Servicing Problems: Important.

[hawk20]

Do you think perhaps we are being conned into getting our cars serviced more frequently?
I am not the trusting type when it comes to anything which makes money out of me , as many a builder sent home packing has found out!!

Well as an earlier posting shows many business users wanted fixed intervals apparently so they could plan budgets more easily.

As for the rest of us, this thread makes clear just how complicated the variable system had become and the immense confusion it has caused to many. I would prefer 15,500 or two years whichever is the sooner and think many private owners would too.

 

[Chas]

I agree entirely.

 

[Rory]

Well as an earlier posting shows many business users wanted fixed intervals apparently so they could plan budgets more easily.

It didn't show that at all. It showed that Mercedes *said* business users (meaning lease fleet operators) wanted fixed intervals, but who knows whether that's true. Why would fleet operators, who may have got away with a couple of services during a 3yr lease, press for a scheme that meant the cars needed a certain 3 services? (Although in my experience, fleet's won't do the final service at the end of 3yrs anyway).

MB dropped variable servicing several years ago in the US and there's no business market there to have driven such a move.

 

[hawk20]

It didn't show that at all. It showed that Mercedes *said* business users (meaning lease fleet operators) wanted fixed intervals, but who knows whether that's true. Why would fleet operators, who may have got away with a couple of services during a 3yr lease, press for a scheme that meant the cars needed a certain 3 services?

.

Because some drivers would only get 7/8/9k between services so it was not possible to accurately predict service costs. With fixed intervals they can. Not all of life is a conspiracy theory.

 

[Rory]

Because some drivers would only get 7/8/9k between services so it was not possible to accurately predict service costs. With fixed intervals they can. Not all of life is a conspiracy theory.

..and we know that only happens because the dealers fiddle the ASSYST reset.

 

[hawk20]

..and we know that only happens because the dealers fiddle the ASSYST reset.

No: it depends how you drive with ASSYST. Short runs in town, stop/start etc bring on the need for services much sooner. Not a plot. Just a fact of life.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Well as an earlier posting shows many business users wanted fixed intervals apparently so they could plan budgets more easily.

As for the rest of us, this thread makes clear just how complicated the variable system had become and the immense confusion it has caused to many. I would prefer 15,500 or two years whichever is the sooner and think many private owners would too.

I entirly agree with Hawk. 15,500 or TWO years would be more equitable and would really only formalise what low mileage users have been doing, guided by ASSYST in bygone years.

I take consolation from the fact that, 400 miles after an A service, my C Class diesel ASSYST is suggesting next service in 16,600 miles - thus proving to my satisfaction that ASSYST can work and that under the right conditions (longer journeys, warm engine, excellent driver) mileage can go up as well as down.

 

[GeorgeA]

..and we know that only happens because the dealers fiddle the ASSYST reset.

My local indie put the car onto the star diagnostics and found there was no means to set the service indicator for fully synthetic oil. Yes I think the dealer has fiddled with the ASSYST system. It resets to 10000 and I usually get 11000 and calls for a service after 14 or 15 months. I think there should be a fully synth setting but there is not.

Anyway, I am actually quite happy to change the oil every year. I know the oil is expensive but decidedly cheaper than a new engine. Oil and filter changes at the local indie are not too expensive in comparison to the dealer.

 

[Rory]

No: it depends how you drive with ASSYST. Short runs in town, stop/start etc bring on the need for services much sooner. Not a plot. Just a fact of life.

No. It's fiddled. The car should do minimum 10K. They should be set at 13K if 229.5 oil is used. Then they'll stretch out beyond that if used gently. My car would have gone to 18K for its first service, if I hadn't taken it in a bit early.

I have to say that in my case, the system works perfectly. Could that be because I'm on ServicePlus? I now do low annual mileage and the dealer was very keen to move me to fixed interval, 12mth services - until I told him I was on ServicePlus.

There are many, many threads on here and the other forum from people, particularly with W211's, who take the car in at 16K or so for its first service and then it comes back at 10K and then counts down mile for mile, with the dealer absolutely adamant that it's "just a fact of life".

 

[colechelle]

There are many, many threads on here and the other forum from people, particularly with W211's, who take the car in at 16K or so for its first service and then it comes back at 10K and then counts down mile for mile, with the dealer absolutely adamant that it's "just a fact of life".[/QUOTE]

Well i can tell you that if you put the correct spec of service in ie oil type etc the 211 will ALWAYS return the next service at 15500 miles, did a 230 the other day and it come back with next service due at 17000, the system only resets to what you tell it, ie, whats been done,
the quick way is just to do it thro the ICM, then default miles will be 10000, i have said it before, its only down to the tech who,s doing the service, the staff at the front desks only know what they have been told by the tech, ie it only resets to 10000, not that i couldnt be bothered to put the star machine on to the car!!!!!

 

[hawk20]

There are many, many threads on here and the other forum from people, particularly with W211's, who take the car in at 16K or so for its first service and then it comes back at 10K and then counts down mile for mile, with the dealer absolutely adamant that it's "just a fact of life".

Well they are wrong and that is why I posted this thread.

 

[colechelle]

I bet you wished you had never started it now Richard!!!!!

 

[Chas]

There are many, many threads on here and the other forum from people, particularly with W211's, who take the car in at 16K or so for its first service and then it comes back at 10K and then counts down mile for mile, with the dealer absolutely adamant that it's "just a fact of life".

Well i can tell you that if you put the correct spec of service in ie oil type etc the 211 will ALWAYS return the next service at 15500 miles, did a 230 the other day and it come back with next service due at 17000, the system only resets to what you tell it, ie, whats been done,
the quick way is just to do it thro the ICM, then default miles will be 10000, i have said it before, its only down to the tech who,s doing the service, the staff at the front desks only know what they have been told by the tech, ie it only resets to 10000, not that i couldnt be bothered to put the star machine on to the car!!!!![/QUOTE]

Based on my question and the reply below, what do you think ?


Q.
Basically my S320 (2001) petrol , 76, 000 miles full MB SH. was given an A service last week, after 21 months since the previous B service.The mileage achieved between these services was 7,600.

It was replenished with Synthetic oil. MB 229.3 System derived.



Here is the response from Customer Service Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V. which should nail this one on the head

A

Thank you for contacting the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
Maastricht N.V., regarding the ASSYST system to your Mercedes-Benz
S-Class.

I would like to further clarify the operation of the ASSYST system to
your vehicle, as follows.

The mileage interval to the next service will be enhanced by having
synthetic engine oil put into the engine at the time of service. Your
vehicle has the ASSYST system (Rather than the ASSYST Plus) so this is done
automatically. The start reading for the interval is given as 10,000
miles but this is only a nominal figure, as the true figure will be
calculated and given once the vehicle has been driven.

The time and mileage to the next service is calculated continually, so
driving style is a big factor. The fact that your last Service time
interval was 21 months after covering 7,600 miles is testament to you
having an economical driving style. It can be that customers who do not
have an economical driving style, run down their ASSYST system far quicker
and are required to have their vehicle Serviced at a far shorter time
interval. In cases like this, the STAR System can be programmed to
affect a 1.3 factor. This can be done by the Service Department of your
local official Mercedes-Benz Dealership.

However, our advice is that you should not take this action. Your
driving style is of such an economic nature, that your ASSYST system is
calculating that the interval to the next Service could be similar to the
21 months achieved previously.
The reason why there is a sticker on the doorframe indicating the date
for the next service is in 12 months, is that after the initial
Warranty period on your vehicle elapses you need to have it serviced at a
Mercedes-Benz Dealership , in order to qualify for Mobilo Roadside
Assistance.

Although after 12 months motoring it may indicate on your ASSYST
computer that due to low mileage the next service is not yet due, the sticker
is there as a reminder for Mobilo.

I hope that this clears any doubts that you have with the ASSYST system
to your Mercedes-Benz S-Class but if you have any concerns regarding
the correct operation of the ASSYST system, please arrange to have it
diagnosed by your Servicing Dealership.


Yours sincerely

Peter Swaine
Customer Service
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V.
Gaetano Martinolaan 10
NL-6229 GS Maastricht, The Netherlands

Phone Nr: 00800 1 777 7777
mailto: CustomerService.UK@cac.mercedes-benz.com

 

[colechelle]

Chas, i was quoting the 211,s, yours like the 210s and 208s are fixed and no other input can be given, ie 211s, thro star you can up the oil grade from 229.3 to 229.5 that alone gives you 5000 miles extra, you have to remember its not all clear cut, every model, year is different, i was just quoting 211s and 203/9,s that you can up the milage!

 

[Chas]

Many thanks

 

[Rory]

The reason why there is a sticker on the doorframe indicating the date
for the next service is in 12 months, is that after the initial
Warranty period on your vehicle elapses you need to have it serviced at a
Mercedes-Benz Dealership , in order to qualify for Mobilo Roadside
Assistance.

Although after 12 months motoring it may indicate on your ASSYST
computer that due to low mileage the next service is not yet due, the sticker is there as a reminder for Mobilo.

I wonder why they've made that linkage - to maintain Mobilo it's only necessary to have the car serviced at an MB dealer every 2 years.

Or perhaps they've changed that, too?

 

[colechelle]

Yes they have, every new car now, when serviced every year, you get another year of mobilo, dont have it serviced at mb and you lose mobilo, but what has changed, if you lose it because you have the car serviced at joe boggs, the next mb service you do have gives you another year, why they keep changing it beats me!!!

 

[Rory]

Yes they have, every new car now, when serviced every year, you get another year of mobilo, dont have it serviced at mb and you lose mobilo, but what has changed, if you lose it because you have the car serviced at joe boggs, the next mb service you do have gives you another year, why they keep changing it beats me!!!

I know that's true on new cars (as they're on annual servicing) but it doesn't apply in Chas's case - his car is 2001.

 

[colechelle]

i know that, the question you asked was have they changed the way mobilo works, yes they have, i wasnt taking about Chas,s car, i simply answered your question !

 

[Rory]

i know that, the question you asked was have they changed the way mobilo works, yes they have, i wasnt taking about Chas,s car, i simply answered your question !

..but my question was in response to MB's answer to Chas about his car!! It doesn't make any sense if you answer questions out of context.