Using main dealer for servicing?

[christopherwk]

I get my 6-year old (therefore out of warranty), 170,000 car serviced and MOT at a main dealer.

I know it costs a fair bit extra, but I do get 15% discount on parts and labour (being over 3 years old), and I also get the peace of mind, knowing a Mercedes technician has seen to my car.

What do others think? Also, being self-employed and I do about 60,000 miles a year, I need my car back ASAP (to get back to work!)

I also assume that a main dealer has more parts in stock, so when they find something amiss it is usually replaced/repaired immediately, whereas if I go to an independent, it may a day or three to arrive, which means valuable time off work!

Service is fantastic though, I get the usual coffee/tea, papers, loan car, valet parking, car valeted when handed back, plus I get to look around the showroom!

 

[kurtdaley]

Plus you can probably afford it!! What with living in Footballers wifes county

 

[LTD]

Not forgetting claiming it in his accounts.............

 

[st13phil]

What do others think?

I think everyone is entitled to get their car serviced wherever they like, and spend their money however they like. There are good indies and not-so-good indies; likewise there are good franchised dealers and not-so-good ones. If you have a main dealer who does a good, honest, job of looking after your car then that's fine by me.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
You could try to get more discount as a friend of mine got 40% off parts and labour from a main MB Dealer.

 

[219]

An 'indy' will stock the routine stuff , and either nip down to the dealer for other stuff or phone and have it sent round quickly enough .

Even the 'stealers' don't need to stock everything as M-B's parts network is so good : I ordered the rear springs for my W126 on a Tuesday afternoon , being told none in the UK and they'd have to come from Germany - got a phone call at 9am Thursday morning to say they had arrived . I also got a clutch kit for my 1957 Ponton from Germany in less than 48 hours - have had similar service on numerous occasions .

Keys are about the slowest things , having to be cut to order against your chassis no - again , though , I got a set of keys for my 1963 Fintail in around a week from Stuttgart .

 

[Rory]

What do others think?

Sounds like you've done a pretty good job of selling it to yourself!

If you're happy with the dealer and comfortable with them, then why change? Peace of mind has a significant value.

You must be a pretty significant individual customer to the dealership so they ought to be looking after you as they'll know it would be easy to lose you.

 

[davidjpowell]

My experience is that even Dealers do not keep that much in stock any more. I would wonder whether the indie may have more expeience of cars of this age and mileage, but if you are happy that is clearly what counts.

As Rory says, they should really be trying to keep you happy in this day and age.

 

[BTB 500]

I get my 6-year old (therefore out of warranty), 170,000 car serviced and MOT at a main dealer.

As mentioned, some other dealers have a 40% discount rate (plus 10% off parts) that kicks in at 6 years old - so ask around.

My 12 year old SL is still main dealer serviced because of the above. Free MOTs plus other perks/offers as well (got a free aircon service last year).

 

[MPG]

I've used the local main dealer a couple of times for jobs I don't have the equipment to do myself. In Kent, the dealers run a "7 years and over club" which gives 40% off the labour charge as well as a discount on parts. Never had any complaints.

 

[christopherwk]

No, I can't afford it but I really can't afford to take the time off work either!

Went to the main dealer on Friday just to get the MOT done (£60) Failed because upper ball and knuckle joints were loose. Parts in stock, got car back in the afternoon, went to work!

If I went to an independent, would I have got my car back that day? Or will I get it back on Monday/Tuesday, missing the busy weekend!

As for the dealer, most of them know me anyway, 60,000 miles a year = 4 services and 2 MOTs, so I'm there every other month!

 

[christopherwk]

I would wonder whether the indie may have more expeience of cars of this age and mileage

Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands?

They have some interesting stuff in their workshop!

 

[BlackC55]

If the dealer has the parts in stock I can get them (normally) within the hour. (it helps that my GF works in the parts dept)

 

[LTD]

60,000 miles a year = 4 services and 2 MOTs, so I'm there every other month!

2 MOTs a year ?

 

[christopherwk]

2 MOTs a year ?

Car is used as a private hire vehicle (hence the high annual mileage!).

 

[christopherwk]

By the way its great that everyone is giving a positive response, I was expecting to be flamed!

Indeed, peace of mind and the quality and speed of service matters to me most.

Furthermore, they also ask me whether they should dispose of the parts they'll replace, or leave them in the car. It's very honest of them!

 

[Smiley]

As has already been suggested I would ask them for some more discount as the car is getting older / worth less.

Also in my experience the main dealers tend to be very "cautious" when it comes to advising on additional work and this is where the main dealer servicing costs will bite - for example brake disc and pad replacement - this gets expensive at the main dealer and how often are they doing the job - imho front discs should last 100k miles easily with the sort of (I assume motorway) miles you are doing - keep an eye on that.

Another way to keep the costs down would be to do the 10 or 15k mile "interim" service yourself or a local garage - it is only really an oil and filter change (get the filters from MB 3 or 4 at a time) and then let the MB dealer have the car every 20 - 30k miles.

 

[christopherwk]

The interim service, is this Service; A, B, C, D and/or E?!

Also, replacing the brake discs and pads, is this something a mechanically minded mate of mine can do, bearing in mind the car has SBC or is this a dealer job?

 

[lynall]

The very fact you carry paying customers means i would stay with the main dealer got to be worth bucket loads in any sort of accident/incident ie car has full mb history, yes your mate can prob fit the brakes but for the reason above i would pay mb to do it, CYA!

Heres an example new customer with 10 coachs is now coming to us as he was unhappy with last 2 garages, came in wed night vehicle making a noise foreman goes out for a drive with the driver, traces to nsf wheel nuts he can remove with his hand! this vehicle had been working all day and had just come back from a job.

Especially if you bargain hard or even get the fluid changed free whilst they are doing the brakes.



Lynall

 

[Smiley]

The interim service, is this Service; A, B, C, D and/or E?!

Also, replacing the brake discs and pads, is this something a mechanically minded mate of mine can do, bearing in mind the car has SBC or is this a dealer job?

I think they have over complicated the servicing regime to put people off. At the end of the day the servicing boils down to replace the engine oil and filter every 10 or 15k miles (preferably nearer to 10) and then a bunch of other jobs that are less frequent - like brake fluid, air filter, fuel filter, ATF change etc. With your sort of mileage you could almost set your own servicing regime up with all this other stuff done once a year and an oil + filter change once a quarter - at a local garage.

Re the brakes my point was two fold 1. the price of changing discs and pads at the main dealer is outrageous (usually) - often double what you ought to pay. On top of that they seem to have a habit of recommending replacement too early - way way too early in my experience.
But with the SBC system would I have someone else do it if I were using my car as my business - no probably not.

Keep an eye on the frequency of brake disc and pad replacements - at least you will be able to challenge them if they say new discs needed after 40k miles (unless you drive like a lunatic which I doubt).

How about swapping it for a later 211 with non SBC brakes?