MB Service Care - what is it ?

[travelininstyle]

Hello all,

I received a leaflet through the post concerning the MB Service Care - I took umbridge with this recently,as I was told my 'Plus Three' card entitling me to a 10% discount on parts/servicing has now been withdrawn due to SC coming in;However,when I had the car serviced this Friday - I asked the dealership about SC and he said it only applied to new cars - now I am really confused - can anyone clarify where SC is applicable - is it offered to used cars like mine that is under 5 years old,or is it strictly new cars ? - I thought it was meaaly a means of spreading the cost of servicing,looking at the various tiers of servicing/monthly payments it suggests - can anyone please clarify ?

 

[Alps]

its for cars under 7 yrs old NOT inc AMG models

 

[travelininstyle]

I am sure I read that there is an initial 3 month deferment period when you first sign up - because I was advised,albeit not immediately,that I needed spark plugs,fuel and air filter changes - so I enquired if these would be covered under this scheme as serviceable items,it appears they are - therefore,I either pay £177.00 for this to be done,or wait the deferred waiting period having joined SC and have them done under that - at this point the dealership service guy went all vague on me ?

 

[chiefski26]

Mercedes-Benz UK - Owner's Area - Service Care

 

[travelininstyle]

Alps - that E55 AMG is a beautiful looking car by the way - do you have a picture gallery with other pics ?

 

[Alps]

Alps - that E55 AMG is a beautiful looking car by the way - do you have a picture gallery with other pics ?

Hi, thanks, im still working on it, just havent had time to take many snaps !

 

[crockers]

If I take my car over the next two years the rate for one service a year is £24.99 so that is a total of £600 as near as damn it.

Over that time I would anticipate
1 "A" Service at £199
1 "B" Service at £299
1 Brake Fluid change at £50
Filters at say £100

total ££650.... so it does seem both fair value and a good way of spreading the cost...

Unless I have got the Brake Fluid and Filter costs wrong....

 

[travelininstyle]

Service Care Maths

If I take my car over the next two years the rate for one service a year is £24.99 so that is a total of £600 as near as damn it.

Over that time I would anticipate
1 "A" Service at £199
1 "B" Service at £299
1 Brake Fluid change at £50
Filters at say £100

total ££650.... so it does seem both fair value and a good way of spreading the cost...

Unless I have got the Brake Fluid and Filter costs wrong....

Yes Crockers,I did the same maths,my only reservations are that it has some longevity this time,not like some of their schemes - I think also that under the current difficult economic climate,dealers are having to work harder and be more flexible to attract service business - I am sure when normal economic conditions return,they may not be so accommodating.

 

[Colin_b]

Interesting. My SLK will be 3 years old in a few months, I was kind of wondering what to do about servicing once the warranty had ended. I'd assumed that I'd just keep taking to the dealer for its annual service - which so far has been cheaper than I's expected.

So is there a catch in this, or is it just good value?

 

[travelininstyle]

Colin,I think for you this is a no-brainer - I think it does represent value for money and its a way of predicting running costs and spreads the payment.There are many people who knock MB for things like this,but for heaven's sake,they cannot run the business at a loss and I think if not over generous,it is certainly fair.Personally,I am happy to keep taking my car to a main dealer for now and I shop around to get the best quotes for none service items/work - they are accountable and we are not all that lucky to have an great indie like Ollie at Portsmouth.Of course after 5 years plus,the maths do not always stack up.

 

[Rory]

So is there a catch in this, or is it just good value?

BMW's scheme, if you take it from new, is 5yrs/60K miles servicing for £350 for a 5 Series which shows how cheaply these things can be done.

MB hope their pricing will keep people in the network rather than going to indies, and the dealers will hope to "upsell" things like a/c servicing and to get additiional work such as pad & disk changes. You're particularly vulnerable to that if you let them do the MOT.

My experience with MB ServicePlus is that the dealer does the bare minimum work and it's not easy with the MB servicing system to figure out what needs doing and when.

 

[markjay]

...My experience with MB ServicePlus is that the dealer does the bare minimum work and it's not easy with the MB servicing system to figure out what needs doing and when.

Interesting... there are a few little known service items that are only noticeable to those reading the service book carefully. From memory, this is the list for my petrol car - including the obvious ones...

Oil filter (my dealer used the cheap paper element and not the microfibre type - so I can benefit from extended service intervals in spite of having the 229.5 oil ).

Air Filter - should be replaced every 60k/4years - which I think is madness and I already changed it myself anyway, I think once a year is more like it... (my dealer last serviced my car when it was 3.5 yaers old and replied to my question that the air filter is 'not due')

Cabin Filter - should be changed every 30k/2years - just changed it myself (again, same story, car was 3.5 years old and the service adviser said it was 'not due'...? do these people actually read the service books printed by MB?)

Coolant renewal - 155k/15years.... strange, I never had a car like that before... used to do this every year. Not sure what to say...

Break fluid renewal - 2years (the dealer recommended this when I had the discs/pads done and I accepted as I think it is a good thing to do...).

Spark Plugs replaced - 50k/4years

Automatic transmission oil change - 40k

Fuel line charcoal canister - the things lives under the rear wheelarch and according to Haynes should be replaced every 2 years, I have never seen a dealer do that though...

 

[Rory]

...so what has happened each time I've taken my car in is that the Service Advisor has regaled me with great lists of things that need to be done, including ATF and coolant change, A/C service, poly v-belt check etc.

Then they ask how I'll be paying, and visibily slump when I say "ServicePlus".

Then, when I pick the car up, I get told "the technician found that the car only needed an oil & filter change and the horn beeping".

Now, I wonder what would have happened if I'd been a cash paying customer?

That's the great benefit of these plans, whether they're good value or not, they protect you from being ripped off by the dealership, and they make it possible to take your car to an MB dealership without feeling sick in the pit of your stomach.

 

[crockers]

I think this can depend on your dealer. MB Swindon haven't padded the bill often telling me that this or that can wait until next time. Once when the indicator tripped from an A to a B service between booking in and having service done. They said an A is fine.

Does Service care cover ATF changes at prescribed mileage?

 

[Rory]

Does Service care cover ATF changes at prescribed mileage?

It's not mentioned in the list of things included, but it really ought to be included if it's called for.

I've got a feeling they've dropped the routine change again now? This was one thing that annoyed me with ServicePlus - the dealer insisted it was really important but the bulletin to start doing the change didn't start until a couple of thousand VIN numbers after mine, so MB wouldn't pay for it.

 

[FF99]

I was wondering whether in this competitive age, dealers are willing to discount the 'fixed price' services. In a thread somewhere (here / elsewhere ?) someone described getting competitve quotes from MB delaers to fit a satnav, and playing one off against the other to get the best deal. Would that work with routine servicing ?

As a follow on, living in W London, can I reasonably expect any of the N London dealers to pick up / drop off the car if serviced on the fixed price services ? Is anyone hungry enough for that ??

 

[markjay]

I was wondering whether in this competitive age, dealers are willing to discount the 'fixed price' services. In a thread somewhere (here / elsewhere ?) someone described getting competitve quotes from MB delaers to fit a satnav, and playing one off against the other to get the best deal. Would that work with routine servicing ?

As a follow on, living in W London, can I reasonably expect any of the N London dealers to pick up / drop off the car if serviced on the fixed price services ? Is anyone hungry enough for that ??

MB Temple Fortune (N. London) did an A-Service for my W203 C180K for fixed price ('including 15% of RRP') for £260.00

Same Service at Park Royale (W. London) has been advertised as only £210.00... and I now have a further 10% discount voucher for Park Royale which I did not have at the time. I know where I am going for my next (B) Service....

 

[FF99]

MB Temple Fortune (N. London) did an A-Service for my W203 C180K for fixed price ('including 15% of RRP') for £260.00

Same Service at Park Royale (W. London) has been advertised as only £210.00... and I now have a further 10% discount voucher for Park Royale which I did not have at the time. I know where I am going for my next (B) Service....

The Sytner published price for a W203 A service is £200 inc VAT. Admittedly there is no Sytner franchise in N. London but £260 seems well out of order. The discrepacy in the prices you mention is also quite odd as Colindale and Park Royal are part of the same franchise, but it is notable that neither quotes their fixed prices online.

Out of interest how did you qualify for 10% off the Park Royal price ?

Do any of them offer a collection / delivery service ?

 

[Alps]

MK do a price match, too far for me, but i thought that was good.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I was wondering whether in this competitive age, dealers are willing to discount the 'fixed price' services. In a thread somewhere (here / elsewhere ?) someone described getting competitve quotes from MB delaers to fit a satnav, and playing one off against the other to get the best deal. Would that work with routine servicing ?

Definitely. I always do it - variation between dealers 'first' price is significant, and some are more willing to discount. Outcome is a big difference in price if you don't mind calling, and being flexible on location.