MattB

I may be trading in my 1995 Infiniti G20tA for a 2000 C280 in the near future, and would like to know how much more routine maintenance items are going to cost me on a C280 vs. my G20. Right now an oil change costs me around $35 from the dealer, replacing accessory belts costs about $100, brakes are around $400 for front pads and rotors. How much worse is a Benz going to be?

davis449

It's a late model Mercedes so it's gonna cost you more, that's a given right away. If I get my oil changed independently (i.e. my friend does it) it's around $40 for the oil and the filter and labor is free. Now if I were to take it to a regular Jiffy Lube type place and not bring my own oil and filter and pay their prices, it wouldn't be that much different than the dealer which is around $80. The front pads and rotors probably wouldn't cost much more than you pay already. My dealer quoted me $200 for the front pads alone (includes labor) and I think I remember him saying around $300 for the rotors if they were necessary. You do the math. Your on the FSS (Flexible Service System) and should you choose to use it, you would be looking at around $300 for a A Service and much much more for a B Service. However, you can pick and choose which things you want them to do on those services, so if you think you are in good shape on some things and know enough about the things under your hood to be able to tell what is set and what isn't, you can tell them not to do certain things and save some $$$.

MattB

$80 for an oil change? What makes it so much more expensive?

davis449

You have to use synthetic oil in these cars.

NdnMbLova

Mobile 1 all the way. Also the fact that its a german car automatically gives the dealers to charge you more( sheesh). Plus its the labor rates for a MB dealer. Right now the rates are gonna run you anyhwere from 85$ an hour to 92$ an hour for labor. Learn to do small things yourself like replacing the brakes, or replacing the spark plugs and the oil changes. If you want to be able to take it to the dealer than be prepared to spend the money and be told that you have to fix stuff that doesnt have to be fixed. Find a good independent mechanic that you can trust because it will be worth it. The 2000 c280 is an excellant choice.

MattB

$85-$92/hour is what I'm paying now at my Infiniti dealer...so that doesn't bother me. I wasn't aware of the synthetic requirement...that's clearly where the difference lies. My Infiniti doesn't require synthetic oil.

NdnMbLova

yup fully synthetic... and they recommend mobil1

YJ97C230

brembo plain rotors are $50 per on average (front $60, rear $40) so it's not more expensive than any other cars. Pads, I paid EBC green stuff about $70 per axle(?) I don't remember exactly but brakes are not that expensive. get the parts online, do it in independent garage. brake jobs are easy ones so dealer/independent garage won't make difference in quality of job done.

it'll take 2hrs tops to do the all 4 brakes.
$340 for parts + 2 hr labor = about $500

MattB

Okay so oil changes are more expensive but I would face the same cost with using synthetic in an Infiniti I35. How about insurance? Will insurance cost me much more than for a comparable Infiniti or Lexus?

NdnMbLova

Ask your insurence companies, and other ones around you. Depending on your driving record, your insurence record and the fact that you live in ma, it could be higher or it could be lower. The best thing is to get on the phone and get some quotes.