Mercedes Service needed

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Mwr

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Oxford
Car
W204 C250
First Post
I have a 13 Plate W204 C250 and I need a service as its about to hit 80k miles and I got it on around 69K (got a quick oil change done when I bought it )
According to mercedez I need a B service which I agree on but they're quoting me £963 which I I sure a couple of months was about £600 for full service and transmission service .

I find it very steep and was wondering whether to go to a normal garage and get it done from their (not MB Approved ) or go to somewhere like halfors where a full service is £280 ? And then to just get transmission service done at MB for £354?

Any advice would be appreciated based in Oxford
 
Welcome.

Do you have the car's service history?

Your car will have the 7G-Tronic+ transmission (aka '7g+'), with ATF and filter change due every 5 years or 77,500 miles.

So the ATF was due in 2018, and will be due again in 2023.

Unless it was skipped in 2018 and is now flagged up again because the car reached 77,500 miles?
 
In essence the cheapest way of getting the biggie services done is via the MB Service Care Plan. However, the potential difficulty is that the plan only covers services when they are due, but not any 'catch-up' items - so you won't be able to get it to cover any items that were due previously but were skipped by previous owners.

So unless you have the car's full service history and can confirm that it is all up to date with the manufacturer's schedule, an MB Service Care Plan might not be useful to you.

In this case, just find a good independent specialist in the Oxford area and let them do what's needed. Try to find one that has access to the MB Digital Service Book (DSB) and can update the service record as well.
 
And last, see also:

 
I appreciate that you suggest MB for the ATF change; whatever you do, be aware that the 7g+ gearbox uses a different fluid to the earlier 7g box. MB garages and MB specialists would know that, many other garages wouldn't. I'd use a decent specialist. At 8-years you're probably looking at air, fuel, pollen filters, plugs (if petrol), brake fluid in addition to the usual oil/filter.
 
You should be able to have engine service plus gearbox at an indie for £400 , £450.

Don't pay mb prices.
 
Sorry guys , I meant to say it's about to hit 70K
Full service history changed oil and oil filter on or around 60K or 62K at a standard garage.
Looking at service history before it's been having a short service every year with a full service (oil filter ,pollen filter ,fuel filter done on 42k) and 3 mercedes services for the first 3 years .

So it has been well looked after and i just want to maintain it.

I was looking at inchscape mercedes and frankly they are a rip off .

Would I still need a transmission service or would I be ok with just a standard service ?

Appreciate all the help people!! will most likely try to find a specialist MB garage
 
Defo get the transmission service, for goodness sake DO NOT go near Halfrauds ! they accept no responsibility for errors or damage, and their technicians are dragged in off the street. A mate spent years trying to get them to pay for a classic Mini after they'd used a trolley jack under the centre of the sill and bent the whole car. PS WELCOME.
 
Find a local MB specialist. Based on the age, mileage and service due, they will work out what needs to be done and it will be much cheaper than going to MB dealership.

Still, if you have documented service history, there is no harm in taking that along with you so that the Specialist can confirm what has been done and what needs to be done.
 
Would I still need a transmission service or would I be ok with just a standard service ?

It doesn't quite work like that....

This is what the car should have had done so dar:

2014 - Service A

2015 - Service B (inc. cabin filter), brake fluid change

2016 - Service A, pano roof lubrication (if fitted)

2017 - Service B (inc. cabin filter), brake fluid change, spark plug change (if petrol), air filter change, fuel filter change (if Diesel)

2018 - Service A, ATF and filter change

2019 - Service B (inc. cabin filter), brake fluid change, pano roof lubrication (if fitted)

2020 - Service A

So what the car should have next is this:

2021 - Service B (inc. cabin filter), brake fluid change, spark plug change (if petrol), air filter change, fuel filter change (if Diesel)

2022 - Service A, ATF and filter change, pano roof lubrication (if fitted)

If you are unsure whether the ATF was actually done in 2018, then get it done with the 2021 service, then (obviously) skip it next year.

Also, the main difference between Service A inspection and Service B inspection is the number of items that are being checked - so make sure you take the car to a dealer or specialist who will know exactly what needs to be inspected in a Service B.

As for an MB Service Care Plan... it will probably be by far the cheapest way to get these items done, but the dealer won't change the ATF until next year when it's officially due.

If you opt for a 3-service plan for example (B-A-B), you will pay £38 per month over 36 months, which means that each of the 3 services will cost you exactly £456 - that's exceptionally good value for the 2021 and 2022 services, even when comparing to specialist prices.
 
Last edited:
Aha right .
I will ring the dealer tomorrow once I have got all the paperwork and see if I can get a service plan for a good price and they they do is require or if not I will look for a specialist.
Will keep updated
You have been very helpful and it is much appreciated!
Not as confused as before now haha
 
I found my MB specialist on the Bookmygarage website. When I spoke to them, it turned out that he used to work at my local MB dealer that I had been using. He has the Star machine and the same equipment as the dealer and updates the digital history. Gives me detailed paperwork as well that MB never did. It was around £110 for an A service on an 18 reg C250d (about 6 cars ago) and the dealer wanted £350. His B service was under £300 but I didnt keep that car long enough to need one. I will be back to him as soon as I need a service
 
He want based around Oxford by any chance ? Lol
Seems like a great price
 
Also, Service ASSYST in your instrument cluster menu will show when the next service is due, and what items will need to be done, e.g. 'Service B7 in 300 days' etc.

'B' means Service B, and the number '7' is a code for the list of items that need to be done.

That said, from what you described, the car wasn't serviced by a specialist, instead just had the occasional oil and filters changes? If so, then the garage might not have reset the service indicator correctly, which means that the reading won't be reliable.
 
He want based around Oxford by any chance ? Lol
Seems like a great price

If you buy an MB Service Care Plan, the finance deal is with MB UK, and you can present the car to any MB dealer anywhere in the UK. The plan is linked to your car, not to any particular dealer.

See also:

 
^ +1 for Ian at Star Motors in Caversham.
 

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