Service items - buy yourself or leave it to garage?

[rexemper]

Hi
My SL is due a B service and I remember a thread on here a while back where some people were buying service parts themselves and then either fitting themselves if they were simple/easy or leaving to the garage if not. Seem to remember cabin filters, spark plugs and engine oil as some of the items.
Can't find the thread now - typical.
So, what do people do?
If you buy any of the parts then what is worth buying yourself? And from where? MB Grangemouth?
Thanks

 

[AnthonyUK]

I would spend £30-40 on an oil extractor and definitely do oil changes yourself.
If your oil filter is at the top of the engine it is quick and easy with no mess.
Air filter and cabin filters are 2 minute jobs so why not.
Spark plugs maybe not. Even though I'm competent, they need changing so infrequently that I leave that to the garage.

 

[Capra]

I would spend £30-40 on an oil extractor and definitely do oil changes yourself.
If your oil filter is at the top of the engine it is quick and easy with no mess.
Air filter and cabin filters are 2 minute jobs so why not.
Spark plugs maybe not. Even though I'm competent, they need changing so infrequently that I leave that to the garage.

Would you do this yourself if you were no longer wanting to maintain a service history with MB or an Indie?

 

[Headhurts]

I’m dangerous so would probably break the car.

I always take mine to the dealership, my car is 3 years old in a couple of months so may consider a specialist but the Mobilo is handy particularly when travelling abroad.

I’m not sure if Mercedes do but Jaguar do lower (or did when I had one) their prices for cars 3 years or older.

In short no way am I messing with my car.

Robin

 

[Wighty]

I suppose initially you have to decide what your views on garage based service history is worth to you vs your cars value ?
I retired 3 years ago with 2x 7 year old MB's that I intended to keep for a few years more . They are now 10 years old and have been "serviced" by me for the last 3 years . By my calculation they are worth a few grand each .
I enjoy doing the work myself up to a certain level .
I bourght myself a Pela pump which I use for engine and gearbox oil changes .
I have done rear diff oil , supercharger oil , roof pump oil , glow plugs , spark plugs , air filters , pollen filters , fuel filters , brakes , brake fluid changes , thermostat .
I have a couple of Haynes manuals , and with the forum help as well have managed most stuff .
Invested in an Icarsoft code reader which has been invaluable .
The decision if you choose to accept it is yours buddy (this thread will self destruct in 5 seconds !)

 

[daibevan]

I'm in team Wighty. But I enjoy doing what T can & hate paying for what I can't. This forum is even better than the trusty Haynes.

 

[Capra]

I suppose initially you have to decide what your views on garage based service history is worth to you vs your cars value ?
I retired 3 years ago with 2x 7 year old MB's that I intended to keep for a few years more . They are now 10 years old and have been "serviced" by me for the last 3 years . By my calculation they are worth a few grand each .
I enjoy doing the work myself up to a certain level .
I bourght myself a Pela pump which I use for engine and gearbox oil changes .
I have done rear diff oil , supercharger oil , roof pump oil , glow plugs , spark plugs , air filters , pollen filters , fuel filters , brakes , brake fluid changes , thermostat .
I have a couple of Haynes manuals , and with the forum help as well have managed most stuff .
Invested in an Icarsoft code reader which has been invaluable .
The decision if you choose to accept it is yours buddy (this thread will self destruct in 5 seconds !)

I would like to do all eventually (apart from gearbox brake fluid, diff oil and thermostat, looks to awkward for me to get correct.)

The rest is ok it's just having the space and tools. Maybe I will try in the future.

 

[Wighty]

I would like to do all eventually (apart from gearbox brake fluid, diff oil and thermostat, looks to awkward for me to get correct.)

The rest is ok it's just having the space and tools. Maybe I will try in the future.

Diff oil is the worlds easiest job if you can get the car off the ground safely . As is brake fluid change with a pressurised bleeder .

 

[Capra]

Diff oil is the worlds easiest job if you can get the car off the ground safely . As is brake fluid change with a pressurised bleeder .

But can the diff oil be under or over filled

 

[Wighty]

But can the diff oil be under or over filled

No , when it runs out the top hole you put the plug in .

 

[EmilysDad]

But can the diff oil be under or over filled

Diffs generally have a fill/level plug

 

[John Laidlaw]

Used to do most of it by myself but old age, lack of garage and cars under warranty and overly complicated put paid to that. Only things I do ( even then not always ) are brakes, batteries...
In retirement I might have a less complicated car and begin again, who knows

 

[Capra]

No , when it runs out the top hole you put the plug in .

Not so bad then. Do these fall under scheduled servicing, or is this just good practice?

 

[Wighty]

Not so bad then. Do these fall under scheduled servicing, or is this just good practice?

There is no scheduled rear diff oil change (unless you have the 6.3 size engines ?) , I just like it because I never know how long I'm going to keep a car , it's under £20 in oil and I try to do it around the 40k mark when the gearbox ATF is changed .

 

[Yugguy]

I've done my diff oil at 59k. It was made a lot easier by going to one of those hire a lift places and getting the car up.

Although it doesnt suffer from the same heat/cold cycles as engine oil or atf it still gets chopped around constantly so worth changing. I googled and found recommendations for every 60k or so.

Just make sure you can get the top fill plug off before you remove the drain plug.
Drain out, replace drain plug. Fill from the top plug until it drips out of the top plug, then refit the plug. Use a decent sealing compound on the nuts.

 

[John Laidlaw]

There is no scheduled rear diff oil change (unless you have the 6.3 size engines ?) , I just like it because I never know how long I'm going to keep a car , it's under £20 in oil and I try to do it around the 40k mark when the gearbox ATF is changed .

Correct on the AMG flavours Wighty

 

[Wighty]

Correct on the AMG flavours Wighty

Us AMG people know this stuff buddy (I have AMG wheel centres , well I'm thinking of getting some at some point )

 

[John Laidlaw]

Us AMG people know this stuff buddy (I have AMG wheel centres , well I'm thinking of getting some at some point )

Why don’t you print a picture of some off the pritt stick them on?

 

[Wighty]

Why don’t you print a picture of some off the pritt stick them on?

Don't be silly , I want something that will cope with British weather and make the car look genuine !
Edit...insert non working smiley face here !

 

[Blobcat]

Why don’t you print a picture of some off the pritt stick them on?

My AMG PL sticker arrived today