To service or not?

[Adsnew32]

My car dashboard indicates a B service is required in 300 ish days. The last service my car had was a B service in Jan 2020. It has since done 3,000 miles.

I bought it in Jan 2021 and was planning on just a oil and filter service, but is this needed? As ive read that a B service indicates 20,000 miles or 2 years.

Would you get an oil/filter service or would you wait for the next B service?

I just dont want a gap in my service history if i should of carried one out thats all. Thanks

Car is a C250 CDI 2015 (C204)

 

[st13phil]

All current Mercedes-Benz cars are serviced annually, or at a fixed mileage interval (whichever comes first), and alternate between A and B services.

Take a look here for more information as Mercedes-Benz servicing is far from straightforward to understand!

 

[markjay]

My car dashboard indicates a B service is required in 300 ish days. The last service my car had was a B service in Jan 2020.
.....
Car is a C250 CDI 2015 (C204)

This does not sound right.... your C204 should be on fix schedule i.e. every 365 days (unless the 15,500 miles limit is reached sooner).

What you describe above might have been the case with the W203, which had a flexible service schedule and low mileage cars often went 15, 18, and sometimes even 24 months before the next service was flagged-up.

If your car is currently showing 'next service in 300(eesh) days', then someone must have reset the service indicator 65(eesh) days ago... whether the service was actually done at the time or not is a different matter. This will also explain why the car goes from Service B straight to Service B again - without going through a Service A - because someone has reset the service indicator back in Jan 2021 when it showed that a service A was due. If you just bought the car in Jan 2021, it is possible that the previous owner (or selling garage) simply reset the service indicator in order to avoid the cost of the service just before selling the car.

If you are certain that the car did not have a Service A done in Jan 2021, then I suggest that you try and bring the car back into alignment with the service schedule and with the service indicator in the car.

I would get a Service A done asap, but not reset the service indicator. Then ignore the Service B message when it comes-up in Jan 2022, and get the Service B done in Apr 2022 (you'll get an annoying reminder whenever you start the car between Jan and Apr....). From this point onwards, your car will be aligned with the service schedule and the service indicator.

That said, if keeping the car serviced to the manufacturer's schedule and keeping a complete service history is not a priority for you, then you can just take the car to a local specialist, ask them to have a look at the car and let you know what they think should be replaced/checked etc (ignoring the service indicator schedule).

 

[SarahAnn200]

I see that you are in Hull. I use Merxworx, a specialist. The owner used to work at Listers MB. They have Star and everything else.
I found them through 'Bookmygarage'. If you go on there and enter your reg number, it gives you a price, much cheaper than MB and they have access to the digital service book and update that as well as giving you itemised paperwork
On a previous C Class, the A service was just over £100 and MB down the road wanted over £350, same price for my ex partner's A35 first service, they didn't inflate the price just because it was an A35.

 

[markjay]

BTW, this is what your car should have had up to now (assuming average annual mileage):

2014 - purchased by first owner
2015 - Service A
2016 - Service B (which includes cabin filter) + brake fluid
2017 - Service A (+ pano roof lubrication, if fitted)
2018 - Service B (which includes cabin filter) + brake fluid + air filter + fuel filter
2019 - Service A + ATF
2020 - Service B (which includes cabin filter) + brake fluid (+ pano roof lubrication, if fitted)
2021 - (the service that was skipped) Service A
2022 - (next year) Service B (which includes cabin filter) + brake fluid + air filter + fuel filter

So the service that was (presumably) skipped is a small one. However, the next service in 2022 will be a biggie...

Also, if you have the car's service history, then check if the AFT was indeed done as it should back in 2019 - that's another expensive service.

 

[Teego]

MB service schedules are a nightmare. At least my dashboard says miles to next service and I have tabulated for myself what happens when. Whatever else, it gets an oil and filter every 12 months. Any good indy can do it and it's so cheap it's crazy not to.

 

[Mickw212]

I`d still do it yearly as all oil degrades & always use a genuine filter imo.
Ive had my gearbox serviced today which miles wise was 24k under the recommended change but 3 years over on time(from what im told). Mechanic (who is a mate) said it was hanging inside & he had to give it all a good clean before he was happy with it.
Nuff said really! ...but agree there does seem a lot of different ideas on servicing time/miles etc..

 

[Teego]

"but agree there does seem a lot of different ideas on servicing time/miles etc.."

That's why I had to build my own history and future plan. Gives me confidence and I don't plan to sell the car. If I do, the next owner can have stamped service book (FWIW), spreadsheets of everything down to lightbulbs, reams of invoices etc.

 

[Adsnew32]

This does not sound right.... your C204 should be on fix schedule i.e. every 365 days (unless the 15,500 miles limit is reached sooner).

What you describe above might have been the case with the W203, which had a flexible service schedule and low mileage cars often went 15, 18, and sometimes even 24 months before the next service was flagged-up.

If your car is currently showing 'next service in 300(eesh) days', then someone must have reset the service indicator 65(eesh) days ago... whether the service was actually done at the time or not is a different matter. This will also explain why the car goes from Service B straight to Service B again - without going through a Service A - because someone has reset the service indicator back in Jan 2021 when it showed that a service A was due. If you just bought the car in Jan 2021, it is possible that the previous owner (or selling garage) simply reset the service indicator in order to avoid the cost of the service just before selling the car.

If you are certain that the car did not have a Service A done in Jan 2021, then I suggest that you try and bring the car back into alignment with the service schedule and with the service indicator in the car.

I would get a Service A done asap, but not reset the service indicator. Then ignore the Service B message when it comes-up in Jan 2022, and get the Service B done in Apr 2022 (you'll get an annoying reminder whenever you start the car between Jan and Apr....). From this point onwards, your car will be aligned with the service schedule and the service indicator.

That said, if keeping the car serviced to the manufacturer's schedule and keeping a complete service history is not a priority for you, then you can just take the car to a local specialist, ask them to have a look at the car and let you know what they think should be replaced/checked etc (ignoring the service indicator schedule).

Thanks Mark, Yes this was my thoughts too about the garage cheekily resetting the service indicator. I have the receipts for the service carried out by a MB specialist in Manchester in 2020 to the cost of £650. It was a small garage i bought it from, i did pickup on the fact it was due a service but they didnt say theyd reset the service light. Wonder if a specialist can set it so a A service has been carried out and push the B service back 12 months, so i dont have 5 months of service warnings.

I'll check the receipts i have to see if the ATF was done in 2018 so thanks for that!

 

[Adsnew32]

I see that you are in Hull. I use Merxworx, a specialist. The owner used to work at Listers MB. They have Star and everything else.
I found them through 'Bookmygarage'. If you go on there and enter your reg number, it gives you a price, much cheaper than MB and they have access to the digital service book and update that as well as giving you itemised paperwork
On a previous C Class, the A service was just over £100 and MB down the road wanted over £350, same price for my ex partner's A35 first service, they didn't inflate the price just because it was an A35.

Thanks Sarah, MerxWorx are 5 mins away from me and is the garage im going to use, but glad to hear of a good review of the garage

 

[SarahAnn200]

Thanks Sarah, MerxWorx are 5 mins away from me and is the garage im going to use, but glad to hear of a good review of the garage

Great. I searched for a specialist when I took my 2018 c250d into the local MB dealer (you will know which it is if you are local) and I waited for it on their ripped leather sofa in the showroom. It sat in the carpark for about an hour and then a young lad got in it and raced it out of the carpark and up to the lights like he stole it. I thought, is that what I'm paying a premium for, a boy racer to thrash my car while I'm sitting on their ripped sofa. Luckily, it was only in that time for the window seal replacing, it was a new car but the wind noise was bad. I took it for it's first service at Merxworx and shortly after that I part ex'd it for an S3. I didn't lose any money on the part ex price with me having it done at a specialist and would always use them. It was around £100 for the A service as I said before.
I was going to use them for my S3 as they have access to the Audi digital history as well but didn't keep it long enough. I will always use them.
PS the owner of Merxworx used to work at the local dealer

 

[Adsnew32]

Pretty shocking from a main dealer that! I never use main dealers but you'd expect it to be treat with care especially for the price they charge.

How's the S3 in comparison? I was between the two but opted for the C250. I do like the Merc, beautiful car, however i do prefer a hatchback.

Im going to ring and book Merxworx shortly. Interestingly, on the website an A service is £120. Yet through bookmygarage its £95. Wondering what the difference is, if anything!

Nice to know the owner used to work at Mercedes.

 

[SarahAnn200]

Pretty shocking from a main dealer that! I never use main dealers but you'd expect it to be treat with care especially for the price they charge.

How's the S3 in comparison? I was between the two but opted for the C250. I do like the Merc, beautiful car, however i do prefer a hatchback.

Im going to ring and book Merxworx shortly. Interestingly, on the website an A service is £120. Yet through bookmygarage its £95. Wondering what the difference is, if anything!

Nice to know the owner used to work at Mercedes.

The S3 was quicker obviously but the s3 interior in the 19 reg seemed very basic and dated to me. I've had 5 more cars since the s3
I just booked online when I used merxworx. When it was being serviced, Tracey (owner with husband who worked at MB) said the system was saying it needed a cabin filter. I just said do it without asking how much as I knew they wouldn't rip me off. It was an extra £11 which is a lot better than the dealer I bet

 

[Adsnew32]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've now spoken to my local indy MerxWorx, and the car is booked in for an interim service.
The lad on the phone was on his own today and couldnt answer why Bookmygarage interim service was £95 yet directly they charge £120 for an A service so obviously booked via the website .

He was helpful though with me wanting to reset the service so that i dont have the B service warning me from Jan 22 to April 22 everytime i start the car. Said if it cant be done straight away, i can go back and try it when theres less days left as Mercs can be funny about allowing another reset so soon.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Seems an awful lot more complicated than it is.

I'm assuming this "last service" in Jan 2020 you mention is the last service shown on the "Digital Service Book" (DSB).

Clearly someone has reset the Service Indicator around January 2021 when you got it and it seems the DSB has not been updated and unclear if it was actually serviced.

Get the A service done on it now and do not have the Service Interval reset.

Car will then be due its B service in april 2022 and by far the easiest thing is to get this done in January to bring it back into line. That's what I would do.

 

[BenzMad1998]

My car dashboard indicates a B service is required in 300 ish days. The last service my car had was a B service in Jan 2020. It has since done 3,000 miles.

I bought it in Jan 2021 and was planning on just a oil and filter service, but is this needed? As ive read that a B service indicates 20,000 miles or 2 years.

Would you get an oil/filter service or would you wait for the next B service?

I just dont want a gap in my service history if i should of carried one out thats all. Thanks

Car is a C250 CDI 2015 (C204)

I am wondering how reliable is the ASSYST on Mercedes-Benz cars. Mine says 11.390 miles until its next service which dosent add up with service history etc. Should I wait for next service indicated by ASSYST or, bring service forward to now?