Next service Due on Holiday?

[Brian WH]

My Assyst is showing my next service as a "D" in 2963 miles. I have calculated that this is actually in 3320 miles+, might be more depending on long journeys meantime etc.

Anyway my query is when and where to do the service. If as predicted the service is due in about 3000 miles then I will be in Copenhagen on Holiday. So I have to consider my options, and require imput and comments from you wise ones to support my final decision.

Option 1 - Do service early before I go away, probably about 1000-1500 miles early?

Option 2 - Do the service in Copenhagen? have E mailed a dealer there and got the following reply.

We can make you service at your car E320 CDI in July 2005, you just have to
make a appointment with us 2 weeks before you will visit our workshop.
The service will cost you about 4312,50dkr (Approx £410). It can be more expensive if we have to make the brakes or etc.
You can rent a car for 418,75 dkr (Approx £40) for one day.
If you make a appointment with us you have give us the chassis number of
your car.
It will takes us one day to fix your car.

Option 3 - Do the service on return from Holiday. Overdue by about 1000 miles. Free loan car.
In asking my local Dealer about this he made an interesting observation to my questions. He said that the service could cost me £260 + VAT + extras, depending what the car Assyt said was due. He could tell me if I brought the car in for a reading from ECU.
He also said that the Warranty would not be affected if I went overdue a service , as because the service is variable depending on use then you were not expected to get it right all the time and over-running didn't bring a problem!! Interesting eh?

So votes and comments welcome please.

 

[peterchurch]

Phone Holand and check the prices and parts are available first but holland would be a good idea if car prices in general have anything to go by


EDIT !!!

Sorry I have just read the bit about what the dutch dealer has said sod it do it early !! at least you know the car is ready for the trip

 

[C240Sport97]

do the service in France on the way there or back

 

[Shude]

Phone Holand and check the prices and parts are available first but holland would be a good idea if car prices in general have anything to go by


EDIT !!!

Sorry I have just read the bit about what the dutch dealer has said sod it do it early !! at least you know the car is ready for the trip

What's Holland got to do with it?

 

[Flash]

I would get the service done early as I would not want to risk the warranty, and would want the car fit for the trip. If Stealer says warranty will not be affected then ask them for this in writting first.

Flash

 

[mark.t]

service

have it done first it sounds like a long trip if you are a 1000 miles over your service schedule and you need mobile life they may argue the toss,we know what MB are like

 

[pluggers]

Long trip ahead in another country,Id get it done early just for peace of mind really At least if anything needs doing it can be sooner rather than later.

 

[pammy]

early bird here too! Better safe than sorry - no matter what reassurances they might give

 

[PJH]

Option 1:- Boot it every day (even more than you do) to reduce the 'mileage to service' figure. Then service before hols.
Option 2:- Easy does (like other retired folk ) to extended the 'mileage to service' figure. Then service after hols.
Option 3:- Tell Wifey that the holiday must be postponed because the car will need servicing.

edit:- Voted Service early.

 

[grober]

As a customer abroad you are more at the mercy of the dealer. 1.are you likely to go elsewhere if they botch the service. 2. have you the time or inclination to dispute any elevated costs. 3. are you likely to return later to get any faults rectified. 4 will they get any repeat business from you in the future. As an intellectual exercise it would be interesting just to compare service in another country but without some first hand info on the dealer service quality it could be a nightmare.

 

[Will]

Early

 

[nickmann]

If anything is going to fail then I reckon it will be just after it has been in the workshop, due to mechanic error. - Nuts not tightened, things left off, bits missing or broken etc. Do you want to have the worry of some-one working on your car just before you need it for holiday?

I'd go for a late service in your case - you have a nearly-new, well-maintained car that simply will not notice a couple of weeks' extra wait for a service.

I'd vote differently if you had an old car, say 10-15 years old. In that case I would have it done 2 or 3 weeks before you went on holiday - to provide enough time for the mechanic-induced faults to make themselves apparent and for you to get them sorted.

 

[Dieselman]

I agree with Nickman. I've seen a holiday delayed because the car was serviced the day before.

Deffo do it late. With the trip you have you may probably be about 500 over so what's the problem.

 

[230K]

If anything is going to fail then I reckon it will be just after it has been in the workshop, due to mechanic error. - Nuts not tightened, things left off, bits missing or broken etc. Do you want to have the worry of some-one working on your car just before you need it for holiday?

I'd go for a late service in your case - you have a nearly-new, well-maintained car that simply will not notice a couple of weeks' extra wait for a service.

I'd vote differently if you had an old car, say 10-15 years old. In that case I would have it done 2 or 3 weeks before you went on holiday - to provide enough time for the mechanic-induced faults to make themselves apparent and for you to get them sorted.

Nickmann said it all for me without me having the bother of typing it.

230K

 

[Ian B Walker]

I voted service early. Do it at least a week before you are due to go, that way you will know that everything is tight and all nuts etc are there. I would never dream of going on holiday without haveing or doing a service beforehand.

 

[nickmann]

Yes, there comes a point where a failure is more likely to be caused by the age of the vehicle than it is by a mechanic touching it.

With respect, that is more likely to be the case on a vehicle from the early 90s. In Brian's case it is more likely to be the latter.

 

[jonm]

Early, definately

If something does go 'wrong' while you are on hols at least you know that you have done everything you could to prevent it. If while on hols I got a 'brake pad low', 'oil warning' or any one of a number of other warning thingies in red I (personally) wouldn't care how much the service would have been, I would wish I had had it done.

Thinking of a breakdonw, unlikely as it may be, the thought of arguing the toss about warranties/services at the time doesn't bare thinking about.

This is of course not mentioning the grief I would get for failing in my primary (single) duty of making sure the car was O/K when 'others' have to pack, get the kids ready etc etc etc.

On the other hand I am sure that everything will be O/K to wait until you return, there must be at least 10% margin in there or MB's would be dying like flies all over the place.

In my view the no-no would be servicing while on holiday, what a drag, enjoy yourself :bannana:

**** coverage every time....

 

[RichardM]

I'd also say do it at least a week early, mine has been stuck in the garage longer than expected a couple of times now.

 

[Brian WH]

Well the Early Vote won.

I also would normally do it early and have the car "right" for a long trip.

I am however miffed that the second service is 10k after the first was 17k. So to do it even earlier than 10k seems an unnecessary expense?

The chance I would take leaving it till I get back is that in the event of a breakdown, the Mobilo may query it being overdue??

I am going to see where we are at the start of June and decide then, as I would need to book it in two weeks before. If it is still long enough mileage I may book it in on my return. At least then in the event of trouble I can prove it is booked for a late service.

I will let you know and thanks for the imput.

 

[Dieselman]

Well the Early Vote won.

I also would normally do it early and have the car "right" for a long trip.

I am however miffed that the second service is 10k after the first was 17k. So to do it even earlier than 10k seems an unnecessary expense?

The chance I would take leaving it till I get back is that in the event of a breakdown, the Mobilo may query it being overdue??

I am going to see where we are at the start of June and decide then, as I would need to book it in two weeks before. If it is still long enough mileage I may book it in on my return. At least then in the event of trouble I can prove it is booked for a late service.

I will let you know and thanks for the imput.

You only have to have had the car serviced within the last two years to qualify for Mobilo.
Anyway 1k over is an accetable margin. You could do more than this waiting for a service slot at a dealers.