oil change cost using own oil
there's no way you pay $100 for nine quarts of that M1 5-40 ESP (which is the oil that Merc dealers must install if using their own oil), the filter and the labor...and then tax. i'm not even including the nonsense charges like solvent and oil disposal. give me a break. if you do, then you'd be in the vast minority because they'd be discounting every single part of a normal c 63 change by at least 40%.
For M156 engines:
here is the 229.5 list - http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html
and then the 229.51 list - here is the 229.5 list - http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.51_en.html
i don't know about being the same, but this is the oil that my dealer specs for it so i ended up getting two cases on Amazon and then a $25 rebate check. it's not as good as the Pennzoil rebate where you get basically five quarts of their best synthetic Platinum Ultra for $2 total, haha, but only some sort of Pennzoil Euro version is MB approved for this engine (or overall, i forget) and i figure for the price, i'll just go with what the factory recommends. i mean, i'm not doing used oil analysis, i'm not doing extended intervals (OE is 1yr/10k, i drove <5k last year) so whatever.
Last edited by builthatch; Mar 20, 2014 at 01:02 PM.
That makes no sense - the cost of the oil and filter alone is higher than what the dealership is charging you. At least here in Canada, the Formula M is about $12/L (and the car takes ~9L) and the filter is $25. What am I missing?

either way, you are correct, the math does not work out so i'm curious.
i believe my dealer charges $8.40 a quart (mine cost $6.25 from amazon + M1 rebate, delivered) and apparently they charged me $16 for the filter. so using those numbers that right there is $91.60 for the oil and filter. so without any tax, add'l charges, etc., the labor they charge at his dealership for the oil change using those prices is under $38.
that's pretty aggressive haha.
Last edited by builthatch; Mar 20, 2014 at 12:13 PM.
I thought I included an edit note, but my dealership sends out service coupons every quarter. My last oil change was 100 bucks + tax. It has since been changed to 129, hence the revision. Sorry for any confusions. You're more than welcome to PM me for the dealership.
I thought I included an edit note, but my dealership sends out service coupons every quarter. My last oil change was 100 bucks + tax. It has since been changed to 129, hence the revision. Sorry for any confusions. You're more than welcome to PM me for the dealership.
like i said, i'm used to paying literally $2 per five quarts of PPU because of their rebates and such so it killed me to pay for the M1.
thanks.
Last edited by builthatch; Mar 20, 2014 at 12:14 PM.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-0W...Quart/23636902
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-0W...Quart/23636902
the dealers in this region charged half hour for oil change, full hour for Service A. they charge half hour for the change even though it might take them less. my car was on the lift for longer than half an hour though and it appeared it was draining for most of that time

i wanted to change the oil myself but don't want to be a total warranty guy - service people hate that - so i threw them a bone for this latest warranty issue and didn't change it myself. i figure with this change they won't balk when i ask for a specific tech for a warranty thing, they will fit me in on Saturdays, etc. a little reciprocation can go a long way in that business. i've been in three times for warranty **** since i got the car March last year and i've only driven ~5K miles.
Last edited by builthatch; Mar 20, 2014 at 01:04 PM.
Manhattan gives me the long time customer and only charge me a measly $229 plus tax of course lol
we are talking a few different things here and that's where the confusion is.
my beef was your $100 or even $129 for an oil change including the oil, because the math didn't make sense. and $5-$6 a quart is TOTALLY believable if the parts counter guy is giving you a deal, but to have that hookup cost factored into the service writer's invoice for the change is odd to me, and to reach that net change cost, it would have to be. otherwise, like i said, they are giving you a ~40% break on every point of the invoice (oil, labor, parts, misc. charges, tax, etc.) when it was $100 and ~25% at $129.
however, if they are issuing a coupon for that, then that's what's happening at your spot
i just had the 60,000KM transmission service done and that was only like $100 more at the dealership then it would have been at some indie shop
Last edited by avery.whss; Mar 20, 2014 at 02:18 PM.
P.S. I get Mobil1 0W40 for under $5/liter from my P-car mechanic who has barrels of this stuff (just pump it into a couple of 5L jugs), but AFAIK the non-ESP 5W40 FM stuff only sells by the bottle, which is what they still put in the C63s at the MB dealership I go to.
Last edited by Diabolis; Mar 21, 2014 at 01:24 PM.
P.S. I get Mobil1 0W40 for under $5/liter from my P-car mechanic who has barrels of this stuff (just pump it into a couple of 5L jugs), but AFAIK the non-ESP 5W40 FM stuff only sells by the bottle, which is what they still put in the C63s at the MB dealership I go to.
Yeah I'm pretty sure the difference isn't even $60...it's not very much..like you said mechanic who only works on MBs etc...I think MB is pretty well priced honestly for what you get...even their detailing service isn't that expensive (around 300) compared to other "indie" places that charge close to $400
i was sketched for even paying someone to change my oil. i felt like a dirty, dirty yuppie. then i was nervous about which of their techs was going to touch the car, etc. i had to get intel from my car enthusiast former parts counter guy friend at that dealership about which tech was the most careful and detail-oriented.
wash it? my goodness, if someone else tried to wash my car it'd be a big deal to me. i'm one of those nerds who understands the 40 hour finish correction scene has a car without a scratch even under fluorescent lighting and a scanning electron microscope, and i readily admit that. i'm mentally ill with my car but otherwise, i'm actually VERY easy going.







