Question for those that change their own oil.
 

Do you buy OE Oil filters from MB or do you buy from the high end after market providers? If you buy after market, which do you buy and why?

I buy from autohausaz - Mahle OEM quality

Filters
 

<<Do you buy OE Oil filters from MB or do you buy from the high end after market providers? If you buy after market, which do you buy and why?>>

The OE filter is a fleece filter which is required for a 13K mile oil change, along with M1 5W40EP oil. If you are going to change it at the midpoint you could probably use the old paper filter which may or may not be cheaper.

I think the first oil change is free... but then the rest I'm going to have to get down and dirty. Whats a good yet affordable oil to be putting in and filter... I'm in New York.

I don't get it. You buy a $40,000 car then worry about a $40 oil change. Why not just go to the dealer take a seat in the lounge have a free cup of coffee and wait for your car while they change your oil?

You are talking dino oil with that price reference; are you not? What about labor? Welcome to MB and syn oil + labor, etc.

I will take the car to the dealer and gladly pay the $80 bucks to have the oil changed. I don't have the time nor knowledge to change, not to mention the damn desire to change my own oil lol.

BTW use a thing that sucks the oil, dont drain it. Moviela explained this in another thread. Always use mobil 1 5W-40 Extended Performance and a OEM Fleece filter.

I am taling about and under $100 transaction, Why make a big fuss over such small issues?

Well, under $100 and $40 are worlds apart. And for newbies looking for info on here that can be very confusing. Especially when what is posted doesn't match reality.

Agreed with stephensong

I would leave this work for professionals ( MB dealer ) Service cost here is rocket high but I do not mind paying it. Every damn thing here is expansive. Fuel cost in Amsterdam is highest compared to all world. you guys are lucky if you get to pay only under 100$ for oil change.

You are right this is confusing. Why would anybody buy a C300 with automatic transmission, then buy aftermarket HID, Exhaust, spoilers, and on and on. When finished the cost is greater than a C350 and the mods have done little to improve the performance of the vehicle up to the level of a C350. Then after spending on all of the mods, they want to know how to save $20 -$40 on an oil change. I still don’t get it. :nix:

Why not save money where you can? You can do your own oil changes for half the price of the dealer and you know you're doing it right. You know you won't forget a belly pan screw or strip the oil pan bolt (for those who drain it), etc. You'd be surprised what some techs forget to put back or break while doing services.

I don't either. Unless at the time of purchase thats all the dealer had, thats all they qualified for, etc.:nix:

Oil changes
 

I used to do all of my own maintenance on my vehicles, but now with the regulations regarding used oil, etc., I find it easier just to let someone else do it. I don't have to worry about how I'm going to dispose of it.

Also, whenever my vehicles are under warranty, I prefer to let the selling dealer do the oil changes (as long as I'm not getting ripped off, but then if I was, I probably wouldn't have bought the car from them in the first place). I like to have them do the oil changes so that if down the road anything happens to the car, I can point to them and say, "You're the only ones that have ever worked on it". Believe me, from my own experience, that has come in pretty handy. I've had Service Advisors go to bat for me and treat me like a valued customer (because I was) and I never got the finger pointing that some people have gotten. I've had them swap out entire engines, transmissions and rear ends - all without a peep of protest. On my other vehicle, it was having an issue with the rearend and they swapped it out 3 times before they finally figured out what the issue was - all at no cost to me either dollar wise or mentally from having to fight with them.

While legally, we can have anyone work on our cars and the manufacturer has to cover it under warranty, if I or anyone else (jiffylube) leaves a screw in the oil pan or over or underfills the oil, trying to get them to put a new motor in under warranty is going to be tough fight. On my corvette, its $70 to change the oil with the mobile one synthetic that is required, the local MB dealer charges about the same. In the long run, I consider it cheap insurance towards any future repairs.

So you might save money ($40 at Jifflube vs 70 or 80 at the dealer) but it could also cost you in the long run, if not dollar wise, then mental wise having to fight with the dealer, the zone rep, etc. to get something fixed under warranty that could have been caused or blamed on another service provider.

netcruizer99

You mean the oil changes aren't $200? I thought that's what my dealer told me.

The services performed by a dealer are pretty much glofied oil changes. They change the oil, filter, check fluids, check this and check that. That'll cost you $200 or more, depending on the service.

You can request just an oil change inbetween services if you'd like and it'll probably cost about $100.

actually, its $113 at one of the local MB dealers in Dallas. Higher than a corvette @ 70, but not $200.00.

I guess I need to get into the M/B oil changing business. At least at the local dealer, they throw in a free weekly car wash ($20 value) :) which the Chevy dealer doesn't through in.

netcruizer99

I've no problem having the dealer change my oil for a bit more. That's not the point. I'm a car person. I modify, I like to know every bit about that car. I like to change my own oil instead of having the dealer do so. I want to know every bit what's going into that car and what's coming out. I don't come from wealth and I've learn to do things on my own. So it's not the price, its the idea that I want to if that's alright with you. ;)

You can buy OE from the dealer or get find out who makes the OE filter and what part number it is and buy it from someone else for less. I am sure the OE maker is Mahle, Mann, or Hegnst.

Out of curiousity, how much oil goes into the new W204 engines?

I plan on changing my oil myself. why would I pay someone to do something when I can do it myself? Like someone said previously...when I do it myself... I know it's done right

On top of the cost factor, I actually enjoy working on cars. Its nice to get dirty and out of an office setting for a while.

So how do you dispose of the used oil?

Bring it to the place that you bought the oil from (Autozone, etc), they'll take back used oil.

For the time and cost it would take to have the dealer change the oil, I could have done it myself twice.

doesnt MB do the oil changes from the top of the car, instead of draining from the bottom? where is the oil filter located? Is it accessible from the top of the engine too? My E46 was like this & made it easy to change oil.

Oil filters are at the top.