samm-c

Hey everyone,

I am VERY close to getting a 2006 C230 on a lease. I had been talking to both an Audi dealer and a Mercedes dealer and the Audi dealer recently pointed out that the Mercedes does not come with standard free scheduled maintenance. So please tell me...in 3 years of ownership how much extra money should I plan on spending for maintenance purposes on the Benz?

Thanks!!

mbz4810

Umm... Depends on how many miles. Figuer 10k miles or 1 year = 300 (average) just for service, then tires, break, car washes........... and so on



I know BMW offers free FULL maintenance, I think all u have to do is feed it gas and changes its shoes (tyres) that's it.

Dunno about Audi but I would imagin they are following some one.

Good Luck

Chedeng_05

MB service intervals are every 13k miles

The service prices varies from dealer to dealer so you have to shop around. Here in Los Angeles, the price variations are around $100 from one dealer to another.

Penske MB pricing:

Service A: $185 (others charge $280)
Service B: $280 (others charge $365)

Service A & B will alternate every 13k so depending on how far/often you drive your costs will vary.

Don't forget your rear tires will wear out faster than the front and since they are staggered and can't rotate them, it will wear out around 20k - 25k miles. Cost of each tire: $240 installed.

e1000

afaik:

1yr/12,000mi - service A - $250
2yrs/24,000mi - service B - $400
3yrs/36,000mi - service A - $250

brakes - not sure but i think i remember reading between $300-$600

patrick_y

My brake jobs are around $1k each. You often have to replace both the pads and the rotors on the same time.

I've gotten the following break down on estimated costs:

Operating Expenses Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor

Description Replacement Cost Miles Per Replacement Cost Per Mile % of Operating Cost
Gasoline $56 @ $3.50/gal 384 miles @ 24.0mpg $0.15 52%
Tires $600 20,000 $0.03 10%
Scheduled Maintenance $700 26,000 $0.03 10%
Brakes $2,100 60,000 $0.04 14%
Long Haul Service $3,500 100,000 $0.04 14%

TOTAL COST PER MILE $0.29

A Service* $239 13,000
B Service * $399 13,000
Brakes Pads Installed** $700 30,000
Brakes Pads and Discs** $1,400 30,000
60,000 Mile Major Service $1,500 60,000
100,000 Mile Major Service $2,000 100,000

* Alternate between A and B service every 13,000 miles
** Alternate between pads and pads and disc service.
As you can see, I run on very cheap tires ($600 for a set of four, BF Goodrich tires installed at Costco, they last long and handle well).

This is also assuming that the brake rotors last for two pad jobs, this is optimistic but possible.

You're looking at around $0.15 a mile minimum for maintenance alone. Ad another $0.15 for gas. Approximately $0.30 a mile for gas and maintenance. This does not factor in depreciation, car washes, other upkeeps.

The mileage for these are also at best "predicted". Your brakes may last longer or shorter depending on your driving style. I estimate my brakes will last longer since I try not to use them unless the light turns red.

I went to the Ferrari dealership once and I asked them how much it would cost to maintain the vehicle per mile. They told me if I had to ask, that means that I couldn't afford it; then they told me it really depended on how I drove the car, if I tracked the car, then obviously my tires and brakes would last much shorter periods.

Goodluck, these cars don't come cheap. Consider a BMW 325i or a Lexus IS250; those will save you boatloads on the maintenance. Also be very nice to your service advisor, give him chocolates and small gifts so he'll be more inclined to give you a discount once in a while.

TA-9FF

I dunno know about you guys, but I take my car in every 5000k miles for an oil change, which is roughly $90 a pop at the stealership, asides from doing the regular Service A, B, etc. when it needs it.

People are insane to think that it's okay to wait until 13k to get an oil change. That's just MB marketing rubbish. I agree with my trusted MB mechanic when he says that doing an oil change at 13k intervals is just asking for problems down the road with the engine. Better safe than sorry.

So in short, MB maintenance, IMHO, is quite high. If you want cheap maint, buy a Honda Accord, where oil changes are barely $20.

And for crying out loud.......how many times do I have to tell people, there is NO SUCH THING AS FREE MAINTENANCE. When you buy a BMW, or whatever else company that offers you "Free" stuff, the cost is ADDED into the car you're buying. Believing all this marketing nonsense is ridiculous. Do you really think BMW has all this random extra cash lying around for paying for all these parts and service labor?

06C230

it's been said many times before, audi and bmw offer free maintenance however it's included into the price of the car. Nothing is for free. Take an audi and a mercedes that have the same optoins and you'll see the audi costs more. Add up how much the mercedes will cost to maintain for the same period as the "FREE" service from audi and you'll see the overall cost is just about the same.

TA-9FF

When will people learn, 06C230????

drexappeal

Well, I'll have to say that only applies for 2005 and up models. My car was definitely less expensive than a 325i or 1.8T would've been (with comparable options) in 2004.

06C230

well that's cool but I believe he was talking about today.

FrankW

3 years = few oil changes. MB scheduled maintainance really doesn't do anything other than charging you for a lot of their labor. Depends on how often do you change the oil. I change mine every 5k miles and cost about $80-90 with filter.

Brake change you don't have to change the rotor every time. You change the pads twice before you would need to change the rotors. The rear pads also last twice or three times as long. The front brake pads are $90 from us plus tax/shipping.

drexappeal

LOL...I know. I was just messing with you 2005 and up owners...LOL.

Hey, I've got a 2004.5, so even though I got the free maintenance, I gotta have 1 thing I can say I got that you guys didn't with all the upgrades they did in '05 (Well 2 if you consider the 2005's that didn't get the 4 piston brake calipers).

mick1

oil change every 13k is normal for cars using synthetic oil. bmw also tells people to change oil every 12 months. Changing oil every 5k won't hurt the engine but it will hurt your wallet.

FrankW

yea, most new cars are very tolerable on running the same oil for long period of time. Only on certain cars they give you recommandation to change the oil early such as the M3 or M5 that tells you to follow a set of instruction.

TBenzC230

I know it has been a while since anyone has posted in this thread but I figured I'd give it a try. I am about to purchase a '07 C230 with 40kmi. It is very well kept and excellent condition. I have worked on my own cars for repair and maint for the past 15 years and did all I could from taking them to the dealer. I have always had this stigma about high end cars and that you couldn't do any work on them and had to take them to the dealer. I guess what i am trying to find out from al the W203 owners out there is how much are the maintenance costs for the car in todays economy. I would like to work on the car myself and do at least basic maintenance like brakes and oil. Is it possible? Do they have alot of issues or break down often or are they about as reliable as a honda? Any help would be greatly appreciated

DaODB

You have a newer Mercedes than me so can't talk specifically on that, but from reading on these forums, these cars really aren't much different than any other car. Now, I am the bottom of the barrel of mechanics and couldn't name tools if you showed me them, but I performed a power steering flush from a DIY on this forum.

I bought my car 3 years ago and it had 100,000 miles on it. The only problems I have ever had were freak accidents (previous owner messed with fuse box which caused it to melt, had to replace that at dealer. I recently messed up my coolant hose but that was just due to my inexperience.) The only true problem I could say I have had with this car is the alternator went out this month, but that could be seen, for a car pushing 135000 miles now! I bought that part off the internet for much cheaper than dealer, and as I said, since I am inexperienced, I took it to a mechanic and he got my baby back on the road.

So in short, I'd say yes, the parts are generally going to be more expensive than other cars. For instance, Mercedes take synthetic oil ans lots of it, which make the oil changes pricey. However, since you are experienced with cars, I think it will be more than manageable for you!

MW_ATL

This forum is a great resource. If you check the DIY section at the top you will find detailed writeup on various maintenance and service items for your car. Brakes, Oil Changes, Transmission services (your 2007 would be the 7-speed) and various other items are all covered. You should be able to do all of the routine maintenance and then as deep as you wished in any more in-depth repairs. If you do get the car and plan on doing any of the work yourself, you should order the factory maintenance DVD from MBUSA. The cars are fussy about things like particular fluids and such, but as long as you follow the directions and use the recommended fluids you shouldn't have any problems at all.

I can't really speak for annual cost, because at 184K+ miles, mine are a bit higher than normal, plus I get **** sometimes.

TBenzC230

Thanks for all the info and help. What's a good max mileage to have on a used w203 and still have some good miles in it before having to start replacing a lot of stuff. Like timing belts. What they usually run on them?

MW_ATL

They run timing chains, so they are good for a *while*. Mine just got replaced at 184,000 miles, but it wasn't really that the chain was in need, but it was leaking oil slightly around the cover, so when you are that far in, you might as well do the chain. I know I have seen a couple of people replacing them, but not frequently at all. There is also a nice writeup recently of the DIY for this job, although it is a bunch of work.

I did a water pump at somewhere around 120 - 130,000 as well, but no idea if that is typical.