Dealer servicing costs

[Bargain Bucket]

My 2014 W212 is due for a B1 service. Priced at £556 which has served to remind me why I moved away from MB previously. All my local dealers are Lookers so the price will be the same across all of them. Has anyone had any luck getting a better price from a different franchise? I could of course go to an indie but....
a) do indies update the electronic service record that MB hold?
b) would I get any TSBs, software updates, map updates etc automatically that would be done by an MB dealership?
I don't plan to keep the car forever so prefer a genuine MB service record but these prices take the p!ss for what they do. It's still only an oil change, a bit of AdBlue, a couple of filters and a check of various bits. No more than any other manufacturer does for far less money.

 

[Craiglxviii]

My 2014 W212 is due for a B1 service. Priced at £556 which has served to remind me why I moved away from MB previously. All my local dealers are Lookers so the price will be the same across all of them. Has anyone had any luck getting a better price from a different franchise? I could of course go to an indie but....
a) do indies update the electronic service record that MB hold?
b) would I get any TSBs, software updates, map updates etc automatically that would be done by an MB dealership?
I don't plan to keep the car forever so prefer a genuine MB service record but these prices take the p!ss for what they do. It's still only an oil change, a bit of AdBlue, a couple of filters and a check of various bits. No more than any other manufacturer does for far less money.

My 2016 E220 212 is going in for its first A service today... £255 including collection and delivery. I'm not sure of the difference in the two services, my price was generated online through the MB Customer Portal. it compares to another (non premium) brand's identical equivalent service cost of £197 quite favourably.

If you're not that bothered then yes, a good indy will update everything you've mentioned in addition to halving the labour cost.

 

[Wighty]

A lot of Merc garages will give 10% discount for being an MBO club member

 

[such]

i was in the same boat and decided to take out a service plan for 3 services over 2 years, which cost £52 per month or £1248.

My next service at MB is a biggie with all filters plus ATF which was priced up at £900+. Indie pricing was around £600, which, to me, is a big outlay in one hit!

It was a no brainer for me to go on the monthly plan as it averages out the services at £416 plus the 2 years mobilo.

I am still undecided as to which dealer i trust to carry out the servicing

 

[Nodrog007]

Hi Guys
Looking at serious expense for a Service B and Transmission oil service (5 years or 75000 miles) + bits that their system says needs replacing. Approx 2k with a MB dealer in Watford.
My car has only done 18000 miles!
Any ideas to reduce costs etc

 

[mioba]

Get the list of what needs doing.
Get a few tools and the parts.
DIY

alternatively find a Mb indy.

 

[Headhurts]

Just had a 3 year service on my 2021 GLC300 along with MOT at £595.44, includes spark plugs, air filter, oh! I nearly forgot the nice video detailing the underside of car along with tyres and brakes.

Robin

 

[JBell]

Hi Guys
Looking at serious expense for a Service B and Transmission oil service (5 years or 75000 miles) + bits that their system says needs replacing. Approx 2k with a MB dealer in Watford.
My car has only done 18000 miles!
Any ideas to reduce costs etc

There is @star near reading.

I was quoted £775 for a gearbox service on my 7g 'box from MB, my indy does them for £350

 

[Wighty]

Hi Guys
Looking at serious expense for a Service B and Transmission oil service (5 years or 75000 miles) + bits that their system says needs replacing. Approx 2k with a MB dealer in Watford.
My car has only done 18000 miles!
Any ideas to reduce costs etc

As @JBell says . Try Ian at Star Mercedes Services , near Reading . He is also on this forum

 

[peterws1957]

Hi Guys
Looking at serious expense for a Service B and Transmission oil service (5 years or 75000 miles) + bits that their system says needs replacing. Approx 2k with a MB dealer in Watford.
My car has only done 18000 miles!
Any ideas to reduce costs etc

Did you get a break down of that cost? It would be interesting to see how the price has been arrived at. If you wanted to keep full MB service history I would have suggested a service plan, but the price of these for some has doubled overnight. Still might be worth checking. As others have suggested good indies are often much cheaper.

 

[EmilysDad]

My ML350 was serviced yesterday a local trusted indie .... B service cost me £210. He did the autobox ATF last years for IIRC £300-ish

 

[sonic]

Over the last 20 years I have used MB serving mostly with a service plan. However like you my annual mileage has dropped to about 4K miles on both cars, plus both of my service plans have expired.
The new service plans are at least 50% more than last time, so I will be moving to an independent.
7G gearbox oil changes are about £300/£350.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

We have had an influx of new customers since the service plans have increased.

I do think they are good value for someone who does 15-20k per year where you might need 2 services per year.

 

[SmartAmg]

A lot of Merc garages will give 10% discount for being an MBO club member

Or charge you more.

 

[Wighty]

Or charge you more.

The difference 6 years makes !

 

[SmartAmg]

The difference 6 years makes !

I know 6 years! Where's it gone.

 

[mioba]

My C class was due a service (A) in 25 days.

I called merc for the parts needed (oil filter, cabin pre filter, oil, spark plugs) - 244 parts only. They said they could do the service for 544 pounds.

Off to GSF got all the bits (MANN) plus wiper blades (Bosch), plus engine air filter and a charcoal cabin filter for 180 pounds.

2 hours later all done at home - replacing the MB filters which had the same MANN part number on (another discussion altogether).

The huge showrooms and all the poxy staff is paid for on the ridiculous service costs.

I personally got peed with ham fisted MB fitters breaking something on the car and things always going wrong when the cars in the dealers.

If you cant DIY and want the service records officialy updated then find a good indy that has access to it. This will keep the mobilo intact and the digital records updated.

Not all merc indies have access to ask.

I use a merc indy in Nottingham who are very good, but they dont have access to the online merc tools - it costs them too much in subscriptions.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

If you cant DIY and want the service records officialy updated then find a good indy that has access to it. This will keep the mobilo intact and the digital records updated.

Not all merc indies have access to ask.

I use a merc indy in Nottingham who are very good, but they dont have access to the online merc tools - it costs them too much in subscriptions.

A DSB subscription is FOC, you just need to be VAT registered.

WIS/ASRA/Xentry is a small fortune. I dont see how you can operate without it personally.

 

[The_Don]

£226.87 for an atf service at mb southend for my w204 2013 c180 m274.

 

[S500 Pete]

My C class was due a service (A) in 25 days.

I called merc for the parts needed (oil filter, cabin pre filter, oil, spark plugs) - 244 parts only. They said they could do the service for 544 pounds.

Off to GSF got all the bits (MANN) plus wiper blades (Bosch), plus engine air filter and a charcoal cabin filter for 180 pounds.

2 hours later all done at home - replacing the MB filters which had the same MANN part number on (another discussion altogether).

The huge showrooms and all the poxy staff is paid for on the ridiculous service costs.

I personally got peed with ham fisted MB fitters breaking something on the car and things always going wrong when the cars in the dealers.

If you cant DIY and want the service records officialy updated then find a good indy that has access to it. This will keep the mobilo intact and the digital records updated.

Not all merc indies have access to ask.

I use a merc indy in Nottingham who are very good, but they dont have access to the online merc tools - it costs them too much in subscriptions.

Mobilo only gets renewed if you have a dealer service