E320 cdti servicing nightmere

[Paddo]

Hi guys,

is it normal? just had my first service out of warrenty and just about had an heart attack.

all toher services have been around 250 -350 quiders, not bad i thought, e320 cdti avante garde estate on a 54 plate.

its now done 60k and just gone in for a service, first out of warrenty, 1100 b***** quid

bearings
ball joints
caster bushes

is this normal on a car this age?

cheers

Paddo

 

[alan782]

I hope not mine is due in 3000 miles (about 4 weeks at the present rate of notts). What did you have done?

 

[television]

Did not they ask you first before doing the work

 

[alan782]

Sorry just noticed the bearings, ball joints bit. Shurely they should not have gone on a 60k car?

 

[jberks]

Weren't the front arms done under recall? I know I had something replaced FOC around a year ago.
My worst service to date has been £600 but that was a B service with a gearbox oil, coolant and brake fluid change. £1100 is silly.

Bearings? These shouldn't need doing - one of mine was adjusted slightly at the last service but thats all. Certainly no bearings should need replacing on a merc at 60k. The suspension components are known issues but as I say there was a recall some time ago so perhaps yours was missed?

I'd tell the garage that as these things shouldn't have failed I'll be expecting a large goodwill contribution from MB and a substantial discount on the rest.

 

[Rory]

Just insane. MB don't care - I'm sure they imagine huge bills once out of warranty will encourage people to buy new cars. They don't realise that the perceived costs of running an older MB are destroying the used values and so make it that much harder for customers to trade up.

 

[jberks]

Just insane. MB don't care - I'm sure they imagine huge bills once out of warranty will encourage people to buy new cars. They don't realise that the perceived costs of running an older MB are destroying the used values and so make it that much harder for customers to trade up.

Don't be so sure. I've normally found that by being just a little bit savvy, you can keep costs down, even whilst using main dealers. MB generally do care and have offered big discounts and sometimes 100% contributions when things that shouldn't have gone wrong, have. But you do have to ask.

Yes, they will start with a huge bill, and often these are simply paid by the company running the car without question, but equally, question, negiotiate, ask for a discount, home in on what is actually needed rather than all the non critical recommendations like engine flush and aircon service and these bills can be managed down to more affordable levels. Remember these aren't £12k cars we're running so we can't expect £90 service bills. A friend had a £500 bill for flywheel repairs to his 4yr old mondeo - it happens on all makes.

I've just had 2 springs replaced on my 4yr old E270. Given that the parts alone are £60 each and the work was done by a main dealer and MB paid to recover the car, provide me with a free equivalent rental car whilst the work was done, wash and vac mine and provide a cup of coffee whilst I paid the bill - I don't think £270 is a bad deal.

Yes, when they tot up all the stuff on the wish list, it can get out of hand but sit down with the service guy and a discount here, a goodwill contribution there, the price soon tumbles.

 

[Rory]

Yes, when they tot up all the stuff on the wish list, it can get out of hand but sit down with the service guy and a discount here, a goodwill contribution there, the price soon tumbles.

You shouldn't have to even do that though - the dealer, on behalf of Mercedes, should be embarrassed that these things have gone wrong at such an age and mileage and should work with Mercedes on your behalf to fix them without question, especially on a car that they've supplied and serviced from new.

Instead, they just use your visit as an opportunity to bend you over.

Sure, it you're savvy, and you have a robust personality, then you can a reduction. But not everyone is like that and so they go away harbouring angry thoughts (and then some of them post it up on the internet for all to see).

 

[jberks]

You shouldn't have to even do that though - the dealer, on behalf of Mercedes, should be embarrassed that these things have gone wrong at such an age and mileage and should work with Mercedes on your behalf to fix them without question, especially on a car that they've supplied and serviced from new.

Can't argue with a word. They should, and mine does, but I'm well aware that many, possibly the majority don't.

 

[Dosco]

Some thoughts...

jberks is clearly very successful with his approach and I can concur, having met many jberks in my time having been on the 'other side' (not in the motor trade though) of the table on more occasions than I care to remember that such an approach will almost always succeed.

Prepare well before you enter into any discussion have as much information and/or supportive evidence to hand.

If you do not have to enter such a discussion fine but some prep is always worth while.

Avoid confrontation, bad language anecdotal and unsupportable comments be upfront with your expectations and be very positive what you will and won't accept, leave room for maneuver (or face saving) however that should not limit your stated expectations.

Finally be reasonable stay cool and above all be polite and whatever you do do not start to shout and say things like "I know my rights" that despite all the advice given out by the 'Watchdog's' really urinates people off when resolved thank them for there consideration and help, overt politeness disarms just about any argument.

If all fails smack him, then prepare for your day in court.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

If all fails smack him, then prepare for your day in court.

Impeccable diplomacy Dosco - I had feared that you were losing it up to that point!!

 

[Dosco]

Impeccable diplomacy Dosco - I had feared that you were losing it up to that point!!

As always Alex, as always

 

[Paddo]

interesting that not only me thinks this stinks. I bought the car year last september, and MB topped up the warrenty so in effect it had cover till 3 years and 9 months.

car was purchased from scarborough MB and to be honest, they could not have cared less. I was recommended this garage from a friend and they were the only garage (main dealer) to have this car, infact had 2 of them. E320 estate, avante garde with all trimmings, Command, leather nappa, larger rims, 245/45/17's, and that i think was the start of the issues. car was delivered, dirty, inside and out, "oh by the way we have had to put 4 new tyres on" yeah, federals, car felt like a banger. Not a 25k motor!! with 30k on clock.

Could not have cared less and to be honest, distance from garage was an issue, wont be doing that again as i live in leeds.

Finally sorted problem with wheels (balancing and other vibration problems) by changing tyre's back to conti's been superb ever since, at my cost by the way.

Parts replaced at this B service

caster bushes £144.50
Bearing 2 of £61.60
N/S bottom ball joint £102
Joint? £35.04

Assyst Plus £136
filter element £9.25
seal ring vlrub £.99
lowashoil? £67.16
fob battery £6.07
wiper blade £29.83
wiper rubber £7.04
oil and filter £51
check polyv belt £8.50
replace combination filter perform £8.50
combination filter £18.60
brake fluid replace £85
brake fluid £32.34
wheels remove?install?? £25.50
replace air filter element and perorm £25.50
safety crtridge £17.60
replace fuel filter perform £34
filter £17.80

inc vat comes to £1062.39

and the girl said "oh I have not charged you for the fitting of the wiper blade"????

There is a leeter of complaint going to customer care, no way should bearings need to be changed and I didn't know there was a recall on the bushes, that I will be chasing up.

 

[Paddo]

also i think there has been an issue with this car from the start as it drives like a dream, seriously. the car has not been good on the road, sports suspension, large tyres and now it finally drives like it should. Handling and performance is cracking.....

 

[Rory]

also i think there has been an issue with this car from the start as it drives like a dream, seriously. the car has not been good on the road, sports suspension, large tyres and now it finally drives like it should. Handling and performance is cracking.....

Oh, well - at least there's a silver lining. Imagine how you'd feel if it was worse!

I think, as always when we see these lists, the way the bill is presented makes it look worse than it is. It's been itemised to such a degree that it makes it look like you've been double charged, but adding up the B Service items it looks like you've been charged about £390 inc VAT for the B service - against what used to be a pretty standard £450 or so (however some dealers will do it for around £320 these days).

The charge for oil is noticeably cheap - at my dealer that would be over £100.

 

[Paddo]

I just wish the car would have ben this good from the start, and I will be checking the recall notice someone mentioned, trust i will, cheers

 

[Paddo]

from what i am finding out now, is that the bushes and ball joints are a common fault. How many out there have had to have these replaced?

cheers, going in to MB tomorrow, have a little chat....

 

[jberks]

from what i am finding out now, is that the bushes and ball joints are a common fault. How many out there have had to have these replaced?

cheers, going in to MB tomorrow, have a little chat....

Mine's not been done as far as I know. I did have a front suspension arm done under recall though - may be worth finding out what that recall was and whether it was done on your car. Mine was done by MB Harrogate but as it was recall it wasn't on the docs.

On the tyres, I had 2 sets of Federals (same size) and was happy, but I do agree they do suffer more from vibration if not set up perfectly. I found that Alba (across the road from MB Leeds) are the best fitters in the area and could get them right. Everyone else made a bugger of it. They were noisy though. Khumos are much better ;-) and if budget allows I agree, you can't go wrong with Contis.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

A few other items to be wary of.

Transmission fluid for autobox, change is recommended at some point.

Glowplugs, life seems to be 65k onwards they start to fail. Not hard to do but not a diy job due to risk of them breaking.

The oil was very cheap and at that price does not seem like the recommended oil either. If it was the right oil its a very good price.

Replacing all filters is a good move, check the service manual and it recommends replacing brake fluid and coolant. If you plan on keeping the car for very high miles changing the differential oil is also recommended at around 100k. Its not cheap oil but prolongs the life.

At 30k it was possible the car only had one service. The ASSYST is set for 13000 miles but if used for long or motorway driving it extends considerably, I know mine went to only 5k remaining after 13k, it only dropped 8k in driving 13k miles.