pinebaron

Major Service today: Transmission and brake flush + bunch of other stuff

Went for Service D but it was charged as Service B plus ATF flushed as it was due since the vehicle recently crossed 39K miles (in seven years of use) and regular Service was due in 400 miles or so

Total bill was $1222.00 (incl tax) Transmission Service, Engine Oil/Filter, Brake fluid flush/replace/bleed, fuel filter replace, combination filter replace plus usual Service checks.

Total was despite a discounted labor rate (old rate $118/hr instead of $127/hr) plus $75 additional discount. At least it's all done in a day. + new re-replacement OEM battery

Included $415 for Transmission service . My wife laughed and said I should have paid a lot less for Transmission service hence here's the breakdown and would like to compare notes with others who had this done at MB

Labor 177.oo
6 Tr Oil 156.00
6 Screws 19.38
Oil Filter 37.38
Gasket 22.10
Ring 3.23
Total 415.09

Battery:
I had the battery replaced with an OEM one 9/13 last year by roadside assistance (MBRACE) who came to my home; replaced only because I felt it was getting very slightly sluggish when starting from cold following six years of use. The new battery was somehow not up to par (OEM battery) paid $330 for it. I remember calling MB roadside assistance again in Feb 14 when car failed to start one morning after sitting in the garage for a week; MB techie said I needed to take it to MB and they would check it for a fee. Screw that I thought. Ended up purchasing a top of the line CTEK charger however the battery would still lose charge if it sat for a more than a couple of days. I mentioned this to the SA today and he said he'd re-replace the battery, even though he saw I had an amp wired to it; the amp was there long before the first battery replacement and to confirm there was no ambient amp draw, I had purchased a Fluke 325 AC/DC clamp meter despite could not detect anything. Let's see how the new battery goes.

beejAMG

prices down here are very different compared to yours but I had my E serviced a couple of months ago, it was a minor service but I had the transmission oil changed and it cost me AU$980. basically engine oil change, oil filter, transmission oil and filter and the works. Now I had my wifes CLK serviced a month ago. its service D, so everything you mentioned above plus coffee and donuts, cost me AU$2600 altogether!

Plutoe

I know this sounds 1940ish, however who wears the pants in your family??

Additionally,I would also go through her closet and maybe make suggestions as to spending less on shoes, dresses and possibly shopping at walmart!!

pinebaron

Quite the opposite...she's a very good wife, I'm the spender in the family. I can still remember the time (long time ago) when I complained to her she wasn't spending enough; those days I had more money than sense.

beejAMG

beemer guy

What does she suggest, that you do it yourself? It's a nasty, messy, unpleasant job if you drop the pan, otherwise you need a suction thingie and... oh heck, I'm not twenty anymore!

Sure, you could have taken it to an independent and they probably would have saved you $100. But this way you got everything done at one place in one day, it looks better for resale should you ever sell it, and presumably they'll stand behind the work.

wjcandee

Wow. For what it's worth, a trip to the Advance Auto Parts on Route 70 W there in Marlton would have gotten you their platinum H8 AGM (group 49) battery installed for free, and it sells for between $160 and $188, depending on the specials that are often run on it, and you can always find a 20 percent off coupon on their web site. There is no material difference between that and the OE battery, except the price. They will also test your existing battery for free with a Midtronics tester, which is the one Mercedes says is the only one to use because it's the only one that gives a reliable reading on AGM battery condition. That can save you some money over your subjective analysis of whether it's cranking sluggishly...money you can use to buy that nice wife of yours some chocolates and roses.

And if you ever want to replace it yourself, this battery is a fine one, and at a hard price to beat from Amazon for $145 with free Prime shipping: Hard for them to keep in stock, but usually back in stock in a day or two. Just today, another company has also started selling the battery when Amazon is out, and they want almost $275 for it. Don't buy it from them. Wait for Amazon to get it back in stock, and buy it for $145 from Amazon. That way you know you're getting an authentic, fresh battery.

FWIW, Mercedes says never to wire a stereo to the battery, because it screws up the BCM's ability to function correctly, regardless of your magic with the Fluke meter. It needs to go in the proper circuit.

The transmission service is a rip-off, but I think it's important to do it at the dealer (and the brake flush if you have SBS brakes, and any flush of the transfer case, because if they end up destroying the transmission or a problem arises in the SBS system, you can argue that it's their fault and they may be able to find a way to get HQ to pay for it). My dealer only charges an hour of labor, at $135/hr, to do the brake flush, but they charge $68 for the Valvoline Professional fluid, which is essentially 2 times $7 retail worth of Valvoline DOT 3/4. They get you coming and going, but it may be insurance in the long run. Not so with the battery...

And for what it's worth, getting an oil change and combo filter change at the dealer is also giving them high-margin work. It's not hard to do both yourself, but even a place like Pep Boys will do a credible job on a Mobil 1 oil change, and you'll be in and out for about $130 (and they, too, often have coupons you can use for specials). The combo filter change is always a high-dollar item for the dealer, because they get you on the labor as well as on the price of the filter. You can get a nice Mann or Hengst one for $15 without charcoal and $25 with charcoal from Amazon. And it's a ten minute DIY job to change.

As to the price of the transmission fluid and parts, FCPEuro sells a kit of those parts, including genuine mercedes parts and Meyle ATF, for $95. So you're getting 100% markup over retail.

ptkacik

I changed my auto tranny fluid myself but doubt I will in the future. I purchased the ATF at the dealer and drained the pan and added the 1.5 quarts back. I did this again two weeks later.

Then two weeks later I drained it and removed the pan and replaced the gasket and filter and it tools five quarts. After buttoning it up I checked the fluid and it was overfull so I had to raise the car and remove the under tray and drain a little out. I then buttoned it up again.

Then I ran out of fluid so I went to the dealer for some more.

Now it was getting hot so I wanted to use the higher temp marks on the dipstick for a good reading but it wasn't hot enough so I put a temp sensor down the fill tube and revved the engine in gear till it got up to 80C and then I topped it up again.

Now it is fine but what a difficult job. Expensive, time consuming, and required a month to accomplish.

Now maybe you see why I say next it wil go to the dealer.
Peter

cetialpha5

How much was the fluid at the dealer? i believe you can also use Shell 134 which you can get from a shell distributor. I called up a local one and they wanted around $60 for a case of 12 quart bottles. Works out to a little over $5 a quart.

Plutoe

I can see a problem with your logic---it's to rational plus you probably have to many issues that take up your time such as family, children, friends, work. non automotive outside activities, well financed and such-----because most Ole salt DIYers tend to be cheap, divorced,on welfare, living SSI to SSI, out of work, no family or friends, in nursing homes----therefore they have loads of time on their hands to piddle away on their baby Benz and trying to save a nickle on fluids, wipes and O rings


I am sorry for your decision!!Look at all the money you saved!!

isstay

DIY transmission flush cost me around 60$ couple of years ago. It was right after Shell start selling 134 ATF, so I was able to get 24 bottles for thirty-some dollars from local distributor plus filter and seal from the dealer. And it was full service using 23 instead of recommended 15 bottles of ATF fluid, not only flush, like yours. It will be more this year since Shell 134 ATF now is in the vicinity of 5-6$, but for 150$ I will be able to get full service.
Brake flush every other year at the dealer cost me 85$.

wjcandee

Wow. Here in NYC, I was thinking that the $200-ish the MB dealer charged me for a brake flush using the Valvoline Professional fluid and machine that hooks up near the calipers so you get a complete flush wasn't an awful deal. But you're right, a dealer where I used to live (Texas) would probably be embarassed to charge me that much.