airlaird

Hi gentlemen. I have been lurking for about 2 months and I am contemplating getting a E350/E550 sedan. I currently have an Escalade and a FJ cruiser so I am confused about the dealer "pre buy" of service/maintenance you can buy when you buy a new MB.
This being a German car please forgive my ignorance about these vehicles.
If I understand correctly, a NEW MB comes with the 4/50000 warranty...but during ownership you have to take it in for required maintenance?? Is this correct? Do other manufacturers have required dealer maintenance (other than the obvious oil change). I guess I am not understanding why there is a 10,000 mile, 20,000 mile maintanance schedule??
Glad to be here!
airlaird
Dallas, Texas

ImInPA

You are not required to have any car sold in the US serviced by the dealership. You do have to keep records that clearly show all of the required maintenance is performed. Now, if the you get a vehicle that has MB service included, then, you do need to use an authorized MB service department.

220S

Not only do you not have to take it to a dealership, but you really don't have to do any maintenance if you don't want to... although you can void the warranty that way.

Most German/Euro cars have prescribed maintenance, and yes it's really just an oil change but there are other things that need attending to such as brake fluid flushes, etc.. These are not Japanese cars that tend to have zero maintenance (except an oil drain and fill) while under warranty.

As was already mentioned you can DIY or use an Indy for the maintenance and still remain under warranty. Just keep the records.

dips009

I think its worth it especially if you plan on leasing, I leased my e350 last week and my monthly payment went up by $8/month. So, on a 33month lease, i'll pay $264 for 3 scheduled services.

B4 the Benz, i had a TL and used to get a synthetic oil change every 4 months at the cost of $55. With the benz, i'll get the synthetic oil, all other fluids checked and filled by Benz. There were also couple of other things besides fluids that they do as well.

Cant beat it unless you are DIYer, obviously i am not.

airlaird

Wow my first post with 143 views...and three responses...glad I wasn't stranded in the middle of nowhere ..;-) Seriously, Thankyou for the responses. I guess just don't get this service maintenance interval. No one else does it.....is the MB a highly technical, finely tuned, finicky car? Is this maintenance expected every 10,000 miles?
Thanks again
airlaird

rhampar

MB like any car needs maintenance every yr or 10k miles. 1st yr as many have said is pretty much an oil and filter change, lubing areas as needed, new wipers, checking and adjusting belts / other drive components, tire depth, brake pads, etc, etc. The 2nd yr ~20k mi, MB does recommend, brake fluid flush, cabin air filters changed, a few other things, as well as everything done during 1st yr service. Yr 3 is same as 1st yr service. Depending on where you live I've heard servicing is approximately priced as follows.

Yr 1 - $200 - $250
Yr 2 - $550 - $650
Yr 3 - $200 - $250

If you do lease or buy you may want to negotiate a price for 3yr pre-paid maintenance as it works out in your favor and saves you $150 - $200 over the 3 services.

RNBRAD

MB would like you to think it's technical, finely tuned, finicky car and that no one else should do maintenance on these things other than them. I know the local pitstop owner so I take my 211 to him. In and out in 10 mins flat. Try that at your local MB dealer, lol. I'll take my 212 there as soon as I use up my 3 free oil changes. No way and I paying MB's price for service plus have to drive 50 miles. Now for equipment repair, i'll take it to MB.

park423

No one else does it??? Ummm, yes they do...

airlaird

Ummm...no... no one else does it..and charges you..
airlaird

K-A

No one else tells requires maintenance? Wtf? Lol.

M-B only requires it ever 10K Miles or so, which is great. The only issue here is the cost, which still doesn't have to be too painful, if you're smart and shop around, considering it's only done once a year or so.

220S

Since you own a Cadillac, I'll use it as an example. Cadillac just started their Cadillac's Premium Care Maintenance Program that covers scheduled maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles. It's "free" meaning the GM bean counters figured a way to cover for it in the MSRP price of the car. BMW does the same thing in the US. So does Volvo (as an incentive to get Volvos selling again here in the US.) Many other marques do not have "free" maintenance. And I don't know of any "free" maintenance cars sold in the ROW. This hyped concern about maintenance cost is really a USA thing. Ownership in Europe is different, the cars cost more to buy and the owners make an effort to take care of their cars. It's a different mindset.

All marques have a scheduled maintenance program. With modern cars, those intervals have dropped with an oil change and inspection being the primary maintenance items.

Certainly you can figure all this out yourself without asking here. I just downloaded the Cadillac owner's manual and the Escalade uses an oil monitoring system like MB's previous FSS. Along with the oil change are various inspections done by the dealer. If you look at MB's scheduled maintenance you'll see that they have stopped using FSS and have gone to a 10k oil drain. Those 10k schedules include inspections. Compare the two (Cadillac and MB) and you'll see they are basically the same services. The only difference is that it's now "free" with Cadillac.

Again all brands have some sort of service intervals. Some marques stretch the OCIs (although if you're going to keep the car for a while, I'd change the oil at least every 10k.) BMW has stretched it to 13k now (saves them money since their maintenance is also "free.") All brands have similar inspections, too. Yes, cars are relatively maintenance free these days put they still have mechanical parts and fluids are not eternally lasting.

You asked in your original post: "Do other manufacturers have required dealer maintenance (other than the obvious oil change)" But then you implied a 10k service interval that is paid out of pocket is only unique to MB. And when someone said that's not the case, you replied to them with "Ummm...no... no one else does it..and charges you.."

So you appear to know the answer already. Yet you insist on playing dumb. Why are you asking the question in the first place? And yep, that was a rhetorical question on my part. And on purpose.

p.s, and you're a new member, so what's up with this sarcasm? Do you see others as your servants?

park423

220S - not worth your effort