MB Free Health Check

[nickiandboris]

Hi guys

I went down to MB at Redill today and picked up a leaflet that reads the following:-

"We all need a health check from time to time.....and so does your Mercedes-Benz. Now, on Saturdays between 9am - 1pm, you can have a complimentary vehicle health check at the Mercedes-Benz car clinic. Our trained specialists will perform a 45 point health check, including standard enhancements as well as courtest updates to the computer system, all whilst you enjoy a coffee and pastry in our relaxing showroom. We will also perform a valuation with charge on request with no obligation, and we'll throw in a complimentary service wash as well.

For more information please contact your local retailer or pop in this Saturday to see for yourself. "

Participating dealers are Brighton, Redhill, Gatwick & Eastbourne. Now wheres the catch????

 

[A170 Blue]

Hi guys

I went down to MB at Redill today and picked up a leaflet that reads the following:-

"We all need a health check from time to time.....and so does your Mercedes-Benz. Now, on Saturdays between 9am - 1pm, you can have a complimentary vehicle health check at the Mercedes-Benz car clinic. Our trained specialists will perform a 45 point health check, including standard enhancements as well as courtest updates to the computer system, all whilst you enjoy a coffee and pastry in our relaxing showroom. We will also perform a valuation with charge on request with no obligation, and we'll throw in a complimentary service wash as well.

For more information please contact your local retailer or pop in this Saturday to see for yourself. "

Participating dealers are Brighton, Redhill, Gatwick & Eastbourne. Now wheres the catch????

No catch really.............except of course the dealer is hoping that the "FREE Healthcheck" may just reveal some item on your Mercedes that requires some chargeable work.
You are, of course, under no obligation to have any work performed by that dealer.

 

[travelininstyle]

Nice to see that they are offering something for nothing,but I guess like many dealer service departments,they are quieter than usual and are trying to stimulate some service trade from this ?

 

[Rory]

Why not give it a whirl and let the forum know how it goes.

 

[nickiandboris]

Right, so I took the car down to MB Redhill and they back with the following after the 45 point check:-

Fog Light Damaged - £47.15
Rear number plate delaminated - £16.10
Wipers front - £34
Break Discs front only have 10% left, rear have 25% left - £162 pads front & rear £101.20
Oil leak from gearbox electrical plug - £97.96
Track Rod End - worn/damaged - 282.07

These prices all includes 15% parts discount(car over 6 years old)
Im not going to replace the wipers(after checking they're absolutely fine) and the rear number plate. The rest will need to be sorted, but the brake pads seem ok and i thought the onboard computer would give me a warning light if they get low(10%)??

This seems to me like a money spinning exercise?? Thought and comments please? Anyone suggest a good indy in Surrey??

 

[grober]

What's the age and model of your car?

 

[nickiandboris]

Hi Grober,

E220 CDI Estate 53 plate.

Nick

 

[IanT]

Money spinner perhaps, it really depends on your attitude to the car. If you like to keep on top of everything and don't want to do the work yourself, but want to stay on top of it, those prices don't look that bad. Other than the Track Rod End, which appears a bit excessive to me.

Better still, get down to Halfords, buy the big tool kit and take up DIY maintenance.

What price do you put on peace of mind?

Ian.

 

[nickiandboris]

IanT

I hear what your saying I know i need to get it down and i want to keep the car tip top shape I was just expecting it to be in better health ;-( Will need to call a decent indy in Surrey to find out how much they will do the track rod for?

If the car hasnt had MB work done in the past(indy) is their any point getting the work done by MB main dealer? I assume if its geniune MB parts thats the main thing....

 

[Rory]

Right, so I took the car down to MB Redhill and they back with the following after the 45 point check:-

Fog Light Damaged - £47.15
Rear number plate delaminated - £16.10
Wipers front - £34
Break Discs front only have 10% left, rear have 25% left - £162 pads front & rear £101.20
Oil leak from gearbox electrical plug - £97.96
Track Rod End - worn/damaged - 282.07

These prices all includes 15% parts discount(car over 6 years old)
Im not going to replace the wipers(after checking they're absolutely fine) and the rear number plate. The rest will need to be sorted, but the brake pads seem ok and i thought the onboard computer would give me a warning light if they get low(10%)??

This seems to me like a money spinning exercise?? Thought and comments please? Anyone suggest a good indy in Surrey??

The thing is, the items you can see easily - the wipers and number plate - seem OK to you. So who is to say that the rest aren't OK too?

10% on the pads is ridiculous - that's about 1mm; you'd hardly be able to see it.

By the way, MB now have a fixed price scheme for several of the items you mentioned, so the prices are a bit OTT if they include 15% off: http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...s/home/ownership/Service_and_maintenance.html

 

[grober]

The only one that pops up is the gearbox leak. Depending on the seal involved??--If the leak is bad the fluid can migrate along the wires to the Gearbox ECU with expensive results. Don't know if this is that particular seal or not? Here's a thread on one type of 5 speed box leaks Repairing Transmission Fluid Leak - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum
The track rod ends (assuming they do both which is advisable) looks expensive until you include the cost of a wheel tracking ?? which would also be advisable at the same time.
If you change the discs (fronts) you must replace the pads so it makes sense to both at the same time if needed. The rear discs will last a while yet as long as they are not too corroded/scored but a rear pad change with a caliper clean up is always a good idea on the rear brakes since they can seize up due to corrosion/underuse. With the exception of the gearbox plug and wheel tracking everything else could be done by any competent garage/ MB specialist at lower labour rates.

 

[nickiandboris]

Thanks for the link, the price's cant include the 15% off i will followup tomorrow with the dealer.

 

[raymont]

10% on the pads is ridiculous - that's about 1mm; you'd hardly be able to see it.

OP said 'Break Discs front only have 10% left, rear have 25% left - £162 pads front & rear £101.20'.

Are we talking pads, discs or both here?


Is the discount on parts or labour or both.?

From my experience 10% on parts is achievable but up to 40% on labour depending on age of car.

 

[nickiandboris]

just pads, im not sure whether the 15% is a discount on the parts + labour or just parts......but looking at the quote the discount doesnt seem to have been added.

 

[BTB 500]

M-B Guildford give 40% off labour plus 10% off parts as soon as the car is 6 years old.

 

[nickiandboris]

Hi Bill

Thanks for the info about MB Guildford will be giving them a call tomorrow then ;-)

 

[BTB 500]

Don't know where you live but M-B Basingstoke & M-B Hindhead give the same discounts (they and M-B Guildford are all part of the Tony Purslow Group). It's called the 'Platinum Plus' scheme btw ('Platinum' is for cars over 3 years old and gives the 15% off labour plus 10% off parts).

 

[Will]

40% off is a very nice offer for older cars where the owner wishes to keep the full MBSH up, but if your car doesn't have MBSH anyway then an indi is probably the way to go (especially for stuff like brake pads and a track rod end)

Not sure where abouts in Surrey you are but you've got a couple of good MB independants nearby - Olly at PCS is a forum member (BlackC55) and is very knowledgable, likewise TM Motors based in West Molesey are an excellent MB specialist.

Both offer MB-trained technicians with excellent labour rates.

Will

 

[S17MMA]

Anyone know if MB MK does this?

 

[IanT]

If the car hasnt had MB work done in the past(indy) is their any point getting the work done by MB main dealer? I assume if its geniune MB parts thats the main thing....

Yes, I wonder about this sometimes. I think it depends on the age of the car more than anything really. Very new cars, or cars with complete MB histories should probably be kept in the dealer chain as the benefits are self evident, on the goodwill repairs front at least.

Older cars, or those not serviced by MB depend on whether you've got a good indy or a good dealer nearby. Certainly some of the older cars become much less common at the dealerships so it's got to be harder for them to keep their techs trained on them when they see few.

I'm not sure what the position is on Mobilo if the history isn't full MB - does it resume when you get a service from the dealer, or is it 'broken' when you go elsewhere for the first time?

Ian.