MB servicing.

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
Well i have just dropped my C43 AMG in for a "A" service at Pentagon Mercedes (Southampton) and I have been given a "08" C350 with just 8200 miles on it as a courtesy car
I have been longing for a drive in the new 204 and now have my wish
Now when i was dropping it off they said that if I don,t get any mandatary service items done ie, air filter, fuel filter, plugs etc. they won,t stamp my service book.
My question is can they refuse to stamp my book? surely I have paid for the service it should be stamped. In the last service (B) they picked up it was due new plugs and a brake fluid change, but the service book was still stamped, although the work was not carried out. I mentioned this to the service advisor and he said to wait and see if anything comes up, and we could discuss it when I pick it up tomorrow.
Can anyone shed any light on this?
Any help or advise would be much appreciated.

 

[colechelle]

pm me who you delt with andy!!!!

 

[Rory]

This has come up a few times and in fact I had the same thing from our Honda dealer when getting wifey's Jazz serviced recently - I didn't want them to do the time consuming valve clearance check (I don't believe they actually do it anyway).

MB dealers argument is that servicing is made up of the basic A or B service, plus all the other items that come up on a time/mileage basis, such as brake fluid every 2yrs, spark plugs etc. If you don't get those done then the service isn't complete so they can't stamp the book. I would assume that if, for example, they said it needed pads and disks, that you could refuse those without affecting the stamp.

Funnily enough my daughter has a monthly payment plan (with the dealership, not with VAG) for servicing for her SEAT Ibiza which is supposed to cover 2 scheduled services, one of which was a major service. Dealer cheerfully did that but absolutely refused to include the cost of the brake fluid change even though it was called for at the same time. They insisted that it's optional and not part of the service. Have a complaint about that ongoing with VAG.

 

[colechelle]

can only help you andy if you reply!!!

 

[television]

can only help you andy if you reply!!!

Even on Miss X computer

 

[bigasotonuk]

Even on Miss X computer

Cheeky! lol
Hi,
Thanks for all replies. I picked up the C43 today after reluctantly giving back the C350.
I got a phone call early afternoon today to say they had finished the car and they had picked up a few points as followed,
1, Headlamp - N/S side bulb Inop.
2, Fog light - O/S/F bulb Inop.
3, Wipers - Front Smearing Screen.
4, Spark Plugs require replacement/air filter.
5, Test and recharge battery.
6, Fuel filter hose starting to split x2.
They were still saying that if i did,nt get the spark plugs & air filter done that they would,nt be able to stamp the book, but he asked me to hold the line while he went and checked, and it turned out it had already been stamped, so i think that the service advisors maybe "encouraged" to get as much work sanctioned as possible but threatening to not stamp the history seemed a little harsh. It was mentioned that my car will always have noted in the service records that the plugs, air filter etc, needs replacing till MB actually do it.
I had a long chat with the service manager Shaun, very nice guy indeed.
The car was valeted, and I even got a box of complementary chocolates.
Driving home the car was, well felt different and by god did it go, so much better than it was, it idles smoother, pulls so much harder through the gears, though there did seem a slight reluctance to go into fifth gear, which seemed to resolve itself by the time i got home.
What on earth have they done? I thought an "A" service was an oil change and a visual Inspection, very litte else.
Intial thoughts were that maybe they had cleared the memory of the gearbox ECU, but I don,t think this would of made that much difference.
Any ideas?
Sorry I did,nt read the replies to the thread as for some reason it did,nt appear when i clicked on new posts

 

[truthfindergeneral]

The word ' blackmail " seems to be going around in my head.

 

[hawk20]

The terms and conditions of the 3 year warranty do make clear what service work must be done to conform and keep the guarantee valid. Why would you not want the recommended items to be done?

Baffles me why so many try to save money on servicing when it is only about 2-3p per mile unless you are a low mileage motorist.

First 30k miles in my S class averaged just over 2p per mile for servicing at MB dealers.

Brakes, exhausts, tyres etc are not included. They can be done elsewhere.

 

[truthfindergeneral]

We might not try and save money on servicing if we hadn't had years of being turned over by such people. My particular gripe has always been the item marked ' screen wash " at around £2.50 on the bill. Am I really expected to believe that they syphoned fluid out of my full washer bottle in order to add it.

 

[psmart]

Intial thoughts were that maybe they had cleared the memory of the gearbox ECU, but I don,t think this would of made that much difference.
Any ideas?

It makes a big difference, Ive used this 'reset' a few times. The gearbox is supposed to learn and adapt to your driving style, but funny how the gearbox 'downrates' itself, even after sprightly driving, which lends one to believe that its kind of a con.

 

[bigasotonuk]

I have tried this procedure on mine before and it did,nt make a jot of difference.

 

[psmart]

The procedure I use is EGS Adaptation Reset, via CarSoft and the ML noticeably changes for a while. The procedure was first mentioned by I think Panason1c and other ML owners have noticed a difference.

The mention of having more power sounded to match this change, but if you've already tried it, then something else was changed.