Servicing - being hoodwinked?

[Morganclc]

I am due to pick up a 2008 clc privately tomorrow, but was wondering when its next service would be due. It's got 45,000 on the clock.

The owner said its had its A and B service but the next one isn't due until another 6,000 miles or so.

Does that sound right? I've never driven a Mercedes, but I've been told that a service is due every 15,000 miles...

 

[rf065]

On mine, using the menu, the dash will display when the next service is due. Ask the owner if his is the same?

Russ

 

[peter49]

Mine is evey 15,000 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first.

 

[joecash]

hoodwinked? - of course - we all are -no mater what we drive - a service these days involves no more than an oil change and a few filters - you dont even get the oil you pay for (at top dollar) let alone all the filters at many a garage - that will be 2, 3, 4 or 5 hundred quid thank you sir, oh and the star check, thats another hundred - oh and by the way we ticked the boxes on the form but mickey mouse didn't really know what he was doing and because of his incompetence your turbo will blow up soon - beats working!!

 

[Rory]

It's got 45,000 on the clock.

The owner said its had its A and B service but the next one isn't due until another 6,000 miles or so.

I'm afraid it's not very clear on cars of that age as MB moved from variable servicing to fixed interval at around that time.

Is the current owner saying it's only had 2 service, an A and a B? If so, then even if it's on variable intervals it would have to be very close to needing another service.

 

[Morganclc]

Yep they're just sayings its had the two.... I'll ask if the dash indicates miles to the next service.

It must be due soon.

Thanks chaps

 

[markjay]

Are you saying the car only ever had two services?

This is not possible... firstly on a 2008 car the service indicator should come on evey year regardless of mileage, so it should have had four or five services so far, secondly even if the car was on the older pre-2007 flexible service schedule (possible given the CLC is actually W203 with extended life package) it would not get away with just two services over four-five years period and 45k.

Get the car connected to MB STAR, it will tell you when exactly the services were due and by how much they have been exceeded.

 

[Rory]

....secondly even if the car was on the older pre-2007 flexible service schedule (possible given the CLC is actually W203 with extended life package) it would not get away with just two services over four-five years period and 45k.

It's theoretically possible on the old variable servicing as it could, if only used for long steady runs, go 19,500 miles or 2 years between services. My car is not far off that - but I work from home and the car is pretty well only used for long (2-400 miles) runs. I generally use my wife's car for local running around.
My type of use is pretty unusual, a few shorter journeys would soon decrease the mileage and days to service.

 

[markjay]

It's theoretically possible on the old variable servicing as it could, if only used for long steady runs, go 19,500 miles or 2 years between services. My car is not far off that - but I work from home and the car is pretty well only used for long (2-400 miles) runs. I generally use my wife's car for local running around.
My type of use is pretty unusual, a few shorter journeys would soon decrease the mileage and days to service.

...'or'.... perhaps, but very unlikely both together. If you see an old low-mileage car with few services, OK, if you see a young car with high mileage and few services, maybe, but 5 years , 45k, and two services? The theoretical case where this might actually happen would be very rare in real life... and we are not even sure the car is actually on flexible service schedule. I smell a rat...

 

[Morganclc]

Thanks Markjay.... how do I go about hooking it up to MB Star? A local Mercedes garage?

 

[markjay]

Thanks Markjay.... how do I go about hooking it up to MB Star? A local Mercedes garage?

Yes. But ask them if they have STAR beforehand.

 

[Rory]

Which engine does the car have?

If you're buying it privately then there's no warranty to worry about. The only issue is if you want to maintain the Mercedes Mobilo coverage, and to do that the car needs to be serviced by a franchised dealer. The dealer will tell you to get it serviced as the service indicator calls for it, so if the display (scroll through the one that has the total mileage display, I think) says it has 6000 miles to go then that should be fine.

If you're going to get it serviced by an indie or even DIY, then none of this really matters - just service it whenever you want to.

 

[markjay]

Do you have the dates and mileage of the previous services? Does the car have a printed service book, or is it electronic?

 

[mxs]

I am due to pick up a 2008 clc privately tomorrow, but was wondering when its next service would be due. It's got 45,000 on the clock.

The owner said its had its A and B service but the next one isn't due until another 6,000 miles or so.

Does that sound right? I've never driven a Mercedes, but I've been told that a service is due every 15,000 miles...

You have left it a little late to start questioning the service history, if you are not totally happy, then walk away.

 

[joecash]

if you are not totally happy, then walk away.

+1

 

[Marku]

MB seem to have stopped the date determining the next service and rely only on the mileage. I wasn't doing 15000 and used to get the 12 months message. The MB dealer told me that I could request the mileage interval when reset after a service but never did but now only the mileage is shown. Still have it done every year though regardless of mileage.

 

[Morganclc]

Walked away. They didn't have any service docs at all. Didn't strike me as trying to pull a fast one, just very poor with paperwork.

Thanks for the rock solid advice.