ML350 (W166) A service cost.

[flowrider]

My 2012 ML350 is due an A service in 30 days so i thought i would get some prices from Mercedes, bear in mind that i thought the A service was meant to be cheaper than a B service you can imagine my surprise to get quotes of £698 and £773 from my two nearest dealers. Not happy at all.

 

[Wighty]

The basic A service is an oil and filter change , you must have some of the extras like brake fluid , air filters , fuel filter , and maybe gearbox ATF change to get it that high

 

[flowrider]

The basic A service is an oil and filter change , you must have some of the extras like brake fluid , air filters , fuel filter , and maybe gearbox ATF change to get it that high

Brake fluid and ATF oil change also required according to MB. My service last year was a B service and cost £776 so thats 2 big services in 2 years.

 

[Wighty]

Wow I feel your pain . Maybe time to ditch Mobilio and go Indy

 

[flowrider]

Wow I feel your pain . Maybe time to ditch Mobilio and go Indy

I think you are right, i will call Welwyn Merx next week. The car will be traded in this year anyway.

 

[Wighty]

If it's being traded in this year , just get a straight A service done so it looks right on paper and save your money for the next car .

 

[eman]

My ML350 has just had a B service (2nd one) and it was £396 at mb Brum, although I do have a service plan.The A service is supposed to be the cheaper one.

 

[geraldrobins]

If it's being traded in this year , just get a straight A service done so it looks right on paper and save your money for the next car .

If its sold to someone knowledgeable they will want proof of an ATF change, and if its gone over the specified mileage or age it may devalue the car.
Get the correct service done is my recommendation at MB or an Indy. MB will negotiate.
Surely we dont want to mislead anyone who may purchase it later on.

 

[geraldrobins]

My ML350 has just had a B service (2nd one) and it was £396 at mb Brum, although I do have a service plan.The A service is supposed to be the cheaper one.

My last A service and ATF change was about £500 at MB.

 

[Wighty]

If its sold to someone knowledgeable they will want proof of an ATF change, and if its gone over the specified mileage or age it may devalue the car.
Get the correct service done is my recommendation at MB or an Indy. MB will negotiate.
Surely we dont want to mislead anyone who may purchase it later on.

If it was going to be sold to an unknowing private buyer I would agree...not very sporting but being sold to a dealer as a trade in they will prepare the car for the next buyer using dealer supplied parts without charging themselves labour costs . I just think that is an eye watering service cost to be paid just before trade in later this year , and on top of that flowrider paid a similar cost for his other car to be serviced ...that makes around £1500 quid for 2 services in a year . I'm sweating typing this that is so high .
I'm sticking with A service oil change to tick the box , the other things aren't going to be affected by a few thousand miles and 6 months .

 

[flowrider]

Last years service was on the same car so £1500 for 2 services in 2 years on the same car. The car is on a PCP with MB with a just over a year to go so I will be trading it in some time this year but not necessarily for another MB, however I have always serviced all my MB's with an MB dealer so I may just bite the bullet and pay up. My other car (SL500) will not be going to an MB dealer for servicing that's for sure. I think even paying £300 for the basic oil change is daylight robbery for 0.5hrs work and £70 of oil and filter, all the other items on the service I can do myself, afterall how hard is it to check my interior lights work and the exhaust isn't blowing and all the other simple things MB claim to check.

 

[geraldrobins]

If it was going to be sold to an unknowing private buyer I would agree...not very sporting but being sold to a dealer as a trade in they will prepare the car for the next buyer using dealer supplied parts without charging themselves labour costs . I just think that is an eye watering service cost to be paid just before trade in later this year , and on top of that flowrider paid a similar cost for his other car to be serviced ...that makes around £1500 quid for 2 services in a year . I'm sweating typing this that is so high .
I'm sticking with A service oil change to tick the box , the other things aren't going to be affected by a few thousand miles and 6 months .

Clearly 2 cars cost twice as much to run as one so I don't see that makes any difference. MB will probably check the service records when the car is traded which may affect the value or it cant be sold with a full MB history.
However its up to the OP.

 

[flowrider]

I have an idea........2 services on a 12 month service plan will cost £82 per month so I can pay for my service interest free monthly, the next 2 services are this 'A' service at £700 and then a 'B' service which last year cost £776 so I will be saving roughly £500 on the next 2 services. Please someone tell me if my thinking has any flaws.

 

[Wighty]

I think you are slightly out by assuming it will save you £500 because you will soon have paid 2 very expensive services which will have covered air filters (4 yearly ) brake fluid (2 yearly) gearbox (1 off at 37500) fuel filter (4 yearly ) .
So after this service you will have done all of these , so your B service should be "almost" a basic with no expensive extras ...costing maybe £300-350?
So your next service at £700 odd + £300 ish ...comes to £1000 so almost the same as the service plan .
This service plan assumes that you can do the required mileage to get to the B service within 12 months....if you can't you won't get the service done because the plan will time out even though you just paid for the year at £82 per month .
Still with me ?

 

[flowrider]

I think you are slightly out by assuming it will save you £500 because you will soon have paid 2 very expensive services which will have covered air filters (4 yearly ) brake fluid (2 yearly) gearbox (1 off at 37500) fuel filter (4 yearly ) .
So after this service you will have done all of these , so your B service should be "almost" a basic with no expensive extras ...costing maybe £300-350?
So your next service at £700 odd + £300 ish ...comes to £1000 so almost the same as the service plan .
This service plan assumes that you can do the required mileage to get to the B service within 12 months....if you can't you won't get the service done because the plan will time out even though you just paid for the year at £82 per month .
Still with me ?

The services do not have to be done within the plan payment period so I can pay for the 2 services in 12 months but not have the second service for 18 months. The other benefit is I don't have to shell out £700 now but can pay monthly interest free. I know Mercedes, they will find something else to do that bumps up the basic service price. If I dont have the second service I can cancel the agreement and will be refunded any money paid over the cost of any service already carried out.

 

[JBell]

MB will probably check the service records when the car is traded which may affect the value or it cant be sold with a full MB history.

My indy has Xentry so all the service history is uploaded to that and they use all genuine MB service parts

 

[flowrider]

My indy has Xentry so all the service history is uploaded to that and they use all genuine MB service parts

My issue is that my Agility agreement :twisted: states I have to use a Mercedes approved dealer for all services.

 

[JBell]

My issue is that my Agility agreement :twisted: states I have to use a Mercedes approved dealer for all services.

This is where they have you by the "short and curlys", the servicing costs you have quoted are incredibly high, my "B" service was £105 (I provided the oil and pollen filter) on what is the same engine.

 

[Wighty]

Well it does sound that you have done your homework with the service plan and mileage . At least now you will have paid already thereby leaving both hands free to hang on to your Y fronts at payment time