Some discussions have questioned the value of Service A. I just had my first one and mid-way through the waiting, the SA came over to report they found a weak cell in the battery and were installing a new replacement. Glad this was found before total cell failure, especially going into winter! This service is more than just an oil change!

Total charge was $189.


Kudos to MB of Novi (Michigan)!

 

Well its good to know some dealerships are honest.. I spent 225 for my service A,

 

Cheapest one in my area is $350. I think I'm going to pass on Service A and just get an oil change and manually reset my warning indicator...

 

If the service is correctly performed it is crucial for a good look over the car. Especially for the less technically inclined. That said - even the technically inclined would not have picked up the battery problem.

 

Glyn shouldn't your first service on the car include a change of the transmission fluid as well as an oil change at least?

 

Nope, I believe that is for service B for the 20k miles.

 

i was told service A is just an oil change and fluid top off.. and overall look over the car.. still very expensive

 

I would doubt your source....your owner's manual package in the glovebox details the content. Inspection of braking and electrical system alone makes the trip worthwhile, as in this case where a defective battery was found and replaced before stranding me when low temps would exacerbate the problem. Skip it at your own risk for, at our dealer and others with discounts/coupons, less than $200 a year.

 

Benz have had a change of heart even with their fancy new synthetic long life transmission fluid. They used to say "filled for life" in the US (throw away market) and filter, flush & fluid change every 60,000 Km or 40,000 miles in ROW.

They suffered a lot of 722.9 7G transmission failures in the US and now recommend a once off change at 40,000 miles to "remove initial wear debris."

Experience tells me that a change EVERY 60,000 Km or 40,000 miles, as we have always done here & in most countries, ensures excellent transmission performance & life. The latest fluid maintains shift quality comfortably for that distance.

The standards of gear finish & low friction bearings employed in modern auto transmissions & rear axles plus magnetic plugs & catch plates operating in a low contamination environment unlike an engine - render more frequent changing unnecessary.

 

The other thing to mention about a service A is that it allows the dealer to take care of any current TSB issue (which the owner may or may not be aware of), with the installation of a replacement part, or at least an inspection confirming that it wasn't needed in your production run.

 

Well its a good thing I didn't "skip" my service!! And I said overall look over the car..

 

How do we manually turn off the Service B indicator? MB wants to charge me $60 for doing it.

 

A good thing indeed , and, yes, you did say "overall".....it's so challenging to convey the real emotion in text....I thought the word "just" sounded dismissive and I was trying to convey it's more than "just" a cursory review, rather, a detailed examination!! Perhaps we're having a strong agreement here!

 

Yes - I think everyone is agreeing violently with one another