No more MB servicing?

[cascas]

Once the warranty expires, is it still worth having a MB dealer to service the car? The downside is that you lose mobliolife, but after the warranty expires it only covers breakdowns. Most of use already have AA/RAC etc for that eventuality.

Would it be better to have the service done by a true MB independant specialist, rather that pay main dealer prices?

 

[Aletank]

I've only had my MB for about 2 months it a 1999 car with full MB History and I'll be keeping the MB service history goin.
I've enquired about the costs of servicing and was told that a A Service is £140 and a B service is £340, If you have one of these each alternative years that works out a average of £240 per year for servicing.
Now for that £240 per year your getting, your Car Serviced Properly, Breakdown Cover, and the Rust Protection Warranty. You will also lose money when you come to sell your car and make it more difficult to sell your car.
Now even if you got the servicing done by a Independent Specialist for half the price, which I doubt it would be, you would only be saving yourself £120 per year.
Now for that £120 per year all them above benefits are well worth it to me.
Just because you get the servicing done at the main dealer doesn't mean you have to get the repair work done there.Get the servicing done at the main dealer and if they recommend/say that a job needs doin , go to the specialist for that.


Thats just my view on the matter :wink:

(Edited by Aletank at 3:54 pm on Sep. 16, 2002)

 

[cascas]

Andy Gayle Mercedes (who is a highly respected MB independant - with recommendation here to travel 100m miles + to!!) charges £65 for a A service, and £140 for a B service (ex. vat) This equates to an average saving of £120 as you suggest.

For £120 you get your car properly serviced to a standand no lower than a MB dealer (and probably higher).

Granted you lose the rust protection warranty, but with many of the new MB being made with plastic body panels the chance of a rusty wing on a A class is very low!!

If you feel that the benefits are worth £120 a year, the fine, else I would suggest an indepedant, especially after 3-5 years

 

[Aletank]

I feel the extra benefits worth it, we all have our own minds to make up of course
- Resale Value(Thats a main point)
- Body Corrosion Warranty
- Breakdown Cover

There's also the chance of if somethin big happens to go and you have the Full Merc History they may also do a good will jesture, especially if you've used the same dealer.

I feel that that little bit extra to pay per year(£120) is worth it for the above mentioned things

(Edited by Aletank at 7:42 pm on Sep. 16, 2002)

 

[simon]

Aletank,
            I only wish that I had your confidence with regards to official Dealership servicing & indeed could match those figures.
Ernmest Sidesman

 

[cascas]

If a car is serviced by a true MB specialist, then the retail value of the vehicle should not suffer. Most people will realise that the few independant specialists for MB carry out work to MB standard and use only MB parts. As I have suggested these indepedant specialist tend to be more highly regarded than official MB dealers.

You mention work carried out on a goodwill basic. I hope that this would be the case also, however in my experience this is unlikely. My local MB dealer carried out a small repair (on a switch that should not have failed), when the car was a few days out of warranty. After carrying out the work, they decided that MB would not allow a goodwill payment, and charged me. The job was very small, but the bill was not! It it is something big, the chances of payment will be even lower.

I was about to book the car in for a service with the dealer, but as a result of what occured, will now use an idependant or another MB dealer.

 

[Andy]

Hi Cacas,

Did the dealer actually carry out the telex to MB? If not take the vehicle into another dealer and ask them to carry out a claim to MB on your behalf. Depending on how busy they are (MB) You should get an answer fairly quickly. You have nothing to lose. And maybe a little money to gain.

If you are fortunate then you can return to the dealer who carried out the repair for a return of your money. They will be able to confirm this with the dealer who has actually carried out the telex to MB.

Good luck,

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[rpalmeida]

Hi

My MB dealer said they would not buy a car without a full MB service history because they couldnt put it in their signature warranty plan. (I was buying a 3 year old R129 SL500 at the time, which had come in as a part-ex and they almost didnt take it as the service book wasnt stamped - till they realised that they supplied and serviced the car and dug out their history to find it was them that forgot to stamp the service book ...)(and it wasnt a story, I checked ..)

I also would never buy a second hand merc or bmw or other high end vehicle without a full manafacturer service history - Im fully aware of the difficulties some dealers have, and how good the independants are ...

I guess it all depends on when you want to sell the car. If its in the next couple of years Im sure you'll lose more when you sell it then you gain.

The other point is that if you have MB service then often they will fix expensive stuff that broke for free under a good-will claim to MB.

I had a 2 year old CLK320 that the vacuum pump for central locking etc failed, replaced for free .. even though it was an import .. Car warranty was only 1 year at that point

R

 

[Andy]

Hi

I don't quite agree with the dealers not buying cars without a full MB history. I know MB direct has retail vehicles with a warranty whether it has full MB history or not.

As for not taking a vehicle in as part chop. Thats just a ploy to knock down the money they will give you. It also debatable if you get the best deal of a MB dealer when you chop your vehicle in the first place.

As for warranty. Its supprising what you can get if the dealer is willing!!!!!!!!

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[rpalmeida]

I'm only reporting what my dealer told me about 2 years ago.

But, I've long since stopped part-exchanging. I tend to use a different dealer to sell my car(s) on Sale-or-return - I get a better price (because I take the risk and none of their money is tied up) , and as they tend to be cars of high value, Im not willing to have people look round them at my house or give me dodgy bank drafts etc

I suspect the other dealer is happy to do this because theyve been interesting cars (CLK55, SL500) he's been selling for me.

 

[fuzzer]

This sounds like the dealer that told me he did not buy white cars in only to see one on the forcourt a week later