MCJ

2014 GLK 250 AUTO TRANS I have a 2014 GLK 250 with 45k miles. It is time for an auto trans service. The dealer quoted $400 for it and $185 for a differential oil change, $165 for a coolant flush and $185 for a differential(2) oil change. I have been working on my own cars since I was a kid and I think these prices are just outrageous. I realize I do not have the equipment for the tranny flush. I live in the Spokane, Washington area and I need a good place to get this work done.

Diabolis

Let's see... you think the prices are outrageous and you could do it cheaper yourself, except that you can't. Do you see the problem (or, rather, BOTH problems)?

You bought a Mercedes. If you think the maintenance costs are too high, I would humbly suggest you go back to a Ford or a Kia.

super7pilot

That's the case with most any car these days. The labor rate is pretty standard across most dealer repair departments. It's the new age problem of incredibly dense packaging in new cars. Most of the labor charge is just to get to the item that needs fixing. Fixing the broken item is a faff (once you get to it)

Cwdawson

you said its a 2014 Isnt the tranny service at 70K miles.... the older trannys were at 45K but that changed later...

MCJ

Yes Diabolis, I bought a Mercedes and I love it when someone tells me what I "can't" do. I am a industrial engineer and I can usually figure out a way to most anything. Sometimes, because I do not want to reinvent something, I need some help and that's why I am a member of this forum. Don't criticize, just instruct.
Super7Pilot- Yes you are correct and looking at the new packaging makes me appreciate when things were relatively easy to get to. Such is progress??

MCJ

I was told by the dealer that the AT service was supposed to be at 40k miles.

Diabolis

MCJ - wow - I am impressed. I am an engineer too, but I apparently must suck at it because I lack your "I can do everything better" arrogance. Just because I was able to come up with an efficient image transform coding technique and hold four patents which are still used in the communicaton industry, it doesn't mean that I can build, launch or service a Raytheon JPSS satelite, and furthermore, just because it only took me and a couple of grad students mere months to come up with said coding technique using nothing more than three antiquated Sun workstations, I am not outraged that the Suomi NPP satellite cost 8.1 billion USD to make and that now that it was lauched they can't even service the damn thing.

In other words, please stop flaunting your credentials as an excuse for being cheap, and more importantly, disgracing the profession with your idiotic statement that the cost to do something is outrageous when (1) your only reference is that you yourself may have done somethign remotely similar in the past, and (2) you can't do this particular one - not just cheaper, but at all - because you don't have what you need. Being cheap is somethign you may have come by without any fault of your own, but I am afraid that the lack of logic in your second statement in spite your training is completely inexcusable.

There's no need for you to reinvent anything - it has already been invented. It's called a Mercedes-Benz Service Center, where they have everything they need to do the job properly, professionally and at a reasonable cost. You don't work for $7.50 an hour, do you?

Cwdawson

Just checked as I also have the GLK 250 and 40K Trans service is for C/CL/CLS/E and SL (Engines 156, 157, 275) Engine codes

The 651 engine are at 70K...

(engine 152, 271, 276, 278, 279, 642, 651) are at 70K according to MY14 Maintenance Book....

whiskywizard

Agreed. Capable, experienced engineers look first to existing solutions before developing new. Tapping into a forum just makes good sense. Until you hit a dick who's PUI.

Diabolis

Capable and experienced engineers know that the fluids themselves in this case probably account for half of the quoted cost, and that the time requirement to put the car on a hoist, do the job properly and dispose of the old fluids amounts to the other half, and as I pointed out, they are able to recognize that a solution already exists. Dicks on the other hand don't or think they ought to be able to do it cheaper themselves when in fact by their own admission they can't, and instead b!tch about it until they find someone who will indulge them in a feel-better mutual jerk-off.

Had he simply asked "hey - does anyone know where I can get the tools to do my transmission fluid change", the answer would have been very different indeeed. This way he came across as a total douche, and you're simply following in his footsteps.

MCJ

Everyone, I want to know if my dealer is in line, price wise, with other dealers. Do I have any other options? Is there a local shop that does good work in Eastern Washington or in Western Idaho. Has anyone done some of these service items themselves?

I have always enjoyed working on my own cars and maybe this time I might have to take it to the dealer and I will do that because I take good care of my stuff. I enjoy driving the GLK and it gets great mileage. In the near future I am thinking of trading the GLK in because maybe I did buy the wrong car.

Gt. Dane

Valid concerns MCJ. Most intelligent posters would not assume that you have a good dealer within reasonable distance of your home or make assumptions about your mechanical experience.