First time Mercedes owner. Never saw that coming!

[Keith Pepper]

Hi,
Everyone, my name is Keith, just thought I would introduce myself. Just purchased a new C300D AMG Bodyline. We where due to change our existing car and we where loaned one for a few days while our existing car was In for service. I have never driven a Mercedes before, but was very impressed with this model. I Looked at the Mercedes online shop and purchased a new one. It's coming early January, so hopefully a good start to a new year. I hope I have made a good choice. What you more experienced owners think?

 

[sonic]

Welcome I think you made a very good choice, there are not many on this site but reports are good. I drove one a few months back as a loan car when my E350CDI was in for service. It felt as quick as the E350, power is similar but it comes from a new 2 Ltr & not 3 Ltr as in the E350. The problem car at the moment seems to be the 300DE, MB haven't got to grips with hybrids yet.
Looking forward to your posts when you get it.

 

[A.J.]

Hi Keith and welcome to the forum and the world of MB. You have made a great choice. Just be mindful that MB’s are additive and there is no way back

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Hello and welcome

 

[Srdl]

Hello Keith and welcome. Any Mercedes is a good choice! The D should be fine as long as it suits your driving profile. Modern diesels, and all their associated environmental tech, don't like lots of short journeys.

 

[Wighty]

Welcome buddy , we are all interested in hearing how you find the new car .

 

[Blobcat]

Hello and welcome

 

[davemercedes]

Hello and welcome, Keith.

 

[Keith Pepper]

Thank you all for your very warm welcome. I will let you know how I get on with the car. Just wondered on your thoughts about the service plan. I think it shows as £35 per month for my car. is this good value? would you recommend using a main dealer for the service ( Just thinking about the future value of the car), would it add value to be serviced by a main dealer?

 

[00slk]

Hello and welcome

 

[00slk]

..................................... The problem car at the moment seems to be the 300DE, MB haven't got to grips with hybrids yet..........................

Give them about 10 years and they should have cracked it by then.
My '05 320cdi only gets 3 mpg more than my old '05 240 petrol, so the petrol was cheaper to run. Though I think the W212 is better diesel mileage hence the 10 year comment.

 

[sonic]

Thank you all for your very warm welcome. I will let you know how I get on with the car. Just wondered on your thoughts about the service plan. I think it shows as £35 per month for my car. is this good value? would you recommend using a main dealer for the service ( Just thinking about the future value of the car), would it add value to be serviced by a main dealer?

£35 PM is very cheap, I have used service plans for about the last 8 years I wait for the offers to appear. There are 2 main services the A small & B big service alternate years. I try & get a 3 year plan with a B A B service sequence, which is the best value. The other big expense is the gearbox oil change, but in your case I think it’s about 70K miles. As for value it’s a personal thing, I have stayed with dealer servicing. Quite a lot move across to MB independent garages after about 3 years. I always buy second hand about 2-4 years old, but it must have a full MB service history.

 

[Keith Pepper]

Hi,
Sonic, thanks for the info. I have just double checked and its £34 per month for a 3 year service contract. So 3 services in 3 years. I would think an A B A service seeing as the car in new?
Just one thing will annoy about the car when I comes and I know its the same for most new cars. NO spare wheel. Its a cop out and money saving exercise. I have no confidence is the seal and blow up system that comes with the car. If the puncture is on a side wall or larger that a screw or something similar, you are stuffed.
Can you but a space saver wheel ( 18") that actually fits in the boot out of site, would any body know?

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Welcome!

In answer to your spare wheel question the ADBLUE tank sits in what we used to call the spare wheel well so no you can’t unfortunately

 

[A.J.]

Hi,
Sonic, thanks for the info. I have just double checked and its £34 per month for a 3 year service contract. So 3 services in 3 years. I would think an A B A service seeing as the car in new?
Just one thing will annoy about the car when I comes and I know its the same for most new cars. NO spare wheel. Its a cop out and money saving exercise. I have no confidence is the seal and blow up system that comes with the car. If the puncture is on a side wall or larger that a screw or something similar, you are stuffed.
Can you but a space saver wheel ( 18") that actually fits in the boot out of site, would any body know?

A saving grace though Keith is that a puncture is a relatively rare thing these days

 

[Keith Pepper]

Thanks for your replies, thats really helpful. How much would cost to remove the adblue tank?? Joking!

 

[Blobcat]

Thanks for your replies, thats really helpful. How much would cost to remove the adblue tank?? Joking!

About the same price as buying a petrol version...

 

[Keith Pepper]

Touche.

 

[sonic]

Hi,
Sonic, thanks for the info. I have just double checked and its £34 per month for a 3 year service contract. So 3 services in 3 years. I would think an A B A service seeing as the car in new?
Just one thing will annoy about the car when I comes and I know its the same for most new cars. NO spare wheel. Its a cop out and money saving exercise. I have no confidence is the seal and blow up system that comes with the car. If the puncture is on a side wall or larger that a screw or something similar, you are stuffed.
Can you but a space saver wheel ( 18") that actually fits in the boot out of site, would any body know?

£34PM is £408 PY, & your first service won't cost that, you could try I leave it a year then it will be a B A B sequence.
You can buy the service contract at any time in the second year. Be aware different MB dealerships charge different prices for the same service. If you look on the MB service website, you can see the cost of your next service at dealers near you.

 

[AMGeed]

£34PM is £408 PY, & your first service won't cost that, you could try I leave it a year then it will be a B A B sequence.
You can buy the service contract at any time in the second year. Be aware different MB dealerships charge different prices for the same service. If you look on the MB service website, you can see the cost of your next service at dealers near you.

This is what I would do as well. It makes no sense to have a 3yr plan on a new car when two of those A services cost very little.
Wait one year, then consider a plan.