rjej84

First time MB owner here, and while test driving I asked my sales person about oil changes, and other very small routine maint. He urged against it. Said it wasn't easy. Also said that MB likes to do it all and keep records of everything. Im by no means a car savy kinda person, but something like changing the oil ive never had a problem doing. Also being that I only drive it enough to require 1 oil change a year, I wouldnt necessarily mind bringing it in to the dealer just wanted some opinions...

14MLBT

I asked my salesman the same question but he couldn't answer me. I once changed my own oil on my e92 M3 (A-Spec) when I was in Germany and I lost my warranty. Talk about some ****.

xolinlevh

I've always wondered the same thing. Ive been told i need brake fluid and air filters changed in the next couple months and both changes seem rather simple, not worth the amounts the dealer wants.

rjej84

i was told change oil every 10k or once a year, that what everyone else is told?

paking

Yes, it's in the maintenance booklet.

rjej84

there are so many things i want to be able to do with my new car! I bought it at the busiest time of my life and havnt been able to spend near as much time reading, learning, driving, or cleaning it!! Life is to busy!

GoBlando

Service is the big cash cow for the dealer. They want you to come back and will charge you over $200 for the basic service. Personally, I am on the fence about it. On the one hand, I hate feeling like I am throwing money away. On the other, I consider it insurance in the event something goes wrong with the car they can't claim "improper maintenance".

Mr Snappy

I have 2 benzs, so it can add up in a hurry.

A couple of weeks ago I decided that it was time to get educated and learn how do do Oil changes, Air Filter Changes, and Cabin Filter Changes.

Bizzarely, both my E-350 and GL-450 take the exact same filters for all of that. Bought a supply of MANN filters on Amazon.com, bought a MITYVAC, bought the tool to remove the oil filter cannister. About $100 one time investment in tools and the filters cost about $40 per car. Oil runs about $50 per car.

So, for about $90 per vehicle I am able to change my oil and filters and save about $200 PER VEHICLE from the stealer-ship.

Also, once you learn the "trick" the oil change is one of the easiest I have ever done. Air filters, once you see how its done, takes about 15 minutes total.

If you look at the services that MB says you need, 3/4 of it is complete BS (brake fluid changes every 10-20K...GIVE ME A F'ING BREAK)

I won't knock those who take their cars in for service, must be nice not caring about being ripped off...But it makes me sick.

Not only the cost, but the knowledge that the job was done right and the satisfaction that you can rely on your own skills is a big plus as well

rjej84

My thoughts exactly. You hardly know what service guy might be working on your car. Try to give people the benefit of the doubt but all it takes is someone having a bad day and be in a bad mood and wanna pass it on to someone else.

14MLBT

Does anyone know if it voids the warranty if you perform your own maintenance.

thenew3

Doing your own maintenance doesn't technically void your warranty, however should you have an issue, the dealer could blame your own maintenance for causing it. They would have to prove that whatever you did directly caused the issue.

It could lead to a bunch of headaches should that type of situation come up.

I used to do all my own maintenance. (when you do 50k miles a year in a bmw it gets expensive to have dealer maintain it) but found out the hard way what type of headaches it causes when you have to argue with the dealer and manufacturer that your own maintenance meets their requirements and wasn't the cause of whatever was broken.

I now have dealer do maintenance when the vehicle is under warranty to avoid that headache.

alexunlv

I'll drive it and get it settled in for you. Send it out here to Vegas. =)

Arrie

Just because of the warranty I have all my service done by the dealer during the warranty period. Some of the required service work is also quite complicated to do, like the brake fluid change. It may actually not need to be changed at frequency MB says but if they require it for the warranty then that is what it is. Without changing the fluid you very easily lose the brake system warranty when something goes wrong.

In addition to the scheduled service I change the oil myself at half way between the service schedule, i.e. my car has new oil every 5000 miles. Very easy oil change by sucking it out thru the dip stick hole.

rjej84

I think that's the best way to go. Use the dealership through warranty period. And myself who only will put about 5k miles a year anyway it should be limited.

14MLBT

That's the bad part of it. I can do all of maintenance myself for a fraction of the cost. When I had my 12ML I purchased the prepaid maintenance and only used it once and was about to use the second one when I traded it in for a 14 MLBT. I couldn't transfer the balance to the new ride. You're right, I just have to wait until my warranty is over and then I'll do my own. It just irritate me when they're going to charge me about $700 for the service & supply and I'm a mechanic.

Arrie

But you can still help this. You can ask your service advisor what all is done each time and opt out from it. Like oil change you can do yourself. Just keep the receipts for it as proof it was done. Wiper blades are very easy to do yourself and you can opt out from it.

I think oil change alone runs well over $100 at the dealer, wiper blades are $80 or so.

One thing though is that if you let the dealer do all required warranty service work you will get better treatment for the issues the car has during the warranty period as your relationship with the SA grows.

So the question is if the savings between having all service work done by the dealer against doing it yourself is really worth it?

Dema

Oil change is a simple operation and usually it will be done by some trainee or intern at a dealership. So generally an average Joe can be smarter. Difference only that a dealer has all required tools and parts. I use to do oil change myself when was younger, now I prefer just pay for that. I do oil change after 15k miles. Modern engine do not need frequent oil change although it won't harm either.