Mercedes Service Plan

[R2D2]

I recently was at my not very local main dealer when the service desk guy said did I know about their service plan. I asked him to explain the benefits and he showed me that my next two services would cost 1100 but if I took out the plan it would cost only 732. I went away to think about it but decided it was a no Brainer and emailed to say I wanted to take out the plan. To cut a long story short someone brought the contract to my house tonight in order to get my signature. I thought that was either very good service or its the end of the financial year Is anyone else on the service plan?

 

[GrahamC230K]

£1100

 

[Richak]

I've got one too - pay £26pm for my W204. Got it just before it needed a B service. Seemed like a good deal at the time as I wanted to use my local MB dealer that I rate highly

 

[R2D2]

I've got one too - pay £26pm for my W204. Got it just before it needed a B service. Seemed like a good deal at the time as I wanted to use my local MB dealer that I rate highly

Mine is 61pm over 12months. When it finishes I'll take out a 36 month one.

 

[Aletank]

What happened to the Ex MB guy you use to use, think he was mobile ?

 

[R2D2]

What happened to the Ex MB guy you use to use, think he was mobile ?

He still services the car but this one he does at work because it's a younger car with more to go wrong.

 

[C63]

I had that on my previous car C350 W204, £62pm. I took it because a dealer quoted £900+ for a B service. I was so crossed, called MB cust service to complain and they directed me to the service plan.

 

[Rory]

You have to wonder what's going on here. Why are the dealers (mosty not owned by MB of course) so incredibly keen to sell MB's service plan?

Why don't the dealers just offer reasonably priced servicing themselves?

 

[R2D2]

I had that on my previous car C350 W204, £62pm. I took it because a dealer quoted £900+ for a B service. I was so crossed, called MB cust service to complain and they directed me to the service plan.

Hmm why are C350 B services so dear?

You have to wonder what's going on here. Why are the dealers (mosty not owned by MB of course) so incredibly keen to sell MB's service plan?

Why don't the dealers just offer reasonably priced servicing themselves?

It does seem strange that it's nearly £400 cheaper to pay monthly. But hey its cheaper!

 

[davidjpowell]

Then their is the "value' service at£150 for older cars that to me reads very close to a 'b' service.

 

[Dryce]

You have to wonder what's going on here. Why are the dealers (mosty not owned by MB of course) so incredibly keen to sell MB's service plan?

Why don't the dealers just offer reasonably priced servicing themselves?

Perhaps the sales dept gets a small extra margin on them - whereas it wouldn't otherwise see anything from the service revenue. The service department's perspective on this might be different as it caps what they can make from the customer OTOH it makes it more likely the customer will come back.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

I took it out on my new car as it was £40 a month.

J.

 

[moff]

I took it out on my new car as it was £40 a month.

J.

How longs your lease for?

Mines for 2 years and since I am contracted for 12000 miles and the car's service intervals are 12500 miles I didn't see the point as should only need one service.

 

[The _Don]

How longs your lease for?

Mines for 2 years and since I am contracted for 12000 miles and the car's service intervals are 12500 miles I didn't see the point as should only need one service.

The car requires a service at 15,500 miles or every year.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I took out a 4-year Service Plan at the beginning of February this year. It's £27 per month. The first service was due at the end of last month so I had to pay 3 months up front (£81) to comply with the T&Cs that say min 3 months payment before a service is due.

R2D2 and I have the same engine (6 pot 3.5 litre petrol - ie the best one!) so our service costs would be the same. The fixed price servicing that is shown in a booklet I was given by my dealer says:

Minor Service £269.00. Major Service £369 (no matter which younger C-Class - but interestingly they're now charging an extra £20 on each service for their "Drive or Collect Package" that includes use of a courtesy car or collection and delivery, I don't know if this is covered by the Service Plan but they ferry me back and forth so I don't need it).

It's the "Additional Operations" that really add to this. So for the 350 engine the extras are:
2nd Service: Brake fluid £59
3rd Service: ATF & filter: £251
4th Service: Brake fluid £59, Spark Plugs £175

So over 4 years that's a total of £1820. My Service Plan works out at £1296, so a big saving. An even bigger saving when you assume that service charges will be going up over the next four years! (The savings are slightly less for 4-cyl cars, but still worth it.) I haven't looked into what the advantages are for high mileage users because I don't fit into that category.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

How longs your lease for?

Mines for 2 years and since I am contracted for 12000 miles and the car's service intervals are 12500 miles I didn't see the point as should only need one service.

I am planning on keeping it for 3 years, as it needs a service every year, I thought I would break even at worst (if I change after 2 years) or save a third in servicing if I keep it for the 3.

J.

 

[moff]

I am planning on keeping it for 3 years, as it needs a service every year, I thought I would break even at worst (if I change after 2 years) or save a third in servicing if I keep it for the 3.

J.

Makes sense!

Good new is that they will give you a refund if you don't use a service which they are doing for me.

 

[Rory]

Perhaps the sales dept gets a small extra margin on them - whereas it wouldn't otherwise see anything from the service revenue. The service department's perspective on this might be different as it caps what they can make from the customer OTOH it makes it more likely the customer will come back.

That would make perfect sense - except that it's the service department who seem to push the ServicePlan. And that was the case this time as the OP has written.


When my car was on the old ServicePlus scheme the dealer would never give me copies of the invoices that they sent to MB. Then when the scheme finished and my cover ran out, they printed them all off for me. Everything, parts, oil and labour was typically half the price you'd normally expect to pay.

So, on the face if it, the service departments are doing themselves out of money.

 

[R2D2]

I took out a 4-year Service Plan at the beginning of February this year. It's £27 per month. The first service was due at the end of last month so I had to pay 3 months up front (£81) to comply with the T&Cs that say min 3 months payment before a service is due.

R2D2 and I have the same engine (6 pot 3.5 litre petrol - ie the best one!) so our service costs would be the same. The fixed price servicing that is shown in a booklet I was given by my dealer says:

Minor Service £269.00. Major Service £369 (no matter which younger C-Class - but interestingly they're now charging an extra £20 on each service for their "Drive or Collect Package" that includes use of a courtesy car or collection and delivery, I don't know if this is covered by the Service Plan but they ferry me back and forth so I don't need it).

It's the "Additional Operations" that really add to this. So for the 350 engine the extras are:
2nd Service: Brake fluid £59
3rd Service: ATF & filter: £251
4th Service: Brake fluid £59, Spark Plugs £175

So over 4 years that's a total of £1820. My Service Plan works out at £1296, so a big saving. An even bigger saving when you assume that service charges will be going up over the next four years! (The savings are slightly less for 4-cyl cars, but still worth it.) I haven't looked into what the advantages are for high mileage users because I don't fit into that category.

When they quoted me they looked on the computer at its full service history todate and then costed all the items that would need doing in the next two services, hence their alarming £1100 quote. I think my dealer is a dear one at the best of times though. Still £62 pm sounds a lot better than £1100!

 

[wemorgan]

So, on the face if it, the service departments are doing themselves out of money.

It does keep the customer within the main dealer network for the duration of the service plan.

When I have a car outside of warranty I use an indi rather than a main dealer.
+£100/hr is not VFM