new service costs. ouch!

[gizze]

Hi I'm new to the forums.... I have just been quoted £695 plus VAT for a full service at the local MB dealer - have had the same quote from a MB independent specialist at £350.00 inc VAT ....SLK 350 2005 approx 66000 on the clock and have owned for the last 2 years I'm not aware of any major problems or niggles - do you think it would be safe to go with the cheaper option service, any advice of comments appreicated.

I would say you may as well go indy now, at 2005 Merc wouldn't retail it anyway, and that is where your savings can be wiped out, trading back into a main dealer.

 

[nyx]

at the age it is now it does make sense to find a good independent Mercedes-Benz specialist. there seem to be plenty about. you could ask other members to recommend a good one near you.

 

[Sunflower]

Yes that makes sense when you put it like that..... I'm in the Northamptonshire area so if anyone can recommend anywhere that would be great....Thank you

 

[M-B Dave]

I have found Sytner Mercedes-Benz Service Care Plan to be a great value for money, and it does include all the extras, as per M-B schedule, e.g. spark plugs and fuel filter at the last B-service. These would be additional items with any independent or even the one-off service by M-B.

Obviously, it depends on the age and mileage, but for my 12.5yr old, with over 103k on the clock, W168 daily runaround - it's brilliant. I pay just £27 a month and don't have to worry about it

 

[Sunflower]

Thanks, I will look into that option too.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Hi I'm new to the forums.... I have just been quoted £695 plus VAT for a full service at the local MB dealer - have had the same quote from a MB independent specialist at £350.00 inc VAT ....SLK 350 2005 approx 66000 on the clock and have owned for the last 2 years I'm not aware of any major problems or niggles - do you think it would be safe to go with the cheaper option service, any advice of comments appreicated.

The Service Care Plan option for you would be £840 for two services -- this one and next year's. That would include all the additional items due at what is effectively the car's second 4-yearly service, and don't forget you also get free breakdown cover with MB.

 

[L John]

I'd love to know the price breakdown of a service, i.e parts cost and number of hours at £££'s per hour.
Hard to see how it all adds up to the set service charges.

I took out the service plan to reduce the 'percieved' obscene costs to the mere ridiculous.

 

[Some guy on the internet]

What's especially galling is that while charging the full bore price for simple jobs like changing filters many times dealer service departments do not actually change the filters, knowing not 1 in a thousand customers will check that this has actually been done.

I'm sure indies on here will have come across many cars with FMBSH that have never had the fuel filter or cabin filter changed.

 

[lwbnick]

What's especially galling is that while charging the full bore price for simple jobs like changing filters many times dealer service departments do not actually change the filters, knowing not 1 in a thousand customers will check that this has actually been done.

I used to buy filters from some bloke who worked at a Mercedes dealership in the Midlands, he had a single garage next to his house which was **full** of pollen and oil filters he had not bothered fit to people's cars...

I think I had 2 high roof transit van loads of them out of there.

 

[L John]

Shocking! Especially the oil filters.
Lazy low life thief, taking peoples money and not even getting his hands dirty.

There should be a viewing gallery at service shops IMHO.

 

[NP46]

Even better, sit in the car while they do it, no slacking

Nik.

Shocking! Especially the oil filters.
Lazy low life thief, taking peoples money and not even getting his hands dirty.

There should be a viewing gallery at service shops IMHO.

 

[L John]

I'd love to do that if it was allowed, comfy seats and watch a DVD too.

 

[lwbnick]

Shocking! Especially the oil filters.
Lazy low life thief, taking peoples money and not even getting his hands dirty.

There should be a viewing gallery at service shops IMHO.

They didn't bother fit brakepads and sparkplugs either.

 

[curious]

It's almost an argument for NOT wanting full MB service history when buying!

 

[moob]

Hi,
I don't know the details of your pcp but mine carries a £750 penalty for servicing outside of the dealer network.

It seems dealer labour rates are getting very silly now, on the plus side though you get to walk into a nice sparkly showroom

Nik.

Surely that's against the EU ruling regarding dealer service monopoly?

 

[Ricardo_e220]

Moob - no it's separate. It's a requirement of the finance agreement... Your warranty will still be valid, if you go indie. It's just merc take the chance to take your eyes out at the emd of the pcp.. Either through damages which have been well documented here and elsewhere on the net and or a penalty if you don't get the main dealer to service it

 

[moob]

Moob - no it's separate. It's a requirement of the finance agreement... Your warranty will still be valid, if you go indie. It's just merc take the chance to take your eyes out at the emd of the pcp.. Either through damages which have been well documented here and elsewhere on the net and or a penalty if you don't get the main dealer to service it

Yeah, but the ideology of the EU ruling was that dealers could not force customers to have a dealer service to maintain a warranty. Surely this finance deal being tied to the dealer service requirement is identical.

 

[Rory]

Yeah, but the ideology of the EU ruling was that dealers could not force customers to have a dealer service to maintain a warranty. Surely this finance deal being tied to the dealer service requirement is identical.

It's up to the owner where the car is serviced and if you've got a lease or PCP car then you don't own it, the finance company does.

 

[moob]

It's up to the owner where the car is serviced and if you've got a lease or PCP car then you don't own it, the finance company does.

Yeah, but you always have the option to buy.

My point is they're making the driver pay more to have their car serviced at a dealer to avoid a penalty charge being applied. I'm fairly sure that isn't allowed.

 

[gizze]

Yeah, but you always have the option to buy.

My point is they're making the driver pay more to have their car serviced at a dealer to avoid a penalty charge being applied. I'm fairly sure that isn't allowed.

If you buy it at the end it is a none issue.

They can do what they like, they have agreed to buy it back at an agreed price based on certain requirements, if you don't meet those requirements they charge more, or buy back for less.

Well within their rights.