MB independent sevice result..

[guydewdney]

hi,

after a dissapointing service from one company, the next service was done by someone else - for now I'll keep the name off this, just to see what you think. This is home counties.

W140 with 142,000 miles CL 420
-full service, inc all grease points (inc ones not done last service.....)
-new plugs (gen merc)
-new tranny oil (by my request as tranny re-built 8K miles ago, wanted to be sure, gen MB oil
-full electronic diagnosic report (have various gearbox, parktronic window probs) went through this with me, showing all faults, what they mean, how they occour, what to do to fix them. very knowledgeable.
-new MB wipers (94 quid )
-adjust both front wheel bearings (both looser than a cheap woman...)
-fixed rear window runners (bent by PO break-in)
-really really cleaned car, inc autoglym polish and buff to remove some scratches.
-offer of free advice (such as how to replace door seals, which I can do myself) and offer of coming to his workshop and using his tools / knowledge whenever I like to do other jobs.

612 quid
(labour was 370 - not bad for 3 days) no loan car, but I have several, so I didn't care



i was chuffed.

any comments?

 

[Richard Moakes]

Hi,

Voting buttons don't seem to work for me.

However, I think that is a little expensive, and didn't need to take 3 days.

....BUT, it was a W140, so that would make things expensive :lol:

Down here in Plymouth, my local independant charges £30 per hour, which compared to the local stealership is a bargain.

In reality, the quality of the work is more important than price, and if you believe they did a good job, then you are a satisfied customer.

Regards,

Richard
1989 W124 300E

 

[Spike]

£94 for windscreen wipers? They saw you coming :twisted:

They could have offered you replacement wiper rubbers as a genuine MB part for £5.

Mebbe that will cover the cost of the "free advice" he gave you.....whichever way you want to look at it, £612 for a service is certainly not cheap in my eyes. The labour rates indicate over ten hours labour which seems rather alot for a simple service (I count around 5-6 hours) and based on your post, I calculate about 70 worth of materials and parts, if you buy them carefully, not the £242 that you were billed.

 

[guydewdney]

it wasnt just a service...

the gearbox oil was changed - which is a two hour job, and 80 quids worth of oil.

to take out the rear window runners (bent by some scrote breaking in to nick a laptop) is a MISSION - I know, ive looked at it.

windows on the coupe are complex - they run up at funny angles, and do the close/ seal thing when the doors are shut.

the gearbox needed to be re-set - long story.

windscreen wipers were replacement bosch, and they were OK new, but knackered now. so MB replacement had to be complete - doh. thanks - ill remember that they are a fiver for th rubbers

various little things have been done - like cables / linkages adjusted (which dont get done in a service)

yes - for a service it would be expensive - but then again a service is just oil /filters/ plugs etc. I can do that..

it now drives completely differently, and im back in love