MB C180 Service A charge by MB Dealer

[ajit@epsom]

Hello ALL,

I own a MB C180 Avantgrande and have bought this car last year in May 2007. My car is now flashing that Service A is due in another 26 days or 8800 miles. when I checked with MB dealer in Epsom and they have quoted £ 314 for parts and labour for Service A (sounded too expensive for me, but i may be wrong).

Just wanted to check with the group if this is the average service charge by MB dealer in other areas too for C180 4 cylinder petrol vehicle?

Thanks in advance for the info

cheers,
Ajit

 

[colechelle]

what to change the oil an filter????? cause thats what a A service is!!!!

 

[GeorgeA]

'A' service at dealer should be no more than £230. Try phoning around and get the cheapest quote - play them off against one another. You could supply your own oil and save a good bit also.

Should you want to try the indie route you can easily have the same service for £135

 

[jibcl500]

Hello ALL,

I own a MB C180 Avantgrande and have bought this car last year in May 2007. My car is now flashing that Service A is due in another 26 days or 8800 miles. when I checked with MB dealer in Epsom and they have quoted £ 314 for parts and labour for Service A (sounded too expensive for me, but i may be wrong).

Just wanted to check with the group if this is the average service charge by MB dealer in other areas too for C180 4 cylinder petrol vehicle?

Thanks in advance for the info

cheers,
Ajit

I charge £124. Thats for air + oil filter, oil + labour.
jib

 

[jibcl500]

AND I stamp the service book.
jib

 

[jberks]

Hello ALL,

I own a MB C180 Avantgrande and have bought this car last year in May 2007. My car is now flashing that Service A is due in another 26 days or 8800 miles. when I checked with MB dealer in Epsom and they have quoted £ 314 for parts and labour for Service A (sounded too expensive for me, but i may be wrong).

Just wanted to check with the group if this is the average service charge by MB dealer in other areas too for C180 4 cylinder petrol vehicle?

Thanks in advance for the info

cheers,
Ajit

Call them back and point out that they're having a laugh. I have never paid more than £250 for an A service at a dealer and a whole lot less at an indie. We recently had a B service done on our E220cdi at a main dealer for £320 and that included 2 new tyres! They're struggling so negotiate - we did. If they won't budge, go elsewhere or use an indie - it doesn't affect your warranty any more so why not!

 

[ajit@epsom]

I have checked the same with MB Croydon and they are quoting £346 incl VAT. there must be something wrong here...anyone who is in Surrey knows any good dealer who is reliable and provide value for money??

has anyone used "service a car" http://www.prestigecarservicing.com/ ? they are indie and is reasonable - are they reliable to use?

 

[deejaybee]

MB Dealer Labour rates in London Area

Ajit, remember that any MB main dealer in greater London area will have a standard labour rate around £110-120/hour + VAT which means you will be paying at least £130/ hour all up unless you can negotiate a special deal. Good independent Merc specialists in your area include James Leigh at Colliers Wood, Steve Redfern in Wimbledon, or I always go to SS Motors in Weybridge. There are a number of Mercedes specialist in the greater London area so you shouldn't have a problem and their labour rates will generally be £50-60/hour + VAT. If you want to use genuine Merc parts in the service just specify this or provide them yourself.

Dave

 

[ajit@epsom]

Thanks Dave!

 

[Chessie]

has anyone used "service a car" http://www.prestigecarservicing.com/ ? they are indie and is reasonable - are they reliable to use?

I have just come across these while searching for a specialist in Kent. Has anyone here tried them, and are they good? I like the pick up and return bit, sounds pretty good.

Anyone?

 

[zweistein]

I really do must look like Mr Bean to Mercedes Benz of Salisbury, who quoted £370 for a B service, not too bad I thought, until the nice lady added that oil and air filter would be £120 inclusive, spark plugs £80 and brake fluid £60, total cost of B service is £630..... ouch!
I would suggest that some of the prices quoted on this thread by you guys seem moderate to me, I do have the quote in writing, should I frame it?

 

[Chessie]

Of course, you'll be snapping up their generous offer?

 

[Rory]

I have just come across these while searching for a specialist in Kent. Has anyone here tried them, and are they good? I like the pick up and return bit, sounds pretty good.

Anyone?

The issue is that you have absolutely no idea who will be servicing your car.

So they pick the car up and where does it go - under a railway arch somewhere, or the local fast-fit place? There's nothing necessarily wrong with such places, but it's one thing dealing with them on a face to face basis and quite another when some random comes to collect the car and disappears off into the distance in it.

 

[Rory]

I really do must look like Mr Bean to Mercedes Benz of Salisbury, who quoted £370 for a B service, not too bad I thought, until the nice lady added that oil and air filter would be £120 inclusive, spark plugs £80 and brake fluid £60, total cost of B service is £630..... ouch!
I would suggest that some of the prices quoted on this thread by you guys seem moderate to me, I do have the quote in writing, should I frame it?

That's truely stunning - they charge £370 for the labour only.

I've never heard of a B Service being quoted without including the oil and filter cost.

Do those prices include VAT? We have 4 cars in our house and I've noticed a couple of the dealers have started quoting ex-VAT prices now.

Plus of course, you would get a call mid-day to say "we've got the wheels off and the pads and disks could do with changing". Final bill would in excess of a grand.

 

[zweistein]

That's truely stunning - they charge £370 for the labour only.

I've never heard of a B Service being quoted without including the oil and filter cost.

Do those prices include VAT? We have 4 cars in our house and I've noticed a couple of the dealers have started quoting ex-VAT prices now.

Plus of course, you would get a call mid-day to say "we've got the wheels off and the pads and disks could do with changing". Final bill would in excess of a grand.

I took for granted that the word "inclusive" meant VAT, though that horrid word was never mentioned in the quotation, God forbid if it isn't.
Other than a blatant attempt to rip me off, I cannot comprehend those sort of figures, it isn't as though Mercedes Of Salisbury have been asked to rebuild the Space Shuttle

 

[Rory]

I took for granted that the word "inclusive" meant VAT, though that horrid word was never mentioned in the quotation, God forbid if it isn't.
Other than a blatant attempt to rip me off, I cannot comprehend those sort of figures, it isn't as though Mercedes Of Salisbury have been asked to rebuild the Space Shuttle

Is this on your CLK230?

By way of comaprison, my local dealer, MB Chester, often advertises service prices in the local paper.

Last ad I kept is quite old now (Oct 07) but they offer B Service on CLK230K for £299 and the ad specifically mentions that it includes fully synth oil. There's no mention of VAT, so as it's an advert, it must be included.

Now I have no doubt that once an owner is enticed by these prices, a list of work as long as your arm would be reeled off by the dealer as being essential!
However, it does demonstate how cheaply (if even £300 could be regarded as cheap for a glorified oil change) the service can be done.

I go there as my car is on ServicePlus - remarkably it never needs anything other than the most basic work. It's probably had the least work of any car I've ever owned - strange, that!

MB Chester is part of the Inchcape group - I don't know if these prices are available at their other dealerships:
http://www.inchcaperetail.co.uk/DealerLocator/Franchise.aspx?Franchise=Mercedes-Benz

 

[PeterCLK]

Yes - I've noticed on service plus how little is done.
My clk 320 is overdue a spark plug change ( I think - done 70k) but has not yet been logged.

 

[zweistein]

Thanks for the advice Rory, I shall certainly make some comparisons between MB dealerships, though currently I'm swayed by the realistic prices and competence offered by a local workshop specializing in german cars.
And yes, the service quotes given are for a CLK 230K Avantgarde, it's been many years since I made excuses to frequent our driveway to throw a few admiring glances in her direction ......... sad I know

 

[Splatt]

AJIT. If you are in Epsom why not try this Indie at Guildford, members of the forum have recommended them.
http://www.ahauto.co.uk/