Skd884
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2017
- Messages
- 4,154
- Car
- i3
Every time you service a car at Mb you receive that, regardless of whether or not one has a service plan.
Need help deciding if a Service Plan is worth it.
- Thread starter xreyuk
- Start date
Every time you service a car at Mb you receive that, regardless of whether or not one has a service plan.
silver1011
Active Member
I was at this decision a few months ago.
After calculating the annual cost of a Mercedes-Benz service plan compared to a very well respected independent, the independent worked out cheaper for me, on my current mileage.
Horses for courses, whether you're paying as you go, or entering into a service plan you're still paying those main dealer labour rates.
It has to be said, the standard of service I received from Mercedes-Benz of Teeside was exemplary, but as good as it was I wasn't prepared to pay their prices when the level of service I got a few miles up the road was just as good albeit without the wifi, glass showroom, posh coffee and manicured reception staff.
After calculating the annual cost of a Mercedes-Benz service plan compared to a very well respected independent, the independent worked out cheaper for me, on my current mileage.
Horses for courses, whether you're paying as you go, or entering into a service plan you're still paying those main dealer labour rates.
It has to be said, the standard of service I received from Mercedes-Benz of Teeside was exemplary, but as good as it was I wasn't prepared to pay their prices when the level of service I got a few miles up the road was just as good albeit without the wifi, glass showroom, posh coffee and manicured reception staff.
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2019
- Messages
- 2,429
- Location
- Cardiff / London
- Car
- 2x E350 CDI Sport W212s, Golf Mk4 V5.
It's difficult to justify on a car over 5+ years old if you don't get a gearbox service.
I'm thinking of stopping mine (£39pm); for the current B service @ 137k miles, due in a about 10 days, they're told me they're only going to do the oil and oil filter and look around and give me a report...
Even though the car hasn't had filters and brake fluids changed in ages, they just go off what the ESS says like robots, instead of actually LOOKING at the history and deciding what's required. What's weird is that in the past, the filters have been changed more regularly according to the service sheets, so I thought I'd be due getting brake fluid, air filters, fuel filter, and cabin filters changed and following the past schedule.
MB seem to think it's okay that air filters aren't changed for 50,000 miles - I opened them up and have had to clean them out a few times as they're so bad. I'm quite sure that the cabin filter was not really changed in late 2017 as the state of it when I looked at it in early 2019 and cleaned it recently, was truly shocking.
When I started the service plan, I was told a gearbox service would be included (by clueless staff members), but it turns out they were wrong. So the value for me has plummeted.
So, this year I've paid £468 for a £12 oil filter, about £40 of oil, and a guy to look around under my car with a torch for about few minutes. And those are prices *I* could get the genuine MB parts for. Great!
Yes you get mobilo, but be aware they will only take you to a MB dealer so be prepared to pay MB prices. I am also going to get a hire car off them for the day too, but I'd personally rather is was simply cheaper - or do the actual servicing the car needs. Hopefully the experience will be 'nice' at least, and I'm taking it to brooklands.
I think the real question is - how old is your car, what's it worth, and does keeping a full MB dealer service history actually add value to the car?
One caveat is that if it includes a gearbox service, then it's definitely worth it.
Sorry, rant/steam of consciousness over!
I'm thinking of stopping mine (£39pm); for the current B service @ 137k miles, due in a about 10 days, they're told me they're only going to do the oil and oil filter and look around and give me a report...
Even though the car hasn't had filters and brake fluids changed in ages, they just go off what the ESS says like robots, instead of actually LOOKING at the history and deciding what's required. What's weird is that in the past, the filters have been changed more regularly according to the service sheets, so I thought I'd be due getting brake fluid, air filters, fuel filter, and cabin filters changed and following the past schedule.
MB seem to think it's okay that air filters aren't changed for 50,000 miles - I opened them up and have had to clean them out a few times as they're so bad. I'm quite sure that the cabin filter was not really changed in late 2017 as the state of it when I looked at it in early 2019 and cleaned it recently, was truly shocking.
When I started the service plan, I was told a gearbox service would be included (by clueless staff members), but it turns out they were wrong. So the value for me has plummeted.
So, this year I've paid £468 for a £12 oil filter, about £40 of oil, and a guy to look around under my car with a torch for about few minutes. And those are prices *I* could get the genuine MB parts for. Great!
Yes you get mobilo, but be aware they will only take you to a MB dealer so be prepared to pay MB prices. I am also going to get a hire car off them for the day too, but I'd personally rather is was simply cheaper - or do the actual servicing the car needs. Hopefully the experience will be 'nice' at least, and I'm taking it to brooklands.
I think the real question is - how old is your car, what's it worth, and does keeping a full MB dealer service history actually add value to the car?
One caveat is that if it includes a gearbox service, then it's definitely worth it.
Sorry, rant/steam of consciousness over!
D
Deleted member 149005
Guest
If nothing else, these type of threads suggest:
- MB don’t do a very good job of marketing service plans in a clear concise way
- too many MB dealers don’t understand them
- MB customer care is way off what customers expect, irrespective of MB being a (past) premium brand.
- MB don’t do a very good job of marketing service plans in a clear concise way
- too many MB dealers don’t understand them
- MB customer care is way off what customers expect, irrespective of MB being a (past) premium brand.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2005
- Messages
- 7,612
- Location
- Cheshire, UK
- Car
- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
I had that trouble with the old ServicePlus scheme - the dealer said they only get paid by MB to do what's on the ESS. I was assured mine would need an ATF change - until they came to do it, and it wasn't on the ESS so they wouldn't do it. It also became apparent that in 6 years the car had never had its air filter changed.
ATF used to be a on-off change - does it now come up on a repeating basis?
