Must I go to dealer for service?
#1
06-28-2006, 09:31 PM
Must I go to dealer for service?
Hi, all. M320 owener here. I enjoyed my ride with 4 year / 50000mi, free maintenance program, but the time has come and I am out of free maintenance schdule. 
My car is now at 60,000 mi and it is due for the service. It seems like just simple oil change should do the trick but service at dealer says I must get Service B at the dealer in order to keep car in good shape. I don't believe it but I am not sure. It seems there are experts about MB here and I would like to get some advice on this. Shoudl I be keep going to dealer for the service and pay $$$ or look for some local shop who can service MB for less price?
Thanks in advance.
My car is now at 60,000 mi and it is due for the service. It seems like just simple oil change should do the trick but service at dealer says I must get Service B at the dealer in order to keep car in good shape. I don't believe it but I am not sure. It seems there are experts about MB here and I would like to get some advice on this. Shoudl I be keep going to dealer for the service and pay $$$ or look for some local shop who can service MB for less price? Thanks in advance.
#2
06-28-2006, 10:07 PM
RE: Must I go to dealer for service?
you can do it yourself...DIY articles exist and former MB techs are on this and other forums.
#3
06-29-2006, 04:06 AM
RE: Must I go to dealer for service?
Hi,
Difficult one!
There are only a few good reasons (UK based. USA could be different) why a regular service needs to be done by MB:
Diagnostic equipment. Some independent garages have diagnostic equipment of a similar (but not the same) capability as MB dealers. Others do not.
Part of the standard A/B service is a quick diagnostic check to ensure no systems are reporting significant faults in which case appropriate action can be taken. Without the appropriate diagnostics this part of the process can't be done. This issue comes under the heading of "Preventative" measures. Depends whether you subscribe to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
MB ought to offer service levels which are Quality Assurred due to specific training etc and specified workshop standards but standards are down to local management. e.g. Are road wheel bolts torqued, yet alone to the correct setting? I'm sure that many members will have come across dealers with less than this level of service and at £100/hour UK this is an expensive route. Its all about confidence in the dealer!
Another consideration is Goodwill. Unless the car has been serviced appropriately throughout its life at an MB dealer (better still the same MB dealer) the chances of MB (or MB in conjunction with the dealer) providing any goodwill is reduced to zero. My own experience is that even when serviced by MB the chances of MB supplying goodwill is still close to zero. MBUK won't even honour actual component FAILURES due to known and undisputed manufacturing issues which have led to preventative recalls in the States!
Because of this last statement I do work myself so I know exactly what has been done.
On vehicles still under warranty (OE or MB extended) residual (second hand) pricing is adversley effected if not maintaned thru the MB dealership.
A good way to check out how good a garage is is to see whether the cabin air filter has ACTUALLY been changed after a service. The MB schedule identifies that it should. An MB filter carries a date so there can be no dispute. Despite full main UK dealership service the filters on my two MB's hadn't been changed from the original (i.e. vehicle manufacture date) even at >75k miles!! That's at least 10 dealership visits at which the filter was not changed across about 4 dealerships. Due to the location of the filter it is a significant job (time consuming) to change and the chances a customer checking are very low.
The decision is yours. Stuart
Difficult one!
There are only a few good reasons (UK based. USA could be different) why a regular service needs to be done by MB:
Diagnostic equipment. Some independent garages have diagnostic equipment of a similar (but not the same) capability as MB dealers. Others do not.
Part of the standard A/B service is a quick diagnostic check to ensure no systems are reporting significant faults in which case appropriate action can be taken. Without the appropriate diagnostics this part of the process can't be done. This issue comes under the heading of "Preventative" measures. Depends whether you subscribe to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
MB ought to offer service levels which are Quality Assurred due to specific training etc and specified workshop standards but standards are down to local management. e.g. Are road wheel bolts torqued, yet alone to the correct setting? I'm sure that many members will have come across dealers with less than this level of service and at £100/hour UK this is an expensive route. Its all about confidence in the dealer!
Another consideration is Goodwill. Unless the car has been serviced appropriately throughout its life at an MB dealer (better still the same MB dealer) the chances of MB (or MB in conjunction with the dealer) providing any goodwill is reduced to zero. My own experience is that even when serviced by MB the chances of MB supplying goodwill is still close to zero. MBUK won't even honour actual component FAILURES due to known and undisputed manufacturing issues which have led to preventative recalls in the States!
Because of this last statement I do work myself so I know exactly what has been done.
On vehicles still under warranty (OE or MB extended) residual (second hand) pricing is adversley effected if not maintaned thru the MB dealership.
A good way to check out how good a garage is is to see whether the cabin air filter has ACTUALLY been changed after a service. The MB schedule identifies that it should. An MB filter carries a date so there can be no dispute. Despite full main UK dealership service the filters on my two MB's hadn't been changed from the original (i.e. vehicle manufacture date) even at >75k miles!! That's at least 10 dealership visits at which the filter was not changed across about 4 dealerships. Due to the location of the filter it is a significant job (time consuming) to change and the chances a customer checking are very low.
The decision is yours. Stuart
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