RickP330

Hey Guys,
WTH is an A5 service? All I know is that it dosent' sound good and I can't find any reference to what the number indicates after the A.
TIA
Rick

PS I have 50K miles.

Carsy

I would have thought it meant it is your 5th A service due in 6 months.

JoeVal

+1, of course.

jctevere

But at 50k miles, it wouldn't be the 5th A service, it would be 3rd A service at 50k, 3rd B service at 60k, and so on and so forth, alternating between B and A. Did you look in the service booklet, maybe it corresponds to a certain service schedule. It could go A1, B2, A3, B4, A5, but thats a little silly.

Carsy

It should depend on how many times the A service has been reset. If the next service is A5, my understanding it has been reset 4 times.

RickP330

I was just in for a NYS Inspection today. My service advisor said it's the 5 too, but it doesn't make sense. I have to check my records - It may be my fifth scheduled service but I think there was an A1, B1, A2 and B2 before. This would make 5 but it makes no sense.... Maybe the 5th time the service indicator has been reset?
RickP

mac911

Maybe they kept resetting it one time and messed it up.

I honestly don't know. I wouldn't worry too much. They (my dealer) always tell me that they really don't pay attention to the indicator in the U.S. They just base everything on miles.

MURTAZAC350

Hi, i took my car for B service at 21000 miles and the service guy said that he is doing service A to save time ??? I asked him if thats ok and wont harm my car and he said that service b is similar to service A with only a minor changes, so i said Ok go do service A instead. Total cost $225

But now i am thinking, did i make a mistake and should have asked him to do service B, the reason i took the car to the dealer in the first place, or did the Sales guy just save me a couple of hundred buck ?

Also he didnt say anything about my tyres, from most of the other post it appears my conti should be near retiring, but no one said anything to me.

Advise will be appreciated.

RickP330

The difference in A and B service should be in your service manual you should take a look.
My Conti pro's lasted 35K miles, you should have a bit left yet - I drive hard. When I go to the dealer, the first thing they do is measure the tire tread.
RP

Azn_C300

Just like your Premium 1 and Premium 2 packages. Premium 2 consists of Premium 1 plus extras. B Service includes A Service plus extras, which is why it keeps counting so everytime you go in for B Service, they're also performing A service.

mac911

Did they fill out your service book? I wouldn't worry. The only thing you didn't get effectively was a new cabin dust filter.

Oh and you didn't get a brake fluid change which is extra over service b anyway, but suppose to be at year 2.

Put your fingers in grooves of rear tires and check. Is there still some tread before the warning bars? You can compare it to the front too and the fronts should have more tread left.

NickCats

I dropped off my car for the B Service this morning. Here is what is being done :



And here is what is included in the A Service :



Hope that helps...

Nick

NickCats

So I just compared the two lists ( what can I say, it's a slow Friday afternoon here at work ) and here is what is included in the B service that is not in the A service :

- Replace Wiper Blades

- Rotate Tires ( excluded in vehicles with staggered wheels )

- Replace heating and ventilation dust filter

- Inspect front axle ball joints, check steering play and power steering clutch and rear differential levels

- Inspect poly V-Belt for condition

- Inspect starting and charging system and service battery

- Inspect climate control refrigerant

So I agree with mac911, the only thing you didn't get effectively was a new cabin dust filter.

Nick

tanktube67

I would have them do the oil change and I will do everything else my self.
MY $0.02

Bluewater41

Just called my dealership, Mercedes of Annapolis, and they have a pretty "good deal" for their A/B services: A service regular $270 (with online coupon $219) / B service regular $432 (with online coupon $349) [http://www.mercedesofannapolis.com/s...-coupons.aspx]

The service guy said that you should do the A/B service annually for every 10K - 13K miles, which lines up with your oil changes. He also said that sometimes you'll get a C-F service, which is essentially an A/B service with something additional (Brake Fluid Flush, etc.).

Pete7874

When I reset the service indicator last time I did an oil change on ours, it went back to showing "Service A0 due in 13,000 miles". A0? What is that? The car has 30K miles right now.

MBnewby

my dealership offers a mobil 1 oil change for $80 that includes a 27pt inspection! screwa and b...i can add on add. services at a fraction of the cost of a/b... i just learned this and it isnt widely advertised but is cheaper than my indy!

Pete7874

That sounds crazy low. M1 costs about $7/qt at retail. 9qt x $7 = $63. OEM fleece filter: $15. So right there you're at about $80, and what about labor? What about profit?

MBnewby

I would agree that it does sound crazy but it is legit I assure you. I was at MB a few weeks ago getting my 39K mile trans service ($400!) and stumbled upon the local MBCA chapter's newsletter. They had a list of great everyday deals that the same dealership does including the $80 Mobil 1 oil change which was shocking to me. I waited a few days then contacted my SA who confirmed that is indeed the correct price. Previously I spent $130 at my indy for the same oil change...thinking that was a better deal than A service at the dealer. I feel like I'll stay with MB forever now as long as my local dealer maintains this incredible oil change price complete with 27 pt. inspection. For me the service costs were about to make this my one and only Benz but not now. It was sort of like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

dion

+1

My wife's C300 is calling for an A0 service at a little past 30k miles...

JoeVal

A5 service is a service which will be charged for 5 hours of labor by the dealer. In addition to the oil change and resetting, it involves a change and flush of brake fluid (2 years old car), air and fuel filters change, and spark plugs replacement (both every 50K miles). If you did not do it at 39,000 miles, you should also change transmission oil and filter, which it would add further to the bill.

MBnewby

I'm pretty sure that when we reset our service reminder system ourselves that it will always go back to next service is "A0". Mine was all screwed up already when I bought it...had the B service done at 23K miles and was showing B service again at 37kmiles, when it should have been A. So I did the A service, reset, and it said A0 again... When you reset the reminder just use it as a guide to tell you when your next service is due then go to the manual and see, "XX miles so I need to have this done". Don't pay attention to the A/B, A5, etc. Your book tells you exactly what needs done at each service interval which occurs every 13K miles with my 2008 model.

MY ADVICE IS TO JUST FOLLOW YOUR MAINT. MANUAL...EVERY 13K MILES YOU NEED AN OIL CHANGE, ABOUT EVERY OTHER TIME YOU NEED AIR FILTERS CHANGED, AND ABOUT EVERY 2 YEARS YOU NEED BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSHED. Other than that you only need the 39k mile transmission service. I am only going to the dealer now for oil changes, those A and B services are nothing more than a glorified oil change and a total waste of money. They do a 27 pt. inspection with an oil change anyway and my dealer only charges $80 for an oil change. If other things go wrong with the Benz you will know because you'll hear your brakes going bad or anything else will show up as a warning in your instrument panel. I think MB has got quite the scam going with their A/B services. Think about all the other brands you've owned and no one else charges so much for a frickin' oil change...some brands have special high cost services at 30K, 50K miles, etc. but not every damn service appt. THEY ARE JUST OIL CHANGES PEOPLE Sorry had to vent...I love my Benz but I won't be taken for a ride on maint.