SLK Servicing Query

[JS101]

I have an SLK 200 K needing it's 2nd year service (~26k on the clock) and have been quoted £483 by the dealer from which I bought it, which seems rather high. They said this is due to needing a replacement combination filter and a brake fluid change.

I'm thinking of shopping around for a more competitive quote (using proper Merc servicing/parts of course). I bought the car under an Agility finance agreement so my query is whether I'm allowed to take it elsewhere to be serviced? I've read the T&Cs and can't see anything about servicing in them so I guess it's ok but I'm really just after some confirmation from you more experienced owners.

Thanks
John

PS - if anyone can recommend any places in the Sunderland/Newcastle area I'd be much obliged.

 

[television]

Hello and welcome, yes you are allowed to take your car to an indie of your choice, you can ½ that price almost anyway.

Hopefully some good indie names will be put up

 

[JS101]

Many thanks for the speedy response Malcolm. I'll phone around for some prices tomorrow.
Cheers.
John

 

[Thincat]

Just remember that if you use an independant you'll lose your Mobilo life insurance, depending on the exact terms and conditions for Mobilo - which vary depending on the year of your car. So you won't have access to free Merc roadside assistance, which can be quite useful.

The basic cost of an A service ought to be less than £250 (even from a dealer). The problem is that MB are now enforcing the so-called "advisory" work so that they can make more money. They now try to tell people that they need a brake fluid change every 18 months which is nonsense unless you're doing very high mileage in demanding conditions. You can get the dealer cost down by arguing about this sort of nonsense - they threaten to refuse to stamp the book but you may be able to get them to see sense. £500 for what's basically an oil change is ridiculous.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Mobilo is an expensive by product of main dealer servicing. Find a good indie and with the savings buy an RAC or AA type cover and you will still have money left over. Thats of course if your bank doesnt already give it to you for free!!

 

[Thincat]

Mobilo is an expensive by product of main dealer servicing. Find a good indie and with the savings buy an RAC or AA type cover and you will still have money left over. Thats of course if your bank doesnt already give it to you for free!!

How expensive Mobilo is depends on how much you pay for your MB servicing and how often you break down. I've used Mobilo 5 times and I can tell you that it's much better than getting an AA mechanic, from my experience. You get a mechanic who knows the car and probably has the right part. It's also probably going to be a good selling point when you get rid of the car - FMBSH is always worth something.

 

[moosehead]

Take it to a good indie and you'll get somebody who's really experienced and pay half of what MB quoted you. My only experience of Mobilo was a firm who I think was contracted by Mondial Assistance who put the vehicle on the back of a truck and transported it home with the dealer collecting it the following day.

I had a friend who had a W202 from new. He had it serviced every time by the dealer and when it came to trading it in for a new MB they offered him peanuts on the trade-in. When he mentioned the FMBSH they told him it didn't make any difference! Provided you've got a full set of stamps in your book it won't affect what you get for the car.

I'm not convinced with this brake fluid thing every 2 years and reckon that 3 years is more realistic unless you drive like Nigel Mansell and boil the fluid. That said you probably have a year to go on the warranty so probably worth doing just in case you have any warrnty issues, i.e. engine blows up and they won't fix it because your brake fluid wasn't changed.

 

[Rory]

I'm thinking of shopping around for a more competitive quote (using proper Merc servicing/parts of course). I bought the car under an Agility finance agreement so my query is whether I'm allowed to take it elsewhere to be serviced? I've read the T&Cs and can't see anything about servicing in them so I guess it's ok but I'm really just after some confirmation from you more experienced owners.

This has come before and the conclusion was that you have to have it serviced by the dealer if it's on MB finance. I'm sure the other poster said it was in the T's & C's and his beef was that the salesman had told him it could be serviced anywhere.

If this is correct then one thing you could do is buy the servicecare package for a couple of services (or perhaps longer of you intend to keep the car). Off the top of my head you should easily save money doing that, but make sure they will do the ATF change - I've never seen it confirmed that servicecare will cover it.

 

[JS101]

Thanks for all the responses

Thanks to you all for your responses. It's always good to get a cross section of opinions.

I finally went to another local MB dealer I found in the Yellow Pages (M&S Prestige) who charged me £237 for the B service which included the combination filter change but not the brake fluid change as he didn't think it needed it.

I've never had a booked stamped at either service, both garages told me there's no need as it's all on the system, and I have the servicing receipts in lieu of the stamped book as proof of the service history so I guess that's ok.

My Mobilo is probably therefore intact, should I ever have need of it, but I get free AA cover anyway as my wife works for them. Touch wood that I will never need either of 'em :lol:

Thanks again. I guess that's this thread closed then. Cheers.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Nearly

I finally went to another local MB dealer I found in the Yellow Pages (M&S Prestige) who charged me £237 for the B service which included the combination filter change but not the brake fluid change as he didn't think it needed it. .

But not quite.

I think it is worth emphasizing that an MB Dealer has been prepared to take this pragmatic view on the otherwise "obligatory" biennial change of brake fluid.

I agree with this view, but according to others, the dealer's insistence on doing it, "or we won't stamp the book" has been a deal breaker.

 

[Thincat]

I get servicing done every 2 years because I do low mileage (and the car's 2001). Last service I made sure I booked it in a week or two before the 2 years was up, so when they gave me the bs about having to have the brake fluid changed every 2 years I pointed out that it wasn't yet 2 years since the last change so I wasn't going to pay for it to be changed again. The guy didn't argue much.

 

[Rory]

I finally went to another local MB dealer I found in the Yellow Pages (M&S Prestige)

I often wonder if threads like this might be a set-up from MB UK.....but what makes you think the garage linked to is an MB dealer? As in an offical, authorised, MB dealership / repairer.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I often wonder if threads like this might be a set-up from MB UK.....but what makes you think the garage linked to is an MB dealer? As in an official, authorised, MB dealership / repairer.

I think it is fair to assume Rory that there is no such thing as too cynical!

 

[carnut13]

Its not the cost of the service but the money you are saving that's at issue here. Compare your cost saving with the risk you are taking

eg...Mobilo; yes you can have AA/RAC, but cost for this.

MB warrantee with "goodwill" contribution after 3 years; if its not FMBSH then your dealer wont want to know about it.

Also the Rust guarantee will almost certainly go out the window as this is entirely "goodwill".

I recomend you stick to MB for oficial services and have anything else done by an Indie..the best of both worlds, especially with such a young car:lol::lol:

Then work it out at pence per mile for peace of mind

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Also the Rust guarantee will almost certainly go out the window as this is entirely "goodwill".

Can you clarify please Steve - is this a guarantee, or is it goodwill?

 

[carnut13]

Can you clarify please Steve - is this a guarantee, or is it goodwill?

As far as I can ascertain the so called 30 year rust/perforation warranty has never been honoured by MB ,but if there is FMBSH ,up to 8 years, then they will repair rust damage under a "goodwill" cover ( ie no precedent on MB so they remain in control of what they offer)

 

[Thincat]

As far as I can ascertain the so called 30 year rust/perforation warranty has never been honoured by MB ,but if there is FMBSH ,up to 8 years, then they will repair rust damage under a "goodwill" cover

The 30 year rust warranty is worded in such a way that it probably could never be claimed on. As for rust being repaired under goodwill cover up to 8 years you can't rely on this. I was talking to an MB dealer last year about a goodwill payment for rust on my SLK (admittedly beyond the 8 year window, although the rust appeared well before that) and he said that he had two C-Class cars in the bodyshop for rust repairs, both 4 years old and both with FMBSH and MB wouldn't offer any goodwill allowance at all. Yet I've heard of people who have cars older than this without FMBSH who have had a goodwill payment for rust. I don't think I'd pay for MB servicing in the hope of getting cheaper rust repair.

 

[Matt32AMG]

The 30 year rust warranty is worded in such a way that it probably could never be claimed on. As for rust being repaired under goodwill cover up to 8 years you can't rely on this. I was talking to an MB dealer last year about a goodwill payment for rust on my SLK (admittedly beyond the 8 year window, although the rust appeared well before that) and he said that he had two C-Class cars in the bodyshop for rust repairs, both 4 years old and both with FMBSH and MB wouldn't offer any goodwill allowance at all. Yet I've heard of people who have cars older than this without FMBSH who have had a goodwill payment for rust. I don't think I'd pay for MB servicing in the hope of getting cheaper rust repair.

I'd be one of those with a FMBSH and I had my wheel arches and boot done under good will on my SLK32AMG, therefore didn't cost me a dime.

That said the evidence of rust was in the early stages. (And this may play an important part in the decision process regarding good will contributions)

If you go down to MB with a car that has been suffering from rust clearly for some time and nothing has been done or flagged about it in the early stages, then I think you may have a hard time asking for a contribution to get it sorted. If your car looks like you take care of it then you'd stand a better chance. By virtue of the process of cleaning your car as I do weekly, you'd notice the rust before it takes a real hold thereby repair work wouldn't require costly work such as repainting the entire wing or worse, require new wings or panels. (JMHO of course) but it may help your case.

 

[moosehead]

The Mobilo / rust warranty seems to vary depending on the age of the vehicle. The wife's R170 stipulates FMBSH whereas my W203 is renewed anytime you take it to a MB dealer for a service even if has previously been serviced outside of the network.

 

[dedicatedtoMB]

Thanks to you all for your responses. It's always good to get a cross section of opinions.

I finally went to another local MB dealer I found in the Yellow Pages (M&S Prestige) who charged me £237 for the B service which included the combination filter change but not the brake fluid change as he didn't think it needed it.

I've never had a booked stamped at either service, both garages told me there's no need as it's all on the system, and I have the servicing receipts in lieu of the stamped book as proof of the service history so I guess that's ok.

My Mobilo is probably therefore intact, should I ever have need of it, but I get free AA cover anyway as my wife works for them. Touch wood that I will never need either of 'em :lol:

Thanks again. I guess that's this thread closed then. Cheers.

Word of warning M&S Prestige are not an Authorised Mercedes-Benz repairer so if your T&Cs say you must have it done within the network, then on this occasion you may have slipped up. Mobilo for cars registered after Jan 2004 is service based so having the next service done by an MB repairer will reinstate it. Best advice is to get a sensible quote from an independent and then approach your local MB repairer and haggle. Work shops are not full at the moment so deals can be had.