Service Care Plans

[GottleibDaimler]

I work at a dealership as a Service Advisor, and a lot of our customers are quite wary of service contracts with us, for a few reasons.

Being honest, they can sometimes work out more expensive. But if you take them out at the right time, you can save quite a lot of money.

For example, on all variants of the C-class, it's £744 for two services, regardless of which two are due. So if you take it out before the third service, when the extremely pricey automatic transmission oil and filter change is due for certain gearboxes, you would get that service (£400 - £500) and the fourth year service (£500 - £600) for only £744. It works out similarly well on other models and at other times, but as I say, there are times when it's better just to pay on the day. You can also pay across 12 or 24 months interest free, which can help.

Another thing most people don't realise is that you get a full pro-rata refund on any services not taken if you sell the car (less an admin fee).

If you've got any other questions or would like me to work out what's cheapest for you, just let me know!

 

[NP46]

I've just bought a new C220 cdi but opted to pay on the day rather than sign up for yet another direct debit. Current rates at my local stealership were around £180 for an A service and 280 for a B service so paying monthly for a service plan seemed expensive to me.

The prices I've quoted we're from memory by the way but are in the right ball park.

Also I thought the MB service plan seemed expensive compared to others available.

Nik

I work at a dealership as a Service Advisor, and a lot of our customers are quite wary of service contracts with us, for a few reasons.

Being honest, they can sometimes work out more expensive. But if you take them out at the right time, you can save quite a lot of money.

For example, on all variants of the C-class, it's £744 for two services, regardless of which two are due. So if you take it out before the third service, when the extremely pricey automatic transmission oil and filter change is due for certain gearboxes, you would get that service (£400 - £500) and the fourth year service (£500 - £600) for only £744. It works out similarly well on other models and at other times, but as I say, there are times when it's better just to pay on the day. You can also pay across 12 or 24 months interest free, which can help.

Another thing most people don't realise is that you get a full pro-rata refund on any services not taken if you sell the car (less an admin fee).

If you've got any other questions or would like me to work out what's cheapest for you, just let me know!

 

[PKNutsy]

I have a ML 280CDI Sport and i am yet to go for my first service
(of which i will get free due to some problems i had with the service i received)

The Service Care plan looks like a good deal to me with regards to the 24 month plan of which as mentined is Interest Free.

I would need to look more in depth into what Service A & B require for my car and gauge the price of each on average.

All in all it looks like a good deal.

 

[Jake48]

They way I see this is, new car first service, pay on the day. For the next two services, probably have a Service Care Plan.
I will be getting my new car serviced at an Mercedes independent. The service record will still be known to Mercedes and it will be considerably cheaper.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

I've just bought a new C220 cdi but opted to pay on the day rather than sign up for yet another direct debit. Current rates at my local stealership were around £180 for an A service and 280 for a B service so paying monthly for a service plan seemed expensive to me.

The prices I've quoted we're from memory by the way but are in the right ball park.

Also I thought the MB service plan seemed expensive compared to others available.

Nik

Hi Nik,

Same car as me - did you go for the saloon, coupé or estate?

The costs you've quoted sound about right; however, MB have a habit of advertising headline rates for a 'Service A' or 'Service B', mentioning additional service items only in the small print.

As such, whilst the first service will be an A with no additionals, and so will be approx. £200, the second service will be more than the headline figure of around £300, as you also have to change your brake fluid (around £60) and your combination/pollen filter (£50) after two years.

As such, the cost is likely to be closer to £600+ in total if you decide to go to the main dealer for these two services. The SCP works out at £648 for the first two services, or £27 monthly. There's not much in it, so I suppose it is just a question of whether paying monthly is a 'benefit' for you.

...That is, unless you tell me that you plan to keep the car beyond the fourth service, which, at current prices, is around £600 on its own, as you have to perform a Service B, a change of the brake fluid, a change of the pollen, air and fuel filters. You may have to change the oil and filter in your gearbox in this time too, adding another £300(!). Suddenly, £27 per month or £1300 for four years doesn't look that bad! It also secures prices against rises in oil, parts, labour and even VAT.

By the way, the payment leaves your account on the 15th of every month. Just a random fact there.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

I have a ML 280CDI Sport and i am yet to go for my first service
(of which i will get free due to some problems i had with the service i received)

The Service Care plan looks like a good deal to me with regards to the 24 month plan of which as mentined is Interest Free.

I would need to look more in depth into what Service A & B require for my car and gauge the price of each on average.

All in all it looks like a good deal.

Hi Nutsy,

Rather than having the first service free, ask them to contribute a third towards a three year SCP.

The reason for this is that before the first service, SCPs are cheaper (there are 'new' and 'used' rates for each vehicle, taking into account I think the fact that the first service is cheapest).

3 services at the 'new' rate comes to £1188, which is a good deal imo. The used rate is around £4 more per month - £48 more per year.

As above, the second service will call for a Service B with a change of the brake fluid and combination filter, coming to around £500 on the ML.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

They way I see this is, new car first service, pay on the day. For the next two services, probably have a Service Care Plan.
I will be getting my new car serviced at an Mercedes independent. The service record will still be known to Mercedes and it will be considerably cheaper.

I would agree with the first part of your post, in the main.

I disagree with the second part (as you might naturally expect). Instead, I would say either take out an SCP, OR get quotes from your local independent, in writing or by email, and give them to your local dealer. They will match or get close to those prices, and you will get main dealer benefits (collection and delivery or courtesy car, valet on the day, 2 year parts warranty, MB expertise) and perhaps more importantly, you will benefit from Mercedes-Benz Goodwill once your Manufacturer's Warranty expires. That and you'll extend your Mobilo cover.

 

[NP46]

Hi,

I went for the saloon amg sport plus in black. No fussed on estates and coupe was ruled out for practicality with two growing kids in tow.
Based on what you've said I think I'll stick to my plan and pay on the day as the car will have been replaced by year three.

Thanks for the info though.

Nik

Hi Nik,

Same car as me - did you go for the saloon, coupé or estate?

The costs you've quoted sound about right; however, MB have a habit of advertising headline rates for a 'Service A' or 'Service B', mentioning additional service items only in the small print.

As such, whilst the first service will be an A with no additionals, and so will be approx. £200, the second service will be more than the headline figure of around £300, as you also have to change your brake fluid (around £60) and your combination/pollen filter (£50) after two years.

As such, the cost is likely to be closer to £600+ in total if you decide to go to the main dealer for these two services. The SCP works out at £648 for the first two services, or £27 monthly. There's not much in it, so I suppose it is just a question of whether paying monthly is a 'benefit' for you.

...That is, unless you tell me that you plan to keep the car beyond the fourth service, which, at current prices, is around £600 on its own, as you have to perform a Service B, a change of the brake fluid, a change of the pollen, air and fuel filters. You may have to change the oil and filter in your gearbox in this time too, adding another £300(!). Suddenly, £27 per month or £1300 for four years doesn't look that bad! It also secures prices against rises in oil, parts, labour and even VAT.

By the way, the payment leaves your account on the 15th of every month. Just a random fact there.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Hi,

I went for the saloon amg sport plus in black. No fussed on estates and coupe was ruled out for practicality with two growing kids in tow.
Based on what you've said I think I'll stick to my plan and pay on the day as the car will have been replaced by year three.

Thanks for the info though.

Nik

Nice spec, the saloon looks great in black with the bigger wheels.

If I were you, I'd pay on the day for number one, and then take out the plan at £744 for services 2 and 3, if you intend to have it beyond its MOT. If just the two services, and you don't like direct debits, definitely pay on the day!

 

[PKNutsy]

Hi Gott,

I never actually though of that option to be honest. Thanks for the heads up!

as you mentioned the Parts / Labour & VAT costs are held at the current level and if i am not mistaken when you put your car in because you have built up a "Fund" if you like you do not need to worry about any further costs?

Just drop the car off and then get it back job done, would i be right in saying that?

My ML is a 56 plate, and as sucj i think their is a cut of point as to when i can take the SCP on as after wards they deem the car to old is that right?

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Hi Gott,

I never actually though of that option to be honest. Thanks for the heads up!

as you mentioned the Parts / Labour & VAT costs are held at the current level and if i am not mistaken when you put your car in because you have built up a "Fund" if you like you do not need to worry about any further costs?

Just drop the car off and then get it back job done, would i be right in saying that?

My ML is a 56 plate, and as sucj i think their is a cut of point as to when i can take the SCP on as after wards they deem the car to old is that right?

That's correct -- nothing service-related to pay on the day if you take out an SCP. Obviously brakes, tyres, repairs etc aren't included, but brake fluid, all filters and oils, as well as the labour and VAT are already paid for.

Actually, you can take out an SCP at any age now. This is a new thing, though: it used to be only for cars up to 7 years old.

The prices I quoted you are for cars before their first service (sorry for assuming!). From memory, as I'm at home at the moment, the cost on used MLs is £36/month.

 

[Rory]

So if you take it out before the third service, when the extremely pricey automatic transmission oil and filter change is due for certain gearboxes,

That's one of the big snags in my view - the value is pretty heavily dependent on the ATF change but MB have messed around with the ATF change over the years and if the ESS doesn't call for it, or the mileage/time interval has changed, then the dealer simply won't do it under a service plan.

Also I thought the MB service plan seemed expensive compared to others available.

Agree with that. VW and BMW, for example, do service plans at very aggressive prices such that you'd be bonkers not to take them.

The MB one is doing little more than spreading the standard cost over however long you take the plan for - there's no real financial incentive. I appreciate you can benefit by taking the cover for the 3rd and 4th services only but you shouldn't have to play games with the scheme.

 

[ThinkPad]

Helpful thread. I also found this website recently, which breaks down the costs:
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...ip/maintenance/service_plans/introducing.html

 

[GottleibDaimler]

That's one of the big snags in my view - the value is pretty heavily dependent on the ATF change but MB have messed around with the ATF change over the years and if the ESS doesn't call for it, or the mileage/time interval has changed, then the dealer simply won't do it under a service plan.




Agree with that. VW and BMW, for example, do service plans at very aggressive prices such that you'd be bonkers not to take them.

The MB one is doing little more than spreading the standard cost over however long you take the plan for - there's no real financial incentive. I appreciate you can benefit by taking the cover for the 3rd and 4th services only but you shouldn't have to play games with the scheme.

I agree to an extent, but any two year plan including the fourth service is good value in my opinion, as is any plan for a used A, B or C class with a manual transmission, and as are longer plans from new.

ATF can be a nightmare, though; even I can't tell you off the top of my head when it is due on any given car. The good news is that none of the newer cars have the NAG2 box which needed servicing after only 31,000 miles.

With BMW, I understand that TLC/servicing is built into the cost of the car, and I'm sure they have aggressive tactics to recoup servicing costs from repairs such as brake pads. VW do offer some very good value plans too.

Mercedes-Benz seem to be more keen to add value to their existing pricing structure, rather than being interested in reducing costs significantly. Perhaps they are worried about devaluing the product? Perhaps it is higher overheads? Perhaps it is because they can get away with it, as most of their customers are longstanding and are used to high charges? I don't know.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Helpful thread. I also found this website recently, which breaks down the costs:
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...ip/maintenance/service_plans/introducing.html

Thanks. Further to your link:
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con...wnership/maintenance/service_plans/rates.html

Rates for cars before their first service by default; there is a little tab for rates for used cars.

 

[PeterCLK]

Will the auto transmission fluid and filter change be due on mine for the third service?
Also, do I have the 7g plus box?

Thanks

P.s. At the last service for my Rav, the Toyota dealer explained they will change the brake fluid (for the first time) it will be it's 8th annual service.

 

[GottleibDaimler]

Will the auto transmission fluid and filter change be due on mine for the third service?
Also, do I have the 7g plus box?

Thanks

P.s. At the last service for my Rav, the Toyota dealer explained they will change the brake fluid (for the first time) it will be it's 8th annual service.

Peter, I believe it will. If you like, drop me a PM and I'll let you know for definite when I'm back at work on Tuesday.

 

[Rory]

Mercedes-Benz seem to be more keen to add value to their existing pricing structure, rather than being interested in reducing costs significantly. Perhaps they are worried about devaluing the product? Perhaps it is higher overheads? Perhaps it is because they can get away with it, as most of their customers are longstanding and are used to high charges? I don't know.

I wish they'd go back to having the ServicePlus scheme. I had that for years 3 to 6 of my car's life and although it was dear and I didn't get the best value from it, the peace of mind was tremendous.

 

[pipmk]

Talk about shooting the messenger! Not all of us think any Mercedes employee is responsible for all and every fault with their cars. I for one thank you for joining.

 

[Ricardo_e220]

I looked at it but doing 35k miles per year it's simply not cost effective, also I got mine after the atf change, had a £500 service to do the brake fluid and some filters etc.

Also seeing the shocking value of my car, I am almost getting to the point now it's on 92k miles of getting it done at a specialist and actually paying a fine to the merc pcp at the end of the lease....