. I've been using Service Plans for the entirety of the car's 11 years (so coming up for an A service). I've convinced myself that the Service Plans (which I've taken for the longest duration possible each time) have been worth it for three reasons: protection against inflation, convenience and breakdown cover.

I'll soon need to decide whether or not to carry on with the Service Plans, or indeed whether or not it's time to use an indie since the car will be 12 years old by the next service. That next service (2024) is a B service, but not a massive one like last year's that included ATF and brake fluid replacement. However, it will have to include new spark plugs (6 of them). It seems that my local dealership doesn't do any discounting for older cars like Sandown mentioned above. I'll chat to them about what they can do when I take my car in next month. They've always done the MoTs for £35 so they may be able to offer something.

What I won't get by going to an indie is breakdown cover included, so that's an expense to be considered. They probably won't be able to offer a courtesy car either. (My local dealership is actually only a 20 minute walk away, but they always supply a courtesy car, which I see from the latest online stuff isn't a standard inclusion in Service Plans.) Unless my local Mercedes can offer something on the lines of Sandown's excellent discounts, it's unlikely that they'll be able to be as financially beneficial as the nearest indie (that's several miles away.)

Or I'll just take the lazy route and carry on with a new 3-year Service Plan at £44/month (compared to £36/month for the last 4 years).

Tbh your price increase is not too bad. And the inclusion of MOTs prob softens the blow a bit.

 

[Spider10]

By the parts from MB Newcastle or Edinburgh put them in the boot and pay labour only that's what I do

 

[Spider10]

Also pan roof service is £29 not worth arguing over

 

[W1ghty]

Tbh the car has a full Mercede service history and I want to keep it up now! So I think just paying for each service at Mercedes is prob the way I'll go.

I totally get that buddy , but MB want £500 extra for a year for nothing extra which is a blatant profiteering increase .

 

[markjay]

Might be MB specialist time and keep the £pm in your own account ?

Personally I'd agree, but specifically with an AMG, not having full main dealer service history can have an adverse effect on resale values, and the Indie route could end-up being false economy.

 

[AMGeed]

I'd also keep the full main dealer service history going. It's a big increase over previous years though.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , My car is eight years old and has been serviced by Mercedes Benz on a service plan.

All extra work required I have done by a local Audi specialist , extra oil changes , small service and a diff oil change at 40000 miles.

If I had the car had been serviced by Mercedes using the A and B schedule but declined say brake fluid and gearbox service the car could still be sold as having a full Mercedes Benz service history.

I understand my comments are only really is really relevant to older Mercedes cars.

However , my question is if two cars , one on a Mercedes service plan , the other serviced by Mercedes to the A and B basic schedule which car has been better serviced over a 10 year life period ?

Could it be argued that Mercedes Benz have a two tier service plan ?

 

[Spider10]

As I understand it (maybe wrong) the service plan will include all additional items, time or mileage wise and the MB service A and B basic is then your choice ref additional items which in my mind is NOT full MB service history but then if you are missing any additional items previously the service plan doesn't cover those to bring it up to spec

 

[markjay]

While I had the W204, I had 5 services done under the MB Service Care Plan, and at the time it was very good value. I guess MB became greedy?

 

[NickW205C63]

Not wishing to start another thread, I thought I'd piggyback this one.

The main dealer will be servicing my C63 before I pick it up (hopefully this week).

I intend to keep the car for at least 5 years, which is not the norm for me.

I always intended to take out a service plan and as I'm sure you're aware from previous posts, a 4 year plan is around £82 a month.

My thought process is that I really need to be keeping FMBH to retain as much value in the car as possible.

Allowing for £150 breakdown and £50 MOT, it's just under £800 per service (averaged).

I have 2 independent specialists nearby if necessary for repair work.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

 

[AMGeed]

Not wishing to start another thread, I thought I'd piggyback this one.

The main dealer will be servicing my C63 before I pick it up (hopefully this week).

I intend to keep the car for at least 5 years, which is not the norm for me.

I always intended to take out a service plan and as I'm sure you're aware from previous posts, a 4 year plan is around £82 a month.

My thought process is that I really need to be keeping FMBH to retain as much value in the car as possible.

Allowing for £150 breakdown and £50 MOT, it's just under £800 per service (averaged).

I have 2 independent specialists nearby if necessary for repair work.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

An average of £800 per service is pretty steep, but under a service plan, that will include ATF changes, plugs, brake fluid every two years etc.
You could save money by getting the work done at a good indy, but you'll lose Mobilio breakdown cover which I found very good when I needed it one time.
The telling factor for me, and keeping main dealer servicing was when I came to sell the car.
Every inquiry started with "Has it got full main dealer service history?"
It seems buyers of AMG's are looking for that complete history, and I'll admit when I get a W213 E63s, a FMDSH is a must for me. To me it shows the owner is prepared to pay top money to preserve its history.

 

[AMGeed]

I always intended to take out a service plan and as I'm sure you're aware from previous posts, a 4 year plan is around £82 a month.



Any thoughts?

If you are having a main dealer service before you pick the car up, if its an A service, I'd look at a 3 year service plan, (B/A/B services) then pay for a 4th year A service separately. It should work out cheaper for that final A service.

 

[NickW205C63]

If you are having a main dealer service before you pick the car up, if its an A service, I'd plan for a 3 year service plan, (B/A/B services) then pay for a 4th year A service separately. It should work out cheaper for that final A service.

Thanks for the heads up, I was wondering what would be best given they are servicing it.

 

[AMGeed]

If you know the current mileage, put the car details into this site to generate a service sheet and see what should be done and whether an A or B service is due.
Depending on the age of the car you may have to guess an A service after 12 months and following services were done to schedule.

Mercedes-Benz | ESS

 

[NickW205C63]

If you know the current mileage, put the car details into this site to generate a service sheet and see what should be done and whether an A or B service is due.
Depending on the age of the car you may have to guess an A service after 12 months and following services were done to schedule.

Mercedes-Benz | ESS

It comes out as £82 over 3 or 4, I'd checked earlier today, but obviously I don't know if they've done an A or B on my behalf.

 

[AMGeed]

It comes out as £82 over 3 or 4, I'd checked earlier today, but obviously I don't know if they've done an A or B on my behalf.

You should get a detailed printout when you pick the car up along with all the previous history to see which service was carried out so you can decide which service plan suits you best.

If its an A service at year 4, it won't cost anywhere near the 12 x £82 you'll be paying over that extra year.

 

[W1ghty]

It comes out as £82 over 3 or 4, I'd checked earlier today, but obviously I don't know if they've done an A or B on my behalf.

What about sticking that £82 a month into your account for 4 years …£4000 , then just getting an MB specialist to do the servicing .
When you come to sell a 10 year old car that’s well serviced and looked after by your good self it’s not going to matter one jot if it’s MB history or MB part + MB specialist .
After all it’s only standard service stuff we are talking about .
That’s in my humble opinion of course .