Service at an official MB garage or not?

Geoff Druett

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Hello

First post. Could you please answer an argument for me. A relative took their one year old C200 CDI for it's first service ("A" service) last week. However they took it to a completely independent garage, which wasn't even a Mercedes-Benz specialist. Just an ordinary back street garage. I'm sure the service was undertaken in the correct manner, with the oil filter changed properly and the correct oil used, but the service interval indicator could not be reset, so it still says 10 days to go to the "A" service.

I argued that he shouldn't have done that as it should have an official MB stamp in the service booklet, and he should have taken it to an official delaer or at the very least an independent MB garage who can hook it up to the diagnostic computer, and at the very least reset the service indicator.

I argued that his car is worth much less now it doesn't have the MB stamp in the service booklet, and the warranty is invalid, and the breakdown assist is also invalid.

He argued that since 2003 and an EU ruling, he has the right to take the MB to any garage and MB still has to honour the warranty. My argument is that would be the case if he'd taken it to an MB garage or an approved MB independent.

Who is correct?
 

Rory

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Your relative is correct, as long as genuine MB parts (so on an A service that would be the oil filter) are used.

Not sure about the very latest C Class but in mosr MBs it tells you in the handbook how to reset the service indicator.
 

S.Speed

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Hi,
if I remember correctly the EU ruling states that the Garage you take it to has to be VAT registered..
As and when I decide to do my own servicing, I shall buy all items from MB dealers and keep all receipts and a note of the mileage on the receipts..
 

Parrot of Doom

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I do all my own servicing on my car. It has not seen the inside of a VAT-registered garage for about 70,000 miles.

It isn't as though it will make the slightest difference to its value, its probably only worth about £1,500 :D
 

*Thumper

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His Mobilo and warranty, are fine (under EU regulations)........ Mobilo is renewed after the end of the warranty, by having a guess what, at a franchised dealer ?
 

Micman

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Hi

Your relative is correct, you can take your car to any garage for a service and still preserve the 3 year manufacturer warranty.

You need to check they use MB parts and also make sure you keep to the documented service intervals.

I used non main dealer garages on mine during the first 3 years, and still continue to do so. I also had claims under the warranty with Merc and they didn't so much as bat an eyelid to where I got it serviced. The fact I followed their service intervals was fine.

As long as you keep records of service history receipts etc then the car still has a Full Service History when you sell it. Having a nice row of Mercedes service stamps really wont make any odds to value when you come to sell or trade in. Personally I think it's a bit of an old wives tale! Also remember you will have been paying a premium for those stamps so even if you do get offered a bit more on trade in, reality is you are probably already out of pocket over the years compared to using independent garages.

Obviously if you were to buy an old classic Merc - lets say a 1960's model and it had full mercedes service stamps for every year of it's life that would make it very very desirable. Reality is most people use modern cars every day and change them every few years - they aren't museum pieces!

Whether you use main dealer or independent garages really comes down to personal preference, whether you have the funds to afford to use main dealers, and whether you are 'car wise' enough to feel confident using independent garages.

One thing I think your relative should definately have checked first though before booking a car in with any independent garge is that they have the experience/ability to carry out a service on that car - including the ability to reset the digital service indicator and ability to 'plug-in' the car for diagnostic checks. If they can't do that then they probably aren't the sort of garage you want poking around in your modern cars engine bay!
 
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S.Speed

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Well said Micman..
I totally agree.
 

Cole@MBS

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Its a work of art to reset the service on the dash on a 204
 

alanuk400

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but the service interval indicator could not be reset, so it still says 10 days to go to the "A" service.

Is this any use.

1) Switch ignition on and immediately press button A twice
2) Switch ignition off and Press and Hold Button A while switching on Ignition.
3) After 10 seconds the new Interval will appear in the display, accompanied by a beep.
4) Release the A button and switch the Ignition off.


Alan
 
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Geoff Druett

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One thing I think your relative should definately have checked first though before booking a car in with any independent garge is that they have the experience/ability to carry out a service on that car - including the ability to reset the digital service indicator and ability to 'plug-in' the car for diagnostic checks. If they can't do that then they probably aren't the sort of garage you want poking around in your modern cars engine bay!

Thanks for a great reply Micman and everybody else :)

Well, they couldn't reset the service indicator. Does that mean they wouldn't have been able to 'plug-in' for a diagnostic check, or are they completely separate?
 

Cole@MBS

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Is this any use.

1) Switch ignition on and immediately press button A twice
2) Switch ignition off and Press and Hold Button A while switching on Ignition.
3) After 10 seconds the new Interval will appear in the display, accompanied by a beep.
4) Release the A button and switch the Ignition off.


Alan

EErrr, not on a 204!!!
 

Micman

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Thanks for a great reply Micman and everybody else :)

Well, they couldn't reset the service indicator. Does that mean they wouldn't have been able to 'plug-in' for a diagnostic check, or are they completely separate?


Thanks Geoff, you're welcome.

They might still have 'plugged' the car in for diagnostic checks. You'd need to ask the garage if they did / have the equipment to do this.

The fact they didn't know how to reset the service countdown indicator just tells me they probably aren't used to working on Mercedes cars. I personally would want the reassurance they worked on other peoples Mercs so understood them, they don't have to be Merc specialists. :lol:
 
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Geoff Druett

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Thanks again. So now my next question is how do I reset the service indicator for them? I was going to try the method mentioned in this thread but now I'm confused as there seems to be a difference of opinion. I don't even know whether the code number for the car is 204 (I'm a BMW man myself :eek::lol:). It's a C200 CDI, one year old. I have seen a different method somewhere else. Does anybody know the definitive answer?
 
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Geoff Druett

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********Make sure your door is closed*********
1.Turn your ignition in first position
2.Press and hold the accept call button for 5 seconds and while pressing press the ok button on the steering wheel.
3.If needed after releasing the two buttons press ok once more.
 

hawk20

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I take the contrary view to many on this forum. I think it important to have proper MB dealer servicing for at least the first 4 years -some say six.

And if you don't then at least find an indie with STAR diagnostics and many recommendations from MB owners.

Why bother? Here are four good reasons.
• MobiloLife includes a 30 year rust guarantee, which at least on older cars is worth having as numerous threads show Mercedes doing what it says on the tin for those with FullMBSH.
• Free breakdown cover in UK and Europe. For me and my wife the AA want £150 per year for full breakdown cover and up to £100 for cover on trips to Europe. That on its own swamps the £60 I could save by servicing at an ‘indie’.
• Goodwill: if something serious goes wrong outside the guarantee period Mercedes frequently/often/usually make a substantial contribution to the cost provided that the vehicle has Full MBSH. Numerous threads on UK forums and US forums testify to this. IMO it is useful insurance. Some major jobs can cost £2,000 or £3,000 - a gearbox failure even more. And having Full MBSH and ‘goodwill’ behind you can be very valuable. Not in all cases. But certainly in many.
• Last but definitely not least have a look at this thread listing recalls and service campaigns on the new S class. And remember that the new S is probably the most reliable Mercedes ever straight from the oven. These are often modifications, software updates and other improvements which dealers are told to do to your car FREE when you go in for a service.
http://forum.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=163014

If you don’t go in, you don’t get them. And according to What Car there are thousands of cars that do not even have the serious recalls done (people move, lose touch or just don’t bother).

I would never buy without Full MBSH and there are many others who feel the same. Lots of threads contain the advice ‘look for Full MBSH’. It makes a difference to some, and as such it can help your resale price. Not a huge amount extra maybe, but a bit of a bonus.

Friend of mine who never uses MB dealers had trouble with his 7 speed gearbox. Occasional clunky gearchanges. His 'indie' proposed some fairly major work on the box. I told my friend that there had been several free updates to the software on that gearbox and they would be done free at an MB dealer. He had his next service done at my local dealer; they fixed his auto problems free and all is now well.
 

muller1

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Deal(er) or no dealer

I purchased my first Merc ML 270 Cdi about 6 months ago.
It had the first 4 services from new at a Merc Dealer as the car was company owned and the cost was not from someones own pocket.
I know, as I used to have my own engineering company and the cost NEVER came in to it as it was a company expense and went against company expenses.
When I went to look at the Merc I asked to have it for the whole day from 10.30 and returned it at 16.45 having run some 40+miles in and round town.
I used my knowledege to check out the car with similated daily driving.
The car performed well. I bought it.
I priced the Merc rates and decided to have them service the gearbox, oil, filter,test run etc. and the rate works out at about £105 per hour.
When I bought the car I took out a "Lifetime Warranty" for it at a cost of £550 which represents 5.5hrs of Merc garage charge rates or labour for 1 full service only.
I have found a GREAT garage for any Merc related work and the charge is less than £45 per hour (less than 1/2 Merc price but he has not got the chrome and free coffee) and he worked on Mercs for over 22 years and is spot on.
Changing oils and filters is changing oil and filters and in the US the guy who does this is a Grease Monkey not a mechanic as this is not classed as a skilled post as in Merc garages the apprentices do this work.
I do not think and car mechanic is worth a charge out rate of over £100 per hour as when I had my engineering company and we stripped and re-built large ships engines costing over £2,000,000 to replace and a daily loss of over £50,000 per day when out of service, and we struggled to get £30 to £35 per hour and this was only a couple of years ago.
If you have bottomless pockets, are called Fred the Shred or run a company car, then you can have the work done with gold plated tools, free coffee etc etc and never cast an eye at the cost and good luck to you, BUT, in the REAL world where saving some money where possible, is the difference between being able to run the car of your choice, or not, then I know which garage I will be using.
If the cars Merc build are as good as we are led to believe and this means, better than a Skoda or Fordie, I am sure they will stand a non Merc spanner touching them from time to time as the vechicles are only tools to do a job after all.
Lastly if you take the number of Mercs on the road and the number of HORROR STORIES we seem to read about unfortunate people having come across, I will still take my chances as I am sure I stand a greater chance of catching Swine Flue or getting pregnant (and I am NOT Female) than falling foul of using non Merc Garages.
If you still have doubts then take out a used car warranty for your peace of mind, I did this for my S type, and my wife's Peugeot 407, and this costs only £600 for both per year or 2.85 Merc hours charge rate per car per year for full warranty.

Happy Motoring

Mike
 
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keith100

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"a Grease Monkey"

Haven't heard that term for a long time:lol:

As to the service rights, I guess your wrong Geoff, legally, but I agree with Hawk 20 - going off dealer is dumb, with a new car. You need a dealer on your side over warranty work, and you can't expect him to be when you have snatched a small amount of cream from him.

Case in point - the wipers on my Pontiac started parking vertically, took it to my indie, who after two days I found looking in the manual! Cost $400. Next time it happened I went to the dealer who said "there's a recall on that" and fixed for free.

Don't suppose your relative will pay heed, however, if he buys a 25000? pound car and worries about a service cost of maybe 1%, once a year.
 


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