Service record - Dealer V Independent

[Phil D]

My W203 220CDi has covered 34,000 miles, and so far has a full dealer service history. It Is under warranty till november this year, and the next service due is a B service - in around 8000 miles. I am already quaking at the cost of this after a bad experience last time round and I am considering the independent option - local specialist who charges 38 and hour as opposed to 100.
I am trying to consider the pros and cons of this rationally and as far as I can see it boils down to
1) possible lower residual value - depending on how long I keep the car.
2) a potentially weaker position with MB if I ever get into the realms of "goodwill repairs" and
3)loss of mobilo life ( which could link back, slightly, to 1)

against that is the prospect of a high quality personal service and a healthier bank balance

The main issue is probably resale value & I would welcome views / personal experiences etc

Phil

 

[television]

When I see threads where people have paid out up to £850 for a B service you do have to think whats going on in terms of value for money, we had one last week where the dealer changed the brake disc and pads wihout asking and the bill was £1350.

The wage down here where I live avarages £10 per hour,so two weeks wages for a B servive.

My Volvo V70R, was the most expensive car when new and has never been serviced, and now at 72k, now I am £3k better off or saved. Many people and a local garage keep asking if I want to sell it, so no problem there.

I have the same question comming up with the SL. Apart from the oil change most of the work is only visual. it does not need a highly trained opertive to do the service.

malcolm

 

[Lance]

I think the mobilo life point has a lot of sway with me. Last year my SLK developed a fault whereby the small rear window wasn't coming up when the roof did, leaving it down. You can't raise and lower that window independently. I contacted the specialist who'd previously done an A service, who seemed very good, but they didn't know anything about that part of the car. As the car was just over 3 years old, I managed to get it repaired with mobilo life. It was taken from my house after hours, I had a hire car delivered the next morning, and the repair at the MB dealer was done free of charge, but would have cost about £600. It therefore didn't cost me anything. I then decided to take my car to that dealer for the next service, which I did recently. Although it cost £635 owing to other stuff that was done, which I had pointed out, the actual service would have been less than £400, which I don't think was that bad for a B service. Not only that, but the specialist would not have been a great deal cheaper, and I'd lost confidence in them following the repair I had to do last year.

I'm probably in the same position as you, and £500 to fork out on your car is a lot, and probably a large chunk from your bank balance. One of the reasons I'll be keeping to the dealers is to keep the mobilo life intact and the fact that hopefully, in the future, my SLK will be a bit of a classic. What I am considering though is the service contract, although they were quoting £71 for me, which is ridiculous. I might just put about £40 away per month for car repairs and servicing. That would soften the blow somewhat.

 

[mioba]

great point by malcolm, most of the service is visual. Just read the service shedule, inspect inspect inspect, invoice seperately.

thats the same with many cars, my w220 is the only car that goes to the dealers, to keep mobilo and rust warranty.

my w124, ford and peugeot get done by me.

w,r,t dealer service,i provide the oil (mobil 1) and watch them like a hawk any advisory I will try to tackle myself or get it done elsewhere. I always check over the car thoroughly as the dealers always seem to damage or miss something. ps I always ask that they dont wash my car.

p.s maybe you dont know, but if you become of the association you get 10% of at many dealers , includibng parts, service, check if you dealers is party to this, and always show the dealer your membership card after they show you the bill.


I agree also with malcolms other point, the dealers must think merc are totally loaded, they expect you hand over 1000's at the drop of a hat.

my advice get only the service done at dealers anythig else done elsewhere. provide your own oil, mobil 1 can be souced a hell of alot cheaper than the dealers, Although many dealers are using casrtol slx now, I'd stick to mobil 1

 

[CMR]

I am very interested in these so called "goodwill repairs" and this "moblio life". The first time I have ever heard of these is from this forum!!! My service booklet is all in German and unfortunately I do not read German but now having a look at it I can see the word Moblio-life dotted about amongst a few pictures. Is there anywhere I can get a UK version to read?

I have read a few threads on Moblife and to me it really does seem very confusing, too much so to chance relying on it infact, although it seems quite a few people have had luck with it.

Can anyone tell me what my service book should have to qualify as a FMBSH? There seems to be a milage or yearly option but that is as much as I work out.

PhilD what was your bad experience out of interest?

 

[Phil D]

The bad experience was that I put the car in for an A service. Before I bought the car I had been told - by the salesman - that the approximate cost of A and B services would be 200 & 400 respectively and having had a B service around 11,000 miles earlier for 401, I was anticipating a bill for 200, which is still extortionate for what is basically an oli change!
During the day I got a phone call to say that the car needed new front discs and pads as they were worn "down to the metal"
The cost was going to be about 350 for the brakes alone and just over 300 for the service -
In fairness to the guy on the service desk he could not have been more polite and kept his calm impeccably (cant say the same for myself) as I was furious - especially as according to the previous service report there was plenty of life left in the brakes and I couldn't understand how they could deteriorate so much & yet no warning light ever came on (never did get a satisfactory answer to that one)
The service was more expensive than expected because they also changed the brake fluid - fair enough, - but they also mentioned that their labour rate had gone up to just under 100 an hour since the last time
In the end they eventually did the lot for 480, after I said I'd take the car elsewhere to get the brakes done
They asked me what I'd been quoted for the job and apparently they had been going to charge me more for the parts than the independent - the parts dept gave discount to outside people but charged full whack to their own service dept!!!!!
I suppose they presume that a large percentage of the cars are comapny run and so the driver couldn't care less what the bill is

Incidentally they gave me the owners club discount on parts (I think on the service guy's discretion - because after I joined the club & got the magazine I found out that the dealer in question is not shown as participating in the discount scheme)

 

[television]

When my car does go in, they will have strict instruction to not touch anything else. By putting the car on full lock the pad wear can be seen, you can always ask for a second opinion later, if the warning is not on,why worry,thats what its there for.

Going by many recent postings it would seam that MB cant get enough cars in for service these days, so they sting the ones that they do get.

Malcolm

 

[mioba]

When my car does go in, they will have strict instruction to not touch anything else. By putting the car on full lock the pad wear can be seen, you can always ask for a second opinion later, if the warning is not on,why worry,thats what its there for.

Going by many recent postings it would seam that MB cant get enough cars in for service these days, so they sting the ones that they do get.

Malcolm

you may well be right there malcolm,
i have been called 2 times in the last fornight and recieved 2 postcards to say my car is due its service... not accordint to assyst it isnt.
there is also note a note about assyst and MB returning to annual services on the postcard (see earlier posts)

w.r.t phil d problems - brakes, this is very common in all garages, they say, whilst we have your tryes off shall we do your brakes (pads, disks) as they will need doing before next service. ppl dont think about it and say oh yeah go on then, the dealers charge an arm and a leg for is really quiet a simple job.

 

[Hibbo]

This is unbelievable.

Literally

One Hundred Pounds an hour for labour!

A hundred quid!

Some of the prices for a service I've seen on here are more than I paid for each of my first two Mercs!

It's disgusting, as has been touched upon, they see a Merc owner and assume they've got money coming out of their ears.

Can someone give me a brief description of what is done on the A & B services, as I can work out A=oil change (and look at stuff) B=oil change & brake fluid (PAS fluid too?) change.

Not what I would call value for money! How on earth do they get away with it?

 

[jberks]

It all hinges on how often you need a service.
I used to do 6k pa - so a service came round every 18 months or so and I could stomach it. I then changed offices and found myself doing nearer 30kpa. With servicing coming round every 4 months or so I had a rethink and now use a specialist. Basically there are facts and myths on this one. So

1) Lower residual - Myth - it makes absolutely no difference to trade in values. I use a proper Merc specialist with an MB logo on his stamp so hopefully private buyers wouln't be concerned, but in any case, I normally trade in and have learned the hard way that you car is worth what Parkers says it's trade value is. Anything else is smoke and mirrors. I've had mint, warranted,FMBSH cars and tatty part indie serviced ones. The dealer didn't care and offered me no more that trade for either against a new merc.

2) Mobilio - Half truth. Mobilio is worth perhaps £100 per year. Saved at the first service. Secondly, Mobilio is not as flexible or helpful as say the RAC. There are limits and rules which can catch you out. Also, if something did go wrong, they will only take your car to the dealer for repair. Not a great idea if there is something time consuming required.

3) Goodwill repairs -Myth - MB do not care who has serviced it. Their decision is based on what went wrong and why.
4) Corrosion - Possibly but on post 03/4 cars this isn't a major concern and most corrosion can be fixed for a couple of hundred anyway - again saved in 1-2 services if the worst happened.

5) Quality of service. - Myth - Look around your dealer's workshop and most cars you see will be 04-. They don't see many older ones and so actually have less experience on issues that affect 5 year old ones than your indie. Something plays up, they will replace bits until they find it, at your expense. Your indie will say - yes, had one in like that a couple of weeks ago .... Indies also swap bits to try - the dealer gets them out of stock and once fitted, it's yours. The only exception is 'updates' but you can have that done by the dealer.

I'm not saying, don't use the dealer.. Now I'm back on 6kpa and my dealer has opened a nice small sattelite workshop near my house, i'm tempted to return to them, but if you do, do it with your eyes open.
As an alternative, what I used to do when I have a 210 (rust wagon) was to get the servicing done at the dealer but refuse anything else from brake pads, coolant changes etc - "Just the service please". Then book it into the indie for the extras. Bit of a pain, but the best of both worlds.

 

[television]

JBerks has written my thoughts completely, regarding service.

That is the thing to do.

Malcolm

 

[seabadger]

Malcolm,

Just to add that in that literature you put my way I found a bit that mentioned the + sign on the assist service indicator.

This indicates brake wear as I thought. On the front the wear indicators are positioned differently on each side. One is half pad thickness (this puts up the + sign) and the other is all gone (puts on the excessive brake wear warning - red lights in the speedo). On the back there's only one side with a wear indicator and it indicates pads worn out (all gone).

When the + sign comes up the dealers tell you (usually) that you will need pads next time you bring the car in.

I have to say that like you I haggle about servicing costs and tell them to do the minimum they can do in order to stamp the book. I'll do the rest.

Well that was when it was under warrantee. Now I change the oil!

J berks makes a number of sensible points. I would add that mileage and condition are the main detractors of value.

 

[daveenty]

Loads of sensible stuff

This is exactly where I'm going now. Had enough of rip off MB dealers.

Anyone else notice that front ball joints seem to be the *in thing* at the moment?

Had mine diagnosed as being *worn to excess* on last service and had them done (under warranty though, they didn't know that bit at the time)

Thing was, it had flown through an MoT 2 weeks (and less than 300 miles) earlier....or am I being cynical?

Still less than 30,000 miles and due a D service in 9,300...

 

[television]

Malcolm,

Just to add that in that literature you put my way I found a bit that mentioned the + sign on the assist service indicator.

This indicates brake wear as I thought. On the front the wear indicators are positioned differently on each side. One is half pad thickness (this puts up the + sign) and the other is all gone (puts on the excessive brake wear warning - red lights in the speedo). On the back there's only one side with a wear indicator and it indicates pads worn out (all gone).

When the + sign comes up the dealers tell you (usually) that you will need pads next time you bring the car in.

I have to say that like you I haggle about servicing costs and tell them to do the minimum they can do in order to stamp the book. I'll do the rest.

Well that was when it was under warrantee. Now I change the oil!

J berks makes a number of sensible points. I would add that mileage and condition are the main detractors of value.

Yes Jberks has his head screwed on when it comes to answering these threads.
I have not read all of the papers as of yet,but I did notice that when I changed the pads on mine the there was a double cantact and only one was used.

When I sold my last 129,the guy bought it on the condition,he was not interesred in the service book.

Malcolm

 

[seabadger]

This is exactly where I'm going now. Had enough of rip off MB dealers.

Anyone else notice that front ball joints seem to be the *in thing* at the moment?

Had mine diagnosed as being *worn to excess* on last service and had them done (under warranty though, they didn't know that bit at the time)

Thing was, it had flown through an MoT 2 weeks (and less than 300 miles) earlier....or am I being cynical?

Still less than 30,000 miles and due a D service in 9,300...

Yep had this problem!

I couldn't believe it when I had an MB service manager telling me that it was acceptable wear and refusing to do it on the warrantee! I began to doubt my sanity - but what can you do? In my judgement there should be no play in a ball joint.

Didn't and won't ever go back there!

A little later I used another dealership - to change the oil and get the book stamped - and they replaced lower ball joints both sides FOC. I have since read on this forum that this is a recall job???

The service guy didn't say this at the time - Oct 2005 - my car had done 58,000 miles.

 

[e.vale]

Good independents?

So, where do I find a reputable local independent garage to service my new-ish C Class 180K?

 

[Hibbo]

So, where do I find a reputable local independent garage to service my new-ish C Class 180K?

There's a good one down the road from you, just on the corner. (opposite the cafe)

 

[jberks]

So, where do I find a reputable local independent garage to service my new-ish C Class 180K?

You ask ...

 

[e.vale]

Which Cafe, Hibbo?!

How well do you know Headley! Do you mean Beech Garage, on the mini roundabout on Grayshott Road?

 

[jberks]

I think Hibbo was being sarcastic!
You haven't actually told us where you live. Is Headley just south of Aberdeen or the one near Torquay?
Personally I use the one in the London borough of Leeds!

We're happy to help, but you have to give us something to go on, and we don't all live in your town - This is the internet - some of our members live in Australia, we even have one in China!