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Benz17

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Messages
1,043
Location
London
Car
E350d AMG Premium (W213)
Hi All,

I have a conundrum, for which am hoping you guys and girls could help me with. I currently have a 2017 E350d. Since i purchased the E350d the third service A was due and was done at an indy in July 2020 cost as follows

Standard A Service
Engine Oil
Oil Filter
Air Filters
Fuel Filter

Cost for above £410 inc, and all original Mercedes parts. Would you all think this is a reasonable price for a London indy.

I was under the impression that a ATF oil change is due for this vehicle at 5yr or 77500 miles, and therefore looked into a service plan, as mercedes were offering 20% discount last year on paying up front service plan, so i took this plan, 3 services being B A B cost £1200, (£400 for each services), and under the impression that when it was time for the A service ATF oil change would be due, as that would be the 5th year, also having mobilo for the next 3 years was also appealing.

I am now led to believe and ESS confirms that for the 2017 E350d is only due a ATF oil change at 77500, and not at 5 years or 77500, bearing in mind i purchased the plan so i could get a brake fluid change in the B service this year, and ATF in the A in 2022, and brake fluid again at B in 2023, as ATF wont be due, do i continue with the plan, or should i cancel and get a refund, as i have not used the plan yet, and continue using the Indy, not sure if he would still be cheaper then the service plan with the brake fluid change due.

Have to add not too fussed with having full MB service history, as i keep my cars for around 8 years, and the indy does log the service on the Mercedes system and has star.


Would appreciate your thoughts and advice on the above.
 
I only have a partial answer for you:

Definitely get the ATF and filter changed at 5 years (regardless of what ESS says), and, since it seems that you will be paying for it outright, get it done at an indie (even if you stick with the MB Service Care Plan for the servicing).
 
If MB are sticking to Not doing the ATF , I would go the Indy route , unless you are worried about the Mobilio breakdown cover
 
As for your indie's prices, £410 for Service A plus Air and Fuel filters isn't particularly cheap, but it isn't unreasonable either. I am guessing that it would have cost £100-£150 more at MB. So some indies will be cheaper than £410, I am guessing possibly as low as £300. But it isn't a race to the bottom, so if you're happy with the indie you've used then that's the most important thing.
 
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If MB are sticking to Not doing the ATF , I would go the Indy route , unless you are worried about the Mobilio breakdown cover

I would agree in principle, BUT it's still worth comparing the MB Service Care Plan costs (without the ATF) to indie cost, I.e. I wouldn't automatically rule-out the Service Plan just because the ATF is not included (as the ATF can be done at an indie while the servicing can continue with MB, for example). Especially given that the OP's indie isn't particularly cheap.

EDIT: Service Care Plan for the OP is £1,200 for 3 services. Over the next two years his car will need a 1 x Service A, 2 x Service B, and 1 x Brake Fluid change. I think his Indie will do the whole lot for less than £1,200, probably just shy of £1,000? Though Mobilo should also be factured-in.
 
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But, either way, do confirm with the dealer re the ATF change before making a decision... the online ESS Lite may not be accurate or correct.
 
I only have a partial answer for you:

Definitely get the ATF and filter changed at 5 years (regardless of what ESS says), and, since it seems that you will be paying for it outright, get it done at an indie (even if you stick with the MB Service Care Plan for the servicing).
Hi Markjay,

Thanks will bear that in mind, would you still advise me on that even if my annual mileage is around 6k, in 5 years the car would have done aroun 34k.
 
If MB are sticking to Not doing the ATF , I would go the Indy route , unless you are worried about the Mobilio breakdown cover
I am going by what the ESS is saying, haven't spoken directly with merc yet, breakdown cover is not the be all and end all for me, haven't needed to use breakdown for don't know how long, if ever, but with no spare tyre ij these cars, will have to take one out.
 
Hi Markjay,

Thanks will bear that in mind, would you still advise me on that even if my annual mileage is around 6k, in 5 years the car would have done aroun 34k.

There are many threads on the subject, and people here swear that ATF does not need to be changed based on time, but only based on mileage.

That said, my advice is to have it replaced. I have no scientific proof, it's just me being old-school.
 
As for your indie's prices, £410 for Service A plus Air and Fuel filters isn't particularly cheap, but it isn't unreasonable either. I am guessing that it would have cost £100-£150 more at MB. So some indies will be cheaper than £410, I am guessing possibly as low as £300. But it isn't a race to the bottom, so if you're happy with the indie you've used than that's the most important thing.
 
i have to add that i been very happy with the indy, have a good personal relationship with him, used him for 8 years with my previous merc E280, just used him for some remedial work 2 weeks ago, , so his workmanship in my eyes is not in question, but it came down to the £. Was or will continue to use him for all other remedial work if i continue with the service plan.

The good thing about using him is he lets me in the garage, and lets me see the boys doing their stuff, and i get to ask them questions, and they don't mind one bit.
 
Markjay, the other problem is which dealer do i use, as many London ones don't have good reviews, have been reading that you rate brooklands, i don't mind travelling for the right service. The indy is around 1hr 15min travelling time for me, but has been worth it.
 
Markjay, the other problem is which dealer do i use, as many London ones don't have good reviews, have been reading that you rate brooklands, i don't mind travelling for the right service. The indy is around 1hr 15min travelling time for me, but has been worth it.
I live in Brighton but will be making the trip to brooklands as mb Brighton has an awful reputation.
 
In the ESS when i enter my car registration date, and then enter the mileage 77500, it come up with the attached, which to me confirms that mercedes schedule is that ATF should be changed at 77500.

When i play around with the registration date to make the car 5 years old, ATF change doesn't show up.

I have emailed Mercedes Milton Keynes, to get a definitive answer, but whatever they say, i will get it done at 5years.
 

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I had my W204 serviced by MB Brooklands in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and the service was impeccable.

However, the last service, in Dec 2020 during the brief lul in lockdowns, wasn't as great an experience as the previous ones. I am prepared to put it down to the unusual circumstances though, and will still go there again on Dec 2021.
 
I had my W204 serviced by MB Brooklands in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and the service was impeccable.

However, the last service, in Dec 2020 during the brief lul in lockdowns, wasn't as great an experience as the previous ones. I am prepared to put it down to the unusual circumstances though, and will still go there again on Dec 2021.
What makes an impeccable service v not great? Don't you book, drop off, get a video informing you of recommendations, pay, pick up?
 
A good experience is when everything you've agreed in advance has been communicated to the relevant parties.

A good experience is when everyong you've asked for on the day is carried-out as you asked it to be.

A good experience is when the post-service documents are correct and contain everything as they should.

Which is what happened in the past 3 years. But sadly not last year. That said, they did say they were short of stuff due to COVID, and were clearly struggling with the new arrangements. My appointment was a couple of days after the end if lockdown no 2 (the November 'circuit breaker'), when they just reopened.
 
AMF Automotive in Tonbridge get great press on 'the other forum' although I don't know if I'm allowed to mention that. If not I apologise immediately to the mods and respect their right to do whatever they need with this post.

Regarding the ATF interval, there has been a thread on here recently where someone has asked this exact question around the 5 years and 77500 miles (or a very similar schedule). I think it was on the E300h or E300e or similar that didn't have the 5 years specified. Similar age to you car.

The upshot after some digging is that in that instance it had EXACLTY the same gearbox as some slightly different model designations of the E-class, but those other models had the 5 year interval as well as the mileage.
The conclusion that was reached was that either Merc have made a mistake, or that they are conducting something equivalent to 'field trials' to see how some cars perform out in the wild with extended gearbox intervals compared with others.

If it was my car, I'd be getting to an Indy to get the ATF changed.
 
Yes whatever the outcome from Mercedes, the ATF will be changed at the 5 year point, if not by the dealers, then by my Indy, as i said earlier the car was 2 years old when I bought it, and I keep my cars for around 8 years, do around 7k miles on average, so it will be properly looked after for my sake, as was my previous E280sports, that had 2 ATF changes during my ownership, and the box was sweet as a nut, had done 128k when I moved it on.
 
Hi,

just had a reply back from Mercedes Uk, the 9g ATF is only scheduled for change at 77500 miles, and NOT at 5 years or 77500 miles.

This info would also be helpful for other w213 owners.
 

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