W208 Servicing Costs

[CHRISF]

Having gone through my log book making notes of what servicing has been done, i found the following :

10,987

19 Jul 1999

A service

Nothing changed

21,955

15 Jan 2000

B service

Brake fluid
Spark plugs

34,575

15 may 2002

A service

Coolant

50,226

1 Aug 2003

B service

Brake fluid
Spark plugs
Air cleaner
Fuel filter
Dust filter

62,376

20 Oct 2004

A service

Nothing

car has now done 71,000 and have decided to speak with MB dealers in Swindon for a price quote for servicing etc. Noticed from previous posts that MB main dealers do a discount sometimes for older cars, duly asked Swindon for a quote and will post reply.

Know that some of you guys / girls in here are pretty expert at this type of thing, but would appreciate some advice as to what i should be looking for during servicing etc. Brake change indicator on dash comes on now and again and with the next service (B) not due for another 2100 miles, i feel i should really be thinking about putting my pride and joy in for a service sooner rather than later. Your thoughts ????

thanks...

 

[C240Sport97]

go to a decent independent ...

the extra cost of MB servicing is not justified on a car of 98 vintage. it will make little real difference to the value of the car ...

however ... if your car is covered by Mobilo, then it may be worthwhile, especially if there are any signs of rust anywhere

 

[CHRISF]

Thannks C240, only problem is i dont think there is one in my area. Swindon is about a 40 min drive for me, Oxford being about the same but a nightmare to reach. Know a couple of guys had mentioned someone over Oxford way, but not knowing my way around i fear the MB Stealers is the only option?

 

[CHRISF]

Thanks to c240 and Shude for their invaluable advice. 42 checked and 2 posted, brills. I always said quality against quality is the way forward..

Cheers guys.

 

[CHRISF]

Reply received this very evening from the Swindon Dealership. How do these prices compare to you guys and is it worth me taking this route or trying to find a decent independent (still no idea of one in my area).

B service £350
Spark plugs £68
Air and fuel filters £105
Coolant £88
Brake fluid £46

Fuel pre filters are only fitted in diesel cars and it would appear that there is not an activated charcoal filter fitted to your vehicle.

All prices include discount. parts, labour and vat.

With the brake wear indicator we would need to take the wheels off and check the brakes front and rear to cost up correctly, it would make sense to do this at the same time as the service as they are removed during the service.

 

[mark.t]

take it to a indi and save buckets of cash .......unless you have a warrenty to up hold

 

[Will]

It's up to you Chris - is your car covered by Mobilo?

As an example, the plugs that they want £68 to fit cost around £10-15 for genuine parts, bought from your dealership. It would take around 15 minutes to change these.

I'd be more inclined to use genuine parts and take the labour elsewhere - you can get more items replaced and have a better car at the end of it for a lot less money!

Eg - I'd look at the condition of both poly belts, probably replace the brake discs as well as the pads (they're only about £20-30 each for genuine MB ones), maybe have the gearbox fluid and filter replaced etc etc.

With newer cars and mobilo cover it's worth keeping the 'Full MBSH', on older cars I think it's best to spend the money where it's needed most

Although MBSH is nice to have on an older car, if I was looking at a seven year old car, I'd be happy to see a stack of receipts showing that it's had whatever work is required (eg discs/pads/plugs...) rather than just a stamp to say that someone has paid £10 a litre for oil but no details of the addtional work.

Will

 

[aka$h]

I doubt its covered under mobilo, my Aug '99T clk wasnt. And in which case definatly go for an indy, if you buy the parts yourself keep the reciept for this and the labour. On a car that age specialist history is good enough IMO.
Hope that helps, expect to pay around half of those prices.

 

[CHRISF]

Sold lol, i am buying parts on line and will try and find a decent independent if there is one that is.

 

[Aletank]

I doubt its covered under mobilo, my Aug '99T clk wasnt. And in which case definatly go for an indy, .

Mobilo started October 1998, I've had rust warranty work(Mobilo) done on my car and its a March 1999 T reg

 

[CHRISF]

ok dumb question here but what is Mobilo ?

 

[Shude]

ok dumb question here but what is Mobilo ?

It is the mercedes warranty/breakdown service that models after a certain date can call on. Their definition of this service seems to change every few months but basically you are entitled to free breakdown recovery for the first 4 years of the car's life and depending on certain circumstances you are entitled to warranty work on the car up to 30 years after it was manufactured/sold.

 

[CHRISF]

ok - likcing of lips, how do i find out more ? lol

 

[Shude]

ok - likcing of lips, how do i find out more ? lol

Check in the handbook for your car.

The only bit you need to be interested in is the bodywork guarantee, and even then it's basically a lottery as to whether MB/DC will honour their warranty on the manufacturing defects.

IMHO it is probably easier and less stressful to get a good quality bodyshop to repair any rust at your expense, at least then you know they're not going to do a half-baked job (literally) because MB/DC stuffed them on their labour rate etc.

Here are your choices:

Take the car to the stealership for it's service etc every time and take the risk that even with 100% MB service history they will decline a rust repair even though your car qualifies.

OR

Take the car to an independent for it's service etc every time and take the risk that even with 100% independent service history they will approve a rust repair even though car doesn't qualify.

How about every time the car goes to get an independent service you put 100% of the servicing cost into a pot, and then if your car *does* get a bubble or two of rust later you can have it repaired at a decent bodyshop of your choosing and you only have the pot to argue with about the car's history when paying for the repair

My car has always been stealership serviced (sometimes at great expense) but I like the quick efficient service I get from them, I get nice courtesy cars, chocolates on the pillow and a warm cuddly feeling inside that I'm doing the best for my car. Either way it also keeps me in touch with the salesmen, parts dept and servicing chaps so that if I ever need any help (and it's happened before) I get it.

In the end it's down to personal choice I suppose.

 

[mark.t]

Sold lol, i am buying parts on line and will try and find a decent independent if there is one that is.

the indi i use buys all his servicing bits from the mercedes garage up the road
as said 10 15 quid for a set of plugs and he will get discount on thet with a good labour rate he still makes a healthy profit....+...if you service your car at mercedes but ask them only to service it ...and get repaired your self at a indi ...you pay the basic cost for servive A...b...etc but save on any repairs at the indi ...swings and roundabouts ..and you still have a full service history.good luck

 

[silverarrow]

a question for all i have heard that any garage can service any car /van etc providing it has the correct equipment and uses the correct parts ie you do not have to go to a main agent not sure how this will stand up in practice but i did read this in what car
all garages can service all cars
most good garages have the correct equipment
i have always thought why pay £100 plus per hour when £40 from a good indi
another option if in the south is euro star to france and service the car in france this saves mega mega £££ i have a friend with a s class diesel and he does this and so do many of his work mates if you are going to france any how then why not save some dosh ???? by the way most speak english but point and show does work
the garages want repeat business unlike some uk mainagents who hate low cost low profit jobs £250 plus to drop oil is a joke

 

[CHRISF]

Now your talking, never thought of the Euro Star option.

 

[CHRISF]

Just booked my pride and joy into Andy Gayles place. Bit of a drive but Andy has been superb with me via e-mail and after phoning through and speaking with Roger, i think all my worries will be for nowt. Car booked in Nov 18th and will obviously promulgate findings etc, although im really looking forward to their comments on my chariot of fire lol....