Dryce
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- May 17, 2006
- Messages
- 10,957
- Car
- ..
Even if they aren't the MB servicing schedule combined with Assyst Plus can make it seem that way.
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Even if they aren't the MB servicing schedule combined with Assyst Plus can make it seem that way.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2005
- Messages
- 7,616
- Location
- Cheshire, UK
- Car
- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
The dealers will surely all be going bust soon anyway - mine always looked deserted even before the credit crunch.
A great way of keeping customers would be a reasonably priced monthly service plan. MB had one (ServicePlus) and the muppets stopped it.
A great way of keeping customers would be a reasonably priced monthly service plan. MB had one (ServicePlus) and the muppets stopped it.
Dryce
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- May 17, 2006
- Messages
- 10,957
- Car
- ..
I'm guessing they'll have already cut back on staff costs.
Last time I was in (6-ish months ago) I half expected to see some tumbleweed roll by and hear doors swinging in the wind.
OP
OP
MarkF
Active Member
They need to get there act together and fast, ripping people off just gives the brand a bad name and having driven these cars for over twenty years they still are simply the best for me.
I have a new Freelander before the Merc, put it in for its first service, an oil change and got a bill for £308.00, I did ask if they had used liquid gold for oil.
As for service plus, dad had a quote for this, based on his mileage of between 5 and 6K a year, the quote was way over the top, the car gets a service once a year and what they quoted was robbery.
My Ml is my pride and joy and there is no way it will every be serviced at a main dealer, I can live without mobil life, I have rescue package for £35.00, I only need recovery as for anything else just a phone call to the indi will have it fixed.
I think we will see some major changes soon, they will be forced in to it by empty workshops and to be honest even if things do change I will still keep to my indi after all I can trust them to do 100% quality job every time.
Drayton used to be very good but over the last 5 years to many new faces that only care about the company and not the customer have appeared on the scene, its a shame as they were good.
I have a new Freelander before the Merc, put it in for its first service, an oil change and got a bill for £308.00, I did ask if they had used liquid gold for oil.
As for service plus, dad had a quote for this, based on his mileage of between 5 and 6K a year, the quote was way over the top, the car gets a service once a year and what they quoted was robbery.
My Ml is my pride and joy and there is no way it will every be serviced at a main dealer, I can live without mobil life, I have rescue package for £35.00, I only need recovery as for anything else just a phone call to the indi will have it fixed.
I think we will see some major changes soon, they will be forced in to it by empty workshops and to be honest even if things do change I will still keep to my indi after all I can trust them to do 100% quality job every time.
Drayton used to be very good but over the last 5 years to many new faces that only care about the company and not the customer have appeared on the scene, its a shame as they were good.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2005
- Messages
- 7,616
- Location
- Cheshire, UK
- Car
- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
It's a bit irrelevant now as they've stopped it, but for 3-6yr old cars the original deal meant that it gave coverage basically the same as the extended warranty for the same price - the servicing became more or less free.
Latest quote from local MB dealer - I was curious since the wife's Jag just got serviced.
Jag charged me £18 per litre for engine oil which meets the spec required for my E class. MB charge £31 per litre for the SAME STUFF.
Now, my E500 needs 8 litres of oil so that's £248 towards the cost of a service before anything else is touched. Utter robbery, and the exact reason I get mine form Makro @ £23 for 4 litres.
So if we assume MB buy in bulk they probably pay around £4 a litre for it. By my reckoning that would be about an 800% markup.
I also checked their cost of front pads, supplied only. 108 of your fine english pounds Sir. Local motor factors charge £24 for Mintex pads.
At least Mr Turpin had the decency to wear a mask !!
Jag charged me £18 per litre for engine oil which meets the spec required for my E class. MB charge £31 per litre for the SAME STUFF.
Now, my E500 needs 8 litres of oil so that's £248 towards the cost of a service before anything else is touched. Utter robbery, and the exact reason I get mine form Makro @ £23 for 4 litres.
So if we assume MB buy in bulk they probably pay around £4 a litre for it. By my reckoning that would be about an 800% markup.
I also checked their cost of front pads, supplied only. 108 of your fine english pounds Sir. Local motor factors charge £24 for Mintex pads.
At least Mr Turpin had the decency to wear a mask !!
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2005
- Messages
- 27,605
- Location
- Mittel England
- Car
- Smart ForFour AMG Black Series Night Edition Premium Plus 125 Powered by Brabus
Are you sure it's £31??!!
I think it was something like £12 last time I paid a dealer for oil.
Are you sure it's £31??!!
I think it was something like £12 last time I paid a dealer for oil.
Positive. Although with my "discount card" they would do an oil and filter change for £190. Bargain.
just had a leaflet from the main dealers in Bristol - outlining reduced fixed price servicing costs. My W203 is due for a B service - they would charge £299.99 - I have already booked it in with 3 Point (an indie, much more local to me) - they will charge £199.
I would never consider leaving it at the main dealership for any mechanical work after my experiences with them so far - even if they charged less than the indie, I would still go to the indie!
I would never consider leaving it at the main dealership for any mechanical work after my experiences with them so far - even if they charged less than the indie, I would still go to the indie!
Why do people get their cars serviced at a main dealer?
talking from an owner/driver/technicians point of view
The main reasons i think are Mobilolife cover and genuine service history and trusty people.
1. Mobilolife - great if you get the benefit of a merc technician coming out to you or you get a tow truck taking you straight to the dealer and losing all your on the spot priviliges a mobilife tech would give you.
2.MD serv.history - as an owner of an 99 amg i would say really depends whether your keeping the car for good or when it comes to selling it also depends on private or trade-in sale
3.Great Independants out their
talking from an owner/driver/technicians point of view
The main reasons i think are Mobilolife cover and genuine service history and trusty people.
1. Mobilolife - great if you get the benefit of a merc technician coming out to you or you get a tow truck taking you straight to the dealer and losing all your on the spot priviliges a mobilife tech would give you.
2.MD serv.history - as an owner of an 99 amg i would say really depends whether your keeping the car for good or when it comes to selling it also depends on private or trade-in sale
3.Great Independants out their
OP
OP
MarkF
Active Member
Under the present climate, what rust warranty, let me guess that they will find some way of getting out of that one.
MB have played on the full MBSH for far to long, its not that important as long as your car has been looked after by an specialist indi with all the invoices showing genuine MB parts used, and with that one most of the MB parts are bought in and re boxed, MB dont make brake pads, but we have to pay for the nice box with the star on.
A good indi is worth his weight in gold and mine is worth tons of the stuff.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2005
- Messages
- 7,616
- Location
- Cheshire, UK
- Car
- C270CDi Estate (late 2004 facelift model) - Bought 2005, Sold 2022.
That *has* to be wrong - it's just ridiculous.
Is it actually itemised at £31/L, or does the quote include the labour cost of the oil change too?
Bear in mind that a Mercedes A service is an oil change and a few checks and the pretty standard price for that is around £250 (inc VAT). My dealer will do it for £199, still using fully synth oil.
The price my dealer charges for oil is amongst the dearest I've ever seen at £13.95/L + VAT = £16.39.
Thinking about it, MB dealers normally charge oil out in half litre units - I wonder if someone has been really stupid and multiplied the per litre price by 2 instead of dividing it by 2?? That would approx make sense.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2005
- Messages
- 27,605
- Location
- Mittel England
- Car
- Smart ForFour AMG Black Series Night Edition Premium Plus 125 Powered by Brabus
I perservered with Tamworth but was very dissappointed with the service there. Shocking in fact. Even worse when you consider it's actually operated by MBUK, not a franchisee.
Try somewhere else. You're spoilt for choice in Tamworth for MB dealers, assuming you can travel out of town. Try one of the Drayton Group dealers (Walsall, Wolverhampton, Stourbridge, Stafford*) who are happy to do a deal, or head East to Leicester, or North to Derby.
*Shrewsbury and Stoke excluded as that would be ridiculous unless you work there!!
Try somewhere else. You're spoilt for choice in Tamworth for MB dealers, assuming you can travel out of town. Try one of the Drayton Group dealers (Walsall, Wolverhampton, Stourbridge, Stafford*) who are happy to do a deal, or head East to Leicester, or North to Derby.
*Shrewsbury and Stoke excluded as that would be ridiculous unless you work there!!
