sombforum

I am considering purchasing a 2012 E350 but am reluctant to buy any first year vehicle where so many major changes (engine and transmission) have been made. This will be my first Mercedes.
1. What are your experiences with Mercedes reliability and support in previous years when major changes were made?
2. I read a maintenance manual and see required and recommended maintenance. Is it required that Mercedes perform the required maintenance? If Mercedes does not perform the required maintenace does it void the warranty?
3. Any opinions as to the Mercedes pre-paid maintenance plans?
4. I'd like a consensus on the value of a Mercedes extended warranty. I've purchased these plans years ago on other vehicles and usually broke even.
5. For those of you that have ventilated seats, how happy are you with the performance?

threeMBs

See in orange above.

golfster

Actually, starting in mid-year 2011, there are now options available for the E350 seats:

1. Under P1, heated seats is part of the package.
2. As a separate option, heated and active ventilated seats is available, but requires the leather seating package.

This changed during the 2011 production cycle, but unfortunately, after I purchased my car. I noticed two on my dealer's lot recently and the options have now been added to the MBUSA configurator.

RSIKR

3. I have my car serviced at the dealership at least throughout the original warranty period. Before your first year or 10,000 miles of use occurs you should price the "A" "B" and subsequent service. Then decide if you are going to keep the car. Compare the prices with the savings of purchasing a prepaid maintenance plan. You must purchase the plan before 1 year/10K miles occurs. Service at an MB dealer is expensive. With a plan you can get your car serviced at any dealership. I probably get at least 30-40 free car washes at my dealer a year so that easily outweighs service costs.

4. Regarding extended warranties. Buy it just before the original warranty expires IF you intend on keeping the car. MB before 4 years or 48,000 miles. When you purchase your car the F & I manager at the dealer warns you that the extended warranty will cost you more if you wait. It probably will BUT what if the car is a total insurance loss, theft or if you decide to sell it before the original warranty expires. They do not issue refunds for unused extended warranties.

park423

I don't think a "certified" reliable and reputable indy service shop would be significantly cheaper than the MB dealer service. My father started using an indy shop a year or two after the warranty was up and the car went to hell after that. I got about 25% off to buy the 3 year service plan when buying the car, gonna pay that money anyway, complete peace of mind of taking the car to the dealer for service and got 3 services for the price of 2. Not a waste of money. Also, I get a free loaner car or shuttle service and free car wash, don't think an indy shop will do that for you.

El Cid

I recently test drove some cars with ventilated seats and even in 90+ temperatures I was not impressed with them.
I am in my 1st M-B, E350 Luxury sedan, P1 package. Reliability and maintenance kept me out before, but E has very high reliability for years, even by Consumer Reports standards. Have only 9,000 miles, but had car for about 18 months and a lot of really short trips. No problems with anything.
While reading the manual, I was surprised at how many times statements came up that not having the car maintained to M-B service center (dealership) standards and with parts to M-B standards could void the warranty. Dealer will service mine until warranty expires or longer.
Actually all of my vehicles have almost always been serviced by dealerships. The few times I went to independent, I ended up regretting it.
To be honest, one reason I purchased a 2010 was because the engine and drivetrain had not been significantly changed. Of course, I do not get the torque or mpg that the 2012 is supposed to get, but neither is a big issue for me.
I got the 3 year pre-paid maintenance plan and will probably break even IF the dealer does not go up on prices or M-B does not raise price of parts.

BenzMan369

It's my understanding purchasing one of the pre-paid plans "locks in" your scheduled maintenance costs at a small discount and inflation-proofs you. You shouldn't have to pay anything additional for routine scheduled maintenance for the duration of the contract.

I'm considering it for my new one and will double check on that.

RSIKR

Correct, the price is locked in. The price for the services vary by dealer and with the pre-paid plans you save money now and never pay more for the length of the plan. It is inflation proof. Compare the current prices for the services and the price of the plan.

K-A

Weren't heated seats always a part of P1?

golfster

Yes, it was part of P1. My wording was unclear. In addition, we now have the option of selecting heated and ventilated seats, but it requires leather. Heated only is still part of P1 and does not require leather.

BenzMan369

Thank you for the confirmation.

El Cid

Clarification. The pre-paid price is locked in. What I meant was that pre-paid price and paying for A,B,C services individually over three years could end up being the same. But by pre-paying, my costs will be less even if dealer raises service prices or M-B raises parts prices. Supposedly, the pre-paid price is lower than paying per service.

BenzMan369

Understood.

Here you go:
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/servic...nance/src-4050

It's the old "the more you spend, the more you save routine." Up to -30% at today's service prices for the longest contract, which I assume is 5 years.

Guess you have to compute what else you could be doing with that money in the interim, unless you build the cost into your lease or financing. Also how long you will keep the car. I don't know if there are any rebates for unused service or a rollover credit to a new vehicle.

Worth looking into, IMO.

Apologies to OP if this is not of interest.

bbking

I want to buy a mercedes and am looking at either an s 63 or the new cls 63 s version. I would welcome any comments.