W211 (06 plate) service intervals and information please

[Gollom]

Car had a B service at 42K (supplied my own 229.3 oil - no particulate filter fitted) My understanding was with this spec oil the next service would be due after 17K i.e. at around 59K? (75% motorway, 15% A road)

Could it be that when MB serviced it they set the Assyst wrongly, based on a "non compliant" oil?

Been quoted £230 for the B service (supplying own oil again) - did not think that was too bad to be honest! They tell me at my mileage (52Kish) it will need new brake fluid and fuel filter at around an additional £200. That sound reasonable?

I ask because she said that as it was SBC braking the labour for the brake fluid was 1.4 hours as an "update" is involved, then changed her mind a bit when I said that surely any "updates" would be covered under warranty?

Must add that despite the perception that MB cars are expensive I have got to say that my ownership costs have been most reasonable considering (all relative of course!)

 

[Dieselman]

Changing the fluid on an SBC car takes ages, the cost doesn't seem too bad considering that.

 

[Fady]

Could get the brake fluid done at an indie - I have. Not sure what SBC has to do with it though.

 

[Gollom]

Changing the fluid on an SBC car takes ages, the cost doesn't seem too bad considering that.

Thanks Will.

What about my question re service interval? Any advice?

Fady: Not sure that the cost would be greatly different? Others more qualified than I will be along to comment on the SBCbraking etc.

 

[Gollom]

Anybody?

 

[C43Ollie]

Updates for SBC will be checked on every service, regardless of size. The time for checking is included in the price of the service, unless it needs an update which will be covered by warranty. (0.4hrs) The length of the brake fluid change is around an hour, as a step by step bleed needs to be followed through DAS, and a check for air test completes the bleed. Hope this helps.

 

[Fady]

Whilst my car was in for service Mercedes rang me and asked if they might change the brake fluid. I didn't like the sound of the quote, so I said no thanks and went to an indie who charged me about 70 quid. That was a while back now, and with the suggested period for this now being around 2 years I will be looking to do this again shortly.

SBC or no SBC, I fail to see why a properly equiped garage cannot carry out what is a routine service item, and personally I'm not happy to pay several hundred quid to replace about 20 quids worth of DOT 4 (or whatever it costs). I look after my car and I can afford to pay Mercedes rates. But I generally know what a job entails and often I think they take the p*** with their prices or hide behind some facade about how complicated certain aspects are. I had my brake pads/discs done a month ago by a fast fit place - all parts supplied by myself (the worn ones were shot to bits ages before the brake service warning light came on ). Again, we are led to believe that SBC means the job cannot be done by anyone other than Mercedes, but it's not the case. Lots of folk are happier just taking their car in to Mercedes - which is fair enough. Personally I prefer to reduce my maintenance bills and spend the money I save on something else!

 

[DieselE]

Car had a B service at 42K (supplied my own 229.3 oil - no particulate filter fitted) My understanding was with this spec oil the next service would be due after 17K i.e. at around 59K? (75% motorway, 15% A road)

Could it be that when MB serviced it they set the Assyst wrongly, based on a "non compliant" oil?

I think I'm right in saying that MB set Assyst correctly based on the oil you provided. The long life oil is to spec 229.5 (or 229.51 if your car has a particulate filter). There are a number of threads about the difference between the various oil specs and I'd suggest checking those out rather than just taking my word for it.