Servicing

[vghiya]

Hi All,
I have a GLE with 70 plate. Its due for B5 serivce. I am pondering whether to buy a service plan v/s taking it to a local KwikFit. I am reading about it online. It seems B serivce needs a bit more. My 2 questions:
1. If I were to go for a service plan then I assume going for 3 year (vs 2 year or 4 years) would make sense as it would cover BAB service correct?
2. Good old question, but is it worth taking a mercedes service plan v/s goign to a locak KwikFit. Kwikfit is £200 cheaper, but I am not sure if KwikFit prices include the extra bit that needs to be done on B services.

Any pointers/suggestions would be of great help.

 

[BlackC55]

Take your car to an independent specialist with a good reputation. Kwick fit is not ideal for the maintenance of your Mercedes-Benz.

 

[vghiya]

Take your car to an independent specialist with a good reputation. Kwick fit is not ideal for the maintenance of your Mercedes-Benz.

Thanks!! How do I find an independent specialist with a good reputation?

 

[BlackC55]

I have used google to search for all kinds of things. There are reviews on there too. For example, this is my garage with a 4.9*

Google Search

 

[BlackC55]

Thanks!! How do I find an independent specialist with a good reputation?

You can ask on here too.

 

[johnsco]

I wouldn't take a car to Kwikfit to have the ash trays emptied.
In my young and foolish days - before I knew better - I took my Dad's Allegro to KW to have 4 new tyres fitted.
The result - All 16 wheel nuts rounded off by a hooligan with an oversize socket on a rattle gun.

 

[MSG2004]

What I did for my gle that I had from new - no service plan bought initially.

I bought a service plan for a B - A -B service ie years 4/5/6.

Year 4 = B
Year 5 = A and includes the expensive ATF change
Year 6 = B

(Ipaid around 1400 in one go for the plan but a few days later a Black Friday deal made me right up MB and go it for around 1250 IIRC)

Mine was bought in 2016 a W166 model - check which year your ATF needs doing - MB goes by mileage or years whichever comes sooner.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi All,
I have a GLE with 70 plate. Its due for B5 serivce. I am pondering whether to buy a service plan v/s taking it to a local KwikFit. I am reading about it online. It seems B serivce needs a bit more. My 2 questions:
1. If I were to go for a service plan then I assume going for 3 year (vs 2 year or 4 years) would make sense as it would cover BAB service correct?
2. Good old question, but is it worth taking a mercedes service plan v/s goign to a locak KwikFit. Kwikfit is £200 cheaper, but I am not sure if KwikFit prices include the extra bit that needs to be done on B services.

Any pointers/suggestions would be of great help.

Like most things in life there are good and bad examples of Kwik Fit. With such a new and valuable car I personally would prefer to have it service by someone who spends most of their time servicing the same or similar car, rather than fitting tyres to all sorts of cars.

The other thing to note is that not all services are equal in terms of what’s included. There are additional items in the schedule which are performed based upon age and mileage. Mercedes will always include these, a generic service at a local garage or Kwik Fit type garage won’t.

When you actually compare in a like for like basis the cheaper quote is sometimes worse value, as not all service items are addressed. In the worst examples a main dealer or specialist would have been less expensive to do the same work, ie miss the additional items.

Some unscrupulous garages take advantage of this. They know that many customers don’t understand - and don’t want to understand - the difference in what’s include:, and only care about price. They take advantage of it and price high but less than the main dealer, and don’t mention that it’s not like for like.

 

[vghiya]

What I did for my gle that I had from new - no service plan bought initially.

I bought a service plan for a B - A -B service ie years 4/5/6.

Year 4 = B
Year 5 = A and includes the expensive ATF change
Year 6 = B

(Ipaid around 1400 in one go for the plan but a few days later a Black Friday deal made me right up MB and go it for around 1250 IIRC)

Mine was bought in 2016 a W166 model - check which year your ATF needs doing - MB goes by mileage or years whichever comes sooner.

Seems like I am in the same boat. The car is due for its 4th serivce (B5 the dashboard says). How do I check when is ATF would be due for my car? Its 70 reg with 32000 miles. Also, I am being quoted £1700 for three years. Is there any discounts I can get?

 

[W1ghty]

Seems like I am in the same boat. The car is due for its 4th serivce (B5 the dashboard says). How do I check when is ATF would be due for my car? Its 70 reg with 32000 miles. Also, I am being quoted £1700 for three years. Is there any discounts I can get?

Where do you live buddy ? For MB specialist recommendations

 

[vghiya]

Where do you live buddy ? For MB specialist recommendations

WD19 (Watford)

 

[vghiya]

Where do you live buddy ? For MB specialist recommendations

I cehcked with a local MB speacialist which is quoting £70 cheaper v/s main mercedes. I guess mercedes is better if I account for roadside assistance.

 

[BlackC55]

Seems like I am in the same boat. The car is due for its 4th serivce (B5 the dashboard says). How do I check when is ATF would be due for my car? Its 70 reg with 32000 miles. Also, I am being quoted £1700 for three years. Is there any discounts I can get?

Its not due yet. Too new.

Discounts are often applied for loyalty or club membership. Ask at your first booking or visit with a garage and be prepared to be told....NO.

 

[W1ghty]

WD19 (Watford)

Might be worth changing your username location to that for more accurate recommendations in the future buddy .

 

[MSG2004]

Seems like I am in the same boat. The car is due for its 4th serivce (B5 the dashboard says). How do I check when is ATF would be due for my car? Its 70 reg with 32000 miles. Also, I am being quoted £1700 for three years. Is there any discounts I can get?

IIRC it was here by other members and I also looked on my service booklet, However, check first as yu have the newer model.
The service plan did detail the ATF change on the year 5, A service.

Hopefully, someone else here will direct you to your service schedule list here

 

[MSG2004]

Its not due yet. Too new.

Discounts are often applied for loyalty or club membership. Ask at your first booking or visit with a garage and be prepared to be told....NO.

I believe the member is ask how does he find out if his GLE will require an ATF change at year 5 and not 4.
He is aware that this may be subject to mileage or age of car, whichever comes first.

 

[markjay]

WD19 (Watford)

Terry at Wayne Gates is in Harrow, it's only a 30 minute drive from Watford:

Wayne Gates Specializing in Mercedes-Benz Servicing & Repairs

The Independent Merc Specialist you can trust. Based in Harrow, Middlesex servicing the surrounding areas and Hertfordshire. Call now to book

www.mercservicing.co.uk

 

[markjay]

Seems like I am in the same boat. The car is due for its 4th serivce (B5 the dashboard says). How do I check when is ATF would be due for my car? Its 70 reg with 32000 miles. Also, I am being quoted £1700 for three years. Is there any discounts I can get?

B5 is Service B plus brake fluid change, air filter change, and spark plugs change. So the ATF is not due yet.

The cabin filter will also be replaced, but that's already included in the Service B price and so you won't be quoted for it separately.

 

[markjay]

I cehcked with a local MB speacialist which is quoting £70 cheaper v/s main mercedes. I guess mercedes is better if I account for roadside assistance.

B5 is one of the most expensive services (due every 4 years), the other biggie is A7 - Service A plus ATF change - which is probably what the car will ask for next year.

I doubt that a reputable specialist will carry out a B5 for less than the cost under an MB Service Plan.

If you are indeed considering a service plan, then getting it now is absolutely best value because it will cover B5 and A7 (years 4 and 5), which are quite expensive if done outside of the service plan.

In terms of whether to get a 2-year, 3-year, or 4-year plan, keep in mind that the plan cost rises every year, and so the longer-term plan will guarantee the current price.

One other thing to consider is that the service plan only works out if the car has full service history, recorded on the official MB DSB. Any missing services or missing items will be done at your expense, and won't be covered by the plan.

 

[kevg]

I wouldn't take a car to Kwikfit to have the ash trays emptied.
In my young and foolish days - before I knew better - I took my Dad's Allegro to KW to have 4 new tyres fitted.
The result - All 16 wheel nuts rounded off by a hooligan with an oversize socket on a rattle gun.

They told me years ago that the safety check came up with need shock absorbers all round, l only took the car in for a puncture as it was only 3 months old, hence l didn’t pay for the repair prats never would l go back!