Lease company saying I have to use their main dealership for 'A Service'

[mioba]

It's certainly very common to see posts like the one from the OP where people lease a Mercedes for the first time because they've snagged a cheap deal, and are shocked to find a) it needs servicing every year and b) those services are pretty expensive.

The annual service requirement on MBs is a complete nonsense - lease any BMW or VAG car for 3yrs at 10K/yr and it'll only need servicing once.

I think this is an issue with Mercs generally now esp in the used car sector, they are cheap as chips to buy foe the unwary the mainteance costs hn be pretty high. The corps dont care, they want to sell the cars and make thier money.

 

[keefysher]

Is the car on a lease? HP? PCP? Other finance/purchase vehicle (not as in 4 wheels)?

Are you confusing 'warranty' with 'lease' terms?

Only lease cars Ive ever had were with full maintenance included in the monthly fee, that's why it was a 'lease'. The fee reflected that. ie my 1st MB was £1200/month, but did do 108k miles in its first year, hence why it was leased through a specialist lease co, but had full MB servicing on a deal with the local dealer through that lease co.

My first PCP MB had no servicing conditions related to time or mileage. My 2nd had annual requirements not related to mileage, although the car did high mileages and the computer called it for a service. Hence the service plan available to take in the 1st year. Did you have that option advised to you? My current has an annual service requirement, but not specified as MB dealer.

The block exemption basically says you can have it serviced anywhere if genuine MB parts are used to maintain the warranty.

Do you intend to hand it back or keep it at the end of the 'lease'? If keeping it, don't worry. If not check the words in the lease. How long is it for? It'll go to auction at the end anyway.

The 'lease' co will have gambled on the numbers, bit like sub prime mortgages, on the 'value' of the car at auction. But as we know from houses, the 'value' is only what someone will pay for it, not what the seller thought they'd get.

 

[A.J.]

The 'lease' co will have gambled on the numbers, bit like sub prime mortgages, on the 'value' of the car at auction. But as we know from houses, the 'value' is only what someone will pay for it, not what the seller thought they'd get.

And that is why it is so important to have a full manufacturers service history

 

[keefysher]

And that is why it is so important to have a full manufacturers service history

What happens when the full manufacturers service history is found to be false?

I left a note and copy of the false service workshop sheets and correspondence on the W221 under the passenger mat when I handed it back Wonder if it was found?

 

[A.J.]

What happens when the full manufacturers service history is found to be false?

I left a note and copy of the false service workshop sheets and correspondence on the W221 under the passenger mat when I handed it back Wonder if it was found?

If it's not detected it will pass through the system. In the days when I was in the industry the service books were just checked for correct service intervals and that they were accompanied by a dealers rubber stamp.

Should the subsequent retail buyer find that the service history was bogus the Contract Hire company was covered by an indemnity that was paid on the sale of the vehicle.

 

[Mr Filipov]

The annual service requirement on MBs is a complete nonsense - lease any BMW or VAG car for 3yrs at 10K/yr and it'll only need servicing once.

With BMW you can get a service pack from new for next to nothing, or might even be included depending in the deal. 5years or 50k miles with no outlay from any of the owners.

I am the third owner on mine and was just over 3 years old when I got it and still benefitted from the service pack for a major service that was meant to cost me £500/600.

 

[JBell]

With BMW you can get a service pack from new for next to nothing, or might even be included depending in the deal. 5years or 50k miles with no outlay from any of the owners.

I am the third owner on mine and was just over 3 years old when I got it and still benefitted from the service pack for a major service that was meant to cost me £500/600.

BMW have changed the service plans, they are no longer worth it as they only cover the first 3 years and as BMW only need servicing every 2 years the cost is too high

 

[Altamar]

Having spent many years in the Vehicle Contract Hire business I support what Jon has said. He is spot on.

The important thing when you dispose of an ex-Lease/Contract Hire vehicle is that it has the full manufactures service history. With premium product cars it is particularly important

If I was running a contract hire company I would say exactly the same thing to maximise the return when I get the car back, especially if it is going back into the dealer network which is what MB are hoping for here with ex-PCP cars coming back after two or three years with relatively low mileages. In fact they specifically launched an incentive with fleet managers a couple of years ago to increase the number of low mileage used cars coming into their network.

However the company I used to work for gave its senior managers company cars as "perks" and they were supplied by a leasing company which covered all tyres and servicing etc. They were quite happy to book the car into Halfords or similar for servicing as they were paying the bills. I think it is interesting that now the OP is paying the bills, he is expected to pay MB prices!

But I agree with others that you have little choice but to take it to a MB dealership for servicing.

The other way you could look at it is that the value will be higher with a MB service history and you said you will probably keep the car at the end of the contract.

 

[flowrider]

Interesting. The Mercedes Finance document says “the Approved Workshop network” which I would take to include Indies with the Star/Xentry system.
A full service history is required. The vehicle must be serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's published service intervals within the Approved Workshop network.

The "approved workshop network" are the main dealers.

 

[Rory]

However the company I used to work for gave its senior managers company cars as "perks" and they were supplied by a leasing company which covered all tyres and servicing etc. They were quite happy to book the car into Halfords or similar for servicing as they were paying the bills. I think it is interesting that now the OP is paying the bills, he is expected to pay MB prices!

Wouldn't at all surprise me that if you include service & maint with the lease then you get sent to Halfords. Don't include it and they insist on MB - why wouldn't they, if they're not paying for it?

 

[Rory]

The "approved workshop network" are the main dealers.

That's pretty much the case, although as I said earlier in the thread there are one or two others. However when I first got my car, and there were more of them around, I found the non dealer authorised repairers were the same price as dealers.

I mentioned Regent Garage in Criccieth, there's also Waterhouse in Chelmsford: https://www.mbauthorisedrepairer-waterhouse.co.uk/en/desktop/passenger-cars.html

They're in the MB retailer list, but there's no way of searching for them - you used to be able to untick car sales, but they do the search differently now.

 

[A.J.]

Wouldn't at all surprise me that if you include service & maint with the lease then you get sent to Halfords. Don't include it and they insist on MB - why wouldn't they, if they're not paying for it?

But that doesn't give the Lessor a manufactures service history that is so important when they dispose of a premium product

 

[Rory]

But that doesn't give the Lessor a manufactures service history that is so important when they dispose of a premium product

As there have been several examples now of leasing companies sending 'premium' cars to Halfords etc, it's obviously not that important.

 

[A.J.]

As there have been several examples now of leasing companies sending 'premium' cars to Halfords etc, it's obviously not that important.

Having spent many years as Disposals Manager for a major player in the Contract Hire industry I have never come across that.

 

[fabes]

Just done a peer review of our UK arrangement with Arval and it's clear, main dealer servicing and mechanical repairs.
No it's or buts.
Insurer network for accident damage though

 

[barry jones]

My S Class is just over 9 years old and has full service history through MB main dealers. I have a service plan that costs me £40 a month that covers three services over 3 years... That way, I get the Mobilo benefits and don't get hit with a whacking big bill when services are due.

Can't you take one out on a lease car?