Service price shock!

[Bungoblob]

Hi all,

Wonder if you can help me. My car, a W203 320 CDi is due for a service. The indicator changed from approx. 9000 miles to go to 'service due in 21 day's a couple of weeks ago, so I assume it is 'Due Date' now. It is asking for a 'B' service. The car was registered in March 2007, and has done 38k. So I called my local dealer, MB of Giffnock, Glasgow, and imagine my shock when they came back with a price if £900! The receptionist then said they would give a 20% discount, but this still seems excessive. She explained that part of the cost us the the auto fluid needs changed at 38k, but I don't buy this, as surely then my service I dictator would have been counting down to this milage a few months ago?

Anyone any thoughts? And can anyone recommend a good independent???

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Burger]

Had a similar shock earlier this year with my 2007 SL... over £1000. The reason being it's a B service plus other items at 4 years old. If I remember correctly, fuel filter, brake fluid, air filter and spark plugs (12 of them). I had a quote from a well respected and trusted independent and they will still around £700. So it seems, if it's the same for your car, that it's the 4 years that's the killer.

20% discount (in other words, VAT free) seems reasonable to me.

Regards,

 

[corned]

The service indicator counts down mileage and also time. A bit like a taxi fare meter. I take it you don't do a lot of miles?

You can work out for yourself what needs doing. Have a look in the 'favourites' sub-forum for the 'ESS' link. This is an online service schedule producer. You can put in your own car details and see what will need doing at the service. Then you can phone around an indie or two and see how they price it for you.

38k is about right for a gearbox fluid/filter replacement, by the way.

Edit: 20% discount is a bit more than VAT-free. 20% reduction off a gross figure is greater than 20% addition on a net figure!

 

[Burger]

Edit: 20% discount is a bit more than VAT-free. 20% reduction off a gross figure is greater than 20% addition on a net figure!

Never known a dealership give a price that didn't already include VAT.

 

[corned]

Exactly! Which is why 20% is greater than the amount of VAT charged.

 

[Burger]

Exactly! Which is why 20% is greater than the amount of VAT charged.

My God, you're right! Well done.

 

[219]

Hi all,

Wonder if you can help me. My car, a W203 320 CDi is due for a service. The indicator changed from approx. 9000 miles to go to 'service due in 21 day's a couple of weeks ago, so I assume it is 'Due Date' now. It is asking for a 'B' service. The car was registered in March 2007, and has done 38k. So I called my local dealer, MB of Giffnock, Glasgow, and imagine my shock when they came back with a price if £900! The receptionist then said they would give a 20% discount, but this still seems excessive. She explained that part of the cost us the the auto fluid needs changed at 38k, but I don't buy this, as surely then my service I dictator would have been counting down to this milage a few months ago?

Anyone any thoughts? And can anyone recommend a good independent???

Cheers,

Tom

I am not sure exactly where you are , but there are half a dozen 'Indys' around the Glasgow area .

These include , in no particular order

Glen Henderson in Heathfield Rd Ayr ( GH is a former main dealer and remains an authorised MB service centre ) .

Merparts in Ashgrove Lane , Port Glasgow

HK Autotek in Stevenston

There is a specialist in Govan , I can't remember the name , but others have reccomended them in the past and I am sure someone will come along soon .

Ditto another specialist in Clydebank area ( I think *** has used this one and the Govan one )

Carluke MOT centre ( I may have the name slightly wrong ) is another MB specialist .

Another member mentioned a new specialist recently opened in Ayr .

I have used the first three on my list and received good service , I can't comment on the rest from personal experience . I'm sure you will find them in the phone book or on the web and be able to ring round for prices .

 

[kamalpatel12448]

On a W204 the ATF is every 3 years or 37k I believe so mine was just done. Wondering why it is different on the W203. Dealers have discounts for cars over 3 years old, 10% on Parts and 20% on labour I believe. I had an A0 + 3 Year extras and it was approx half what is being discussed here. I looked at the list of bits and labour and to be fair I don't feel I've been ripped off at all - this was MB Brooklands BTW. I know prices vary between dealers so shopping around will help, but a trusted Indy can't be beaten.

 

[Dryce]

The car was registered in March 2007, and has done 38k. So I called my local dealer, MB of Giffnock, Glasgow, and imagine my shock when they came back with a price if £900! The receptionist then said they would give a 20% discount, but this still seems excessive. She explained that part of the cost us the the auto fluid needs changed at 38k, but I don't buy this, as surely then my service I dictator would have been counting down to this milage a few months ago?

The ATF change milage is independent of servicing. Typically a dealer will offer to do it if you a have a service a few '000 miles before or a service after this mileage.

Your car has also hit the 4 year mark as well. There may be extras required at that stage.

There are several established indys in Glasgow.

There's O'Neill's in Carntyne Industrial Estate. And also one in Ibrox Business Park.

Further afield Merparts in Port Glasgow gets consistent recommendations.

 

[219]

The ATF change milage is independent of servicing. Typically a dealer will offer to do it if you a have a service a few '000 miles before or a service after this mileage.

Your car has also hit the 4 year mark as well. There may be extras required at that stage.

There are several established indys in Glasgow.

........ one in Ibrox Business Park.

Further afield Merparts in Port Glasgow gets consistent recommendations.

The Ibrox one was the one I meant when I mentioned Govan - still not sure of the name though .

 

[rf065]

Euromarque Automotive are a lot cheaper than MB if you are near East Kilbride. My last B service was done there.

Russ

 

[redspecial2000]

My w204 is booked into Merparts in August for a 4 year B Service and I certainly won't be paying that much!

Give them a buzz, they are busy, but they are busy for a very good reason...

 

[Dryce]

The Ibrox one was the one I meant when I mentioned Govan - still not sure of the name though .

It's the one that trades under more than one name. "Mercedes Car Specialists" or "BMW Car Specialists".

My neighbours used them for BMW servicing and are happy enough to go back to them.

We've been using TJ O'Neill for both our cars for the last 3 years and I'm more than happy to point people in their direction. (Though the location and setup is a bit of a culture shock compared with the shiny metal and tinted glass of MB in Glasgow! But that's not the point.)

 

[Privatedoc]

me too, fell out with glasgow MB as a complete bunch of chancers now they have the 'cartel' interestingly enough when it was ian philp MB it was great, now its just another stratstone money vacuum , did use edinburgh MB but a recent (4 yr) w203 service has just cost over 800 squid and a similar service on the mrs' car (A160) cdi over £500 (at only 23k miles!)

will be using Glen Henderson as pretty close to new house in future.

ps ian philp himself uses Glen Henderson!