Servicing at Mercedes or Halfords?

[Deletedmember130310]

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many thanks. Not entirely educated on their service plan so will look into this more.

the key point to remember is that a service plan includes everything that is due - a quote for an individual service invariably doesn't, with items like brake fluid change, air / pollen filter change, gearbox fluid change, new plugs all charged ON TOP of the initial quote...Plans can be set up online but if you have time it is better to visit your dealer and talk to the service manager. If he is "too busy" to see you, that gives you an insight to their customer service mentality and you may wish to consider a different dealer...

 

[Ted]

I know it may be a different department, but this is how Halfords supplied my grandson’s new bike.
They then tried to justify it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y12bSn3iGy4uhpQx8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/saVnCziAZUjPt4Zy5

 

[DSM10000]

Another question which I don’t think has been covered, is the car on finance with Mercedes or is it owned/on finance elsewhere?

Mb finance you’ll find there’s stipulations to have the car serviced at Mercedes. With Mb warranty, I think it’s covered as long as parts are genuine and fitted by a vat registered place. Mb warranty and Mb finance are different for rules

Is that correct?

I was lead to believe that under EU Block Exemption law it is considered anti competitive to try to insist on manufacturer only servicing, as you state as long as MB approved parts are used and fitted by a VAT registered garage then there can be no other stipulation?

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Is that correct?

I was lead to believe that under EU Block Exemption law it is considered anti competitive to try to insist on manufacturer only servicing, as you state as long as MB approved parts are used and fitted by a VAT registered garage then there can be no other stipulation?

Last time I looked into this and into someone’s paperwork/agreement, the term was serviced by a ‘Mercedes approved garage’ and there was a link to show some which I didn’t see

 

[chrisk2010]

It's definitely worth doing - I do something similar with my cheap daily runner. However, since you're covering most things yourself I don't see the need to spend £350 each year on a main dealer service plan.

To be honest though in my first year of ownership they serviced the transmission and done a B service which i was getting quotes of £500 - 600 for plus VAT and last year they change every filter and fluid and spark plug on the car, plus if they honour the rust warranty under the service plan it's more than paid for itself in two years. so the car has already had more than £1000's worth of Mercedes parts fitted for the £350 a year.


He puts used engine oil in his car ???

Yes the oil is still good to use and it's just a cheap little run around to do the shopping I gave it to my sister when I bought the Merc, he isn't a car person and if the pound shop sold oil and filters he would put them on lol.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Dealer would have sent you car straight to auction at 9 years old so no need to check servicing all the money was in your purchase.

Try that with a 3-5 year old car and the experience would be different.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

Years 1-3 dealer service.
years 3 onwards it doesn't really matter for trade in.

That's what I have found over the last couple of decades.

Different for exotic stuff.

 

[Adi101]

the key point to remember is that a service plan includes everything that is due - a quote for an individual service invariably doesn't, with items like brake fluid change, air / pollen filter change, gearbox fluid change, new plugs all charged ON TOP of the initial quote...Plans can be set up online but if you have time it is better to visit your dealer and talk to the service manager. If he is "too busy" to see you, that gives you an insight to their customer service mentality and you may wish to consider a different dealer...

Sorry if this seems repetitive, so basically with the monthly payments for the service plan if I need new spark plugs or need my brakes bled and oil replaced or whatever that is all covered at no extra cost? And I’ve read that people say it’s best to get the B-A-B-service so that means this year will be the B service (due now) then next year will be a smaller service (A) and then the third year will be another major service (B). Many thanks for your help

 

[DSM10000]

Sorry if this seems repetitive, so basically with the monthly payments for the service plan if I need new spark plugs or need my brakes bled and oil replaced or whatever that is all covered at no extra cost? And I’ve read that people say it’s best to get the B-A-B-service so that means this year will be the B service (due now) then next year will be a smaller service (A) and then the third year will be another major service (B). Many thanks for your help

Get a quote from Mercedes and get them to list in print what the plan covers and what are considered extra cost items if any.

It does not run Minor / Major /Minor etc, each service has additional items due to age not only mileage so one B service may be more expensive than another depending on age and re-placement schedules.

 

[Scott_F]

Yes the oil is still good to use and it's just a cheap little run around to do the shopping I gave it to my sister when I bought the Merc, he isn't a car person and if the pound shop sold oil and filters he would put them on lol.

Used engine oil is NEVER good to use !

I would no more put used oil from another car into my engine than I would put on a pair of soiled underpants that were lying in the gutter !!

 

[Adi101]

Get a quote from Mercedes and get them to list in print what the plan covers and what are considered extra cost items if any.

It does not run Minor / Major /Minor etc, each service has additional items due to age not only mileage so one B service may be more expensive than another depending on age and re-placement schedules.

Ah right. I understand makes sense that at different years throughout the cars life different things would need to be replaced

 

[Deletedmember130310]

Sorry if this seems repetitive, so basically with the monthly payments for the service plan if I need new spark plugs or need my brakes bled and oil replaced or whatever that is all covered at no extra cost? And I’ve read that people say it’s best to get the B-A-B-service so that means this year will be the B service (due now) then next year will be a smaller service (A) and then the third year will be another major service (B). Many thanks for your help

correct - the price you see is what you pay. no extras, for servicing, under the plan

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I once had a colleague who ran a Toyota Avensis for business and simply thought that the annual MOT was all that the car would need in terms of maintenance, 5 years later his alternator went on the M25 North right in the roadworks.
The resultant traffic jam made it onto the radio 2 Friday tea time traffic report.

He made several panicky calls to me that afternoon, I nearly wet myself.

 

[Adi101]

correct - the price you see is what you pay. no extras, for servicing, under the plan

Ahh right. So that seems to be the better option in the long run to get a service plan. Many thanks

 

[chrisk2010]

So with a service plan I pay around £30 a month and then when my car is due a service do I pay anything extra or is it covered with the monthly payments? So I literally book my car in for a service and collect it when it’s ready? Unfortunately at the time I thought ‘oh probably won’t need it’ when they were asking ‘oh would you like this and that’ when I bought the car

The price may vary from car to car but roughly yes. Have a look around the forum as there are many posts on this subject but things like spark plugs, filter and fluids are covered.

Do your research in to the car though and what has been done because they don't bring it up to par which means if the previous owner skipped having the spark plugs or air filter changed then they won't get change until they are due which is every x amount of years or x amount of miles so you'll have to do them yourself.

You can find out service intervals in the front of your service book or if you have the time pop in or call your favourite MB garage and I'm sure they'll check on there system for you.

Edit:

the key point to remember is that a service plan includes everything that is due - a quote for an individual service invariably doesn't, with items like brake fluid change, air / pollen filter change, gearbox fluid change, new plugs all charged ON TOP of the initial quote...Plans can be set up online but if you have time it is better to visit your dealer and talk to the service manager. If he is "too busy" to see you, that gives you an insight to their customer service mentality and you may wish to consider a different dealer...

What Greenmanslk said except they done my plugs under the plan as they were due n the service schedule. If i would have just paid for a service then they would have been on top.

 

[whitenemesis]

Have a look here for service intervals and requirements on mileage and time extras
Mercedes-Benz UK | Electronic Service Sheet

 

[Adi101]

I once had a colleague who ran a Toyota Avensis for business and simply thought that the annual MOT was all that the car would need in terms of maintenance, 5 years later his alternator went on the M25 North right in the roadworks.
The resultant traffic jam made it onto the radio 2 Friday tea time traffic report.

He made several panicky calls to me that afternoon, I nearly wet myself.

Hahahaha dear god I dread to think what he felt at the time

 

[Adi101]

The price may vary from car to car but roughly yes. Have a look around the forum as there are many posts on this subject but things like spark plugs, filter and fluids are covered.

Do your research in to the car though and what has been done because they don't bring it up to par which means if the previous owner skipped having the spark plugs or air filter changed then they won't get change until they are due which is every x amount of years or x amount of miles so you'll have to do them yourself.

You can find out service intervals in the front of your service book or if you have the time pop in or call your favourite MB garage and I'm sure they'll check on there system for you.

Edit:



What Greenmanslk said except they done my plugs under the plan as they were due n the service schedule. If i would have just paid for a service then they would have been on top.

The dealership where I bought my car from is a 5 min drive from me so I’ll pop in some time soon and enquire more about the service plan and see what’s covered and what’s not. Many many thanks

 

[chrisk2010]

Used engine oil is NEVER good to use !

I would no more put used oil from another car into my engine than I would put on a pair of soiled underpants that were lying in the gutter !!

He doesn't care by the time i change it again he has probably put less than 1000 miles on the car and if your saw the condition the car was in now it's wouldn't bother you so much.

Believe me when i had the car i worked on it every single weekend changing pipes, springs, rubber, hoses, new sump, pick up pipe and everything else on the car that it needed or didn't need over the four year i had it and when i took it for an MOT they always said it's the cleanest car they get.

NOW however he has hit several times with his work van it has a cracked wind screen and more dents than ever it literally breaks my heart every time i see it.

If oil is ok for me to do another 6000 miles on before Mercedes service it again then it is certainly ok for his car to run a 1000 miles on.

Don't get me wrong when it was mine it too had a service every 6000 miles and everything met VW spec but some owners don't care about their car.

To see it now i wish i never gave it to them but i turn up with filters that cost under £30 give it a quick service and it sits in their drive till needed.

 

[markjay]

Ahh right. So that seems to be the better option in the long run to get a service plan. Many thanks

Correct, and more crucially, if your car is automatic then it will need to have the ATF changed next year - and this will be pricey unless you have a service plan.

 

[Alfie]

Comparing a Mercedes service to Halfrauds is like saying shall I get the Dalai Lama to babysit my kids tonight or Gary Glitter?