Oda112

Gents, check this out.

cetialpha5

I was referring to the AmazonBasics oil. They have no 229.5 approval although they come in 5w40 and 0w40 weights and say European on it.

Usually Amazonbasics is decent compared to brand names, but in this case it's worse, no factory approvals. Means they're too cheap to pay for it or they haven't gotten it yet.

mellonc

I'm convinced. I'll use it and save some money even if some people think that a Mercedes drivers should spend more money than Camry drivers. In fact I think I'll use this oil in my other cars too.

I like paying good money for good service. But not obscene money and on service and products that are equal or only marginally better to what I can get elsewhere. Somehow the Mercedes built up a brand image to the "sheeple" that they need to be paid more. I guess the douche bag crowd pays premium money for the Karddashin perfume too. https://kkwfragrance.com/ Oh wait, since I can't afford the Kardashian perfumes I should just get a deodorant instead.......... LOL

cetialpha5

That's a completely different spec of oil on the 10w30 vs the normal 0w40 which is speced for European cars. What's true of one spec doesn't mean it's true for another. Plus it doesn't have 229.5 approval. Wait til Mobil does their $12 rebate, it will be cheaper than Amazonbasics and it will have 229.5 approval. That normally starts in March which is tomorrow. That is a no brainer.

Oda112

It's true that MB has very high prices but at the same time I can see why. Those fancy Stealerships which are 90% glass and use space age materials must be expensive to erect and maintain. This in turn attracts a certain crowd. This crowd doesn't mind spending a lot of money on things they perceive as valuable (MB marketing does a very good job with that). Any company worth it's salt will be more than happy to oblige such demands, if anything, they'll encourage it.
There's a good side to this though: for the most part that extra cash goes into designing relatively well engineered vehicles. And after the above crowd finish their leases and depreciation wacks them hard we, the regular people, are left with the option of buying a decent vehicle at a reasonable price. For the most part.
At this point in my life I would not buy a new MB just because of the depreciation aspect.
Going back to the oil conversation, I know a lot of people here live by the 229.5 spec, there's nothing wrong with that. It is a slightly one sided view IMO. Keep in mind that the M1 0w40 has the MB, VW and a few other specs, so it's not specifically concocted for MB. At the end of the day all you care about is lubrication of your engine, it shouldn't matter what the name on the package is. I do believe after seeing that video that the Amazon oil will do just as well as the Mobil if not better.
I've come to realize that when it comes to oil most people here get very sensitive, it's a bit funny actually. I wish they were this passionate about other things like Vediamo and Xentry, I'd be able to learn about it quicker )
Lastly, there's one category of owners I don't care for: those who like to shun members when they complain about some parts/service costs and then proceed to tell them they shouldn't be owners of MB vehicles if they can't afford it. IMO they missed the point of the conversation and might want to revise their condescending tone. The question is not "how much can one spend on maintenance parts" but " how much should one spend on maintenance parts". As long as product quality is similar, defending one product over another just because of it's brand is slightly snobbish. Buy what works for you. And if you have the money and it makes you feel better, by all means, go for the premium/most expensive product even if it's only for bragging rights.
Having said all of this, personally I'll be buying Mobil1. It's 22$ at Wally World and despite my Amazon Prime subscription, it's still more convenient to buy it the good old fashioned way.
PS. I thought the Kardhashian was a form of cancer. You're telling me it's a perfume brand now?

cetialpha5

Sorry, I'm an engineer. I read specs. If the manufacturer specs something, I think you should be fine if you use the spec the manufacturer calls for. You should have a good reason to go off spec. You need a good apples to apples comparison. That video only applies to one weight, normally if you're testing things, you test them all. The conclusion only applies to that one tested. Otherwise it'd be like cars, if you get a good review on one car, does that mean all the cars a manufacturer makes is good? The logic is a little faulty that's all, but I guess maybe that's just the engineer in me. Don't even get me started on over sized wheels with tires that have no sidewall.

Anyway, glad you're sticking with Mobil. Don't even get me started on Castrol 0w40 which has BMW LL-01 approval where Mobil 1 0w40 doesn't. But they both have 229.5 and Castrol hardly ever goes on sale so as previously mentioned, whatever is cheaper and meet spec is good.

TeeEl

Not to mention personal concierge, personal service adviser, loaner car, etc. etc. The perks don't end at the eye candy.

I can't speak for others but I personally don't give two ****s if I sound condescending. If you complain because the cost of maintaining a Mercedes is higher than a Camry or Civic, you're simply a fool. If you find a way to maintain and service it via more cost effective methods (local reputable indy mechanic like many of us) then more power to you. I don't go to the dealership, but I also don't complain about their cost or use trite labels like "stealership". They're not stealing a damn thing. They're not walking up to you and taking your money, or your car. If you choose to go there, you choose to pay their fees... that's on you, not them.

Oda112

I don't think anyone in this thread complained that an MB vehicle is more expensive to maintain than a Civic or Camry. Sadly, some tried to steer it in that direction though. I guess it gives some people a chance to ride the high horse.
The indy method doesn't always work, there are certain parts ( key fob, TCU conductor plate and a few others) which MB doesn't sell to indys, so you're stuck with them on that. They definitely overprice stuff, not because of production costs but because they can get away with it (just like Apple). It's all a game of intrinsic vs perceived value and they trained some of their "sheeple-tronics" so well that they yell murder every time someone points at some hurtful realities. For the most part I like MB ( at least their design and engineering departments) but I will never turn a blind eye to their business practices when it comes to Stealerships. People have the right to be upset when they get charged 400$ for a key fob which can't cost more than 150$ to produce (I've looked inside one of them, parts cost no more than 100$ and the rest is R&D amortization) especially when they're stuck with no other option.
I guess you're right, they're not technically stealing, we just get to pay extra for the right to look at the 3 pointed star on the hood. I also think it's wrong to tell people they shouldn't own an MB just because they considered using Amazon oil. From the looks of it it's just as good as M1 (at least for the 5w40 weight). I'm glad you're thick-skinned and don't care what others think, it's a good trait to have on the internet.

kajtek1

I wonder how many owners go to straight to the dealer becouse they are too lazy to shop around.
I had Ox sensor failure, but having 2 identical sensors on newly acquired car, it was confusing which one is it and then those cars require SCN coding.
So I order new sensor at Husker for $250, put it in the trunk and drove to the dealer. When technician called me back that I need new sensor for $390, I told him to take one from the trunk.
Saved $140 in few keyboard strokes.

Oda112

Fun fact, I actually used the Catrol in my N42b20 engine long after BMW dumped Castrol. Nothing blew up, the engine is still going strong after more than 50k miles on the Castrol. I'm glad I didn't post it on the forums, I would have probably ended up being yelled at and told I need to start driving a Wartburg since I can't afford the correct oil for my car.

TeeEl

I'm always fascinated by people who feel that victim-hood provides some sort of defacto moral victory. Sure, I'm on my high-horse. You win. Feel better about it?

Yup! Very true. So that takes us back to, it's your choice (the public "your", not you specifically) whether or not to get one. If you do then you get all of the overpriced stuff that goes with it. And yes, while I DESPISE Apple their overpriced products tend to also generally be "better" than most. Whether you want to pay 3x the price for only 10% the performance increase... again, your choice.

kajtek1

Heck, what happen to Trabant?

Oda112

My dad owned of those. I remember there was a lot of push starting involved. The exhaust smell and note were special though. No one complained about using the correct oil on those, ever ) Good ole Trabby!

Oda112

I think you're, again, missing the point. Being told you're on your high horse is not a compliment. I feel disappointed that I couldn't help you understand what the point of this thread was. How exactly are you being constructive here?
Do you feel better when you tell people they're too poor to afford MB vehicles because they won't buy the overpriced parts/services which are acceptable to you ?
If you have any insight regarding the quality of the oil the OP posted about please share. Otherwise you're polluting the thread with your one sided thinking. The general discussion forum might be better suited for your mindset.

Darel

I dunno...have you seen what Trabbies are going for these days? MBs might be cheaper.

And to contribute to this thread, yes, you should "have some money" to own a Mercedes, but some of us aren't born into money and got it by not spending it foolishly...so there's nothing wrong with asking questions about generic products vs. just blindly buying the name brand.

BTW, I don't have any money. My wife just really liked the car, and I really like my wife, and I can spin a mean wrench.....

BubaE350

Just changed the oil at my local MB dealer. Under $190.00...

Oda112

Didn't know they're hot nowadays. Can you imagine being rich enough to afford a Mercedes but not quite rich enough to afford a Trabant?
If you were somehow able to travel back to the 80s and tell that to a regular person living in the eastern bloc they'd think you'd had too much schnaps/rackija ) And then they'd report you to the political police for being a materialist capitalist swine.

Darel

Hipsters love irony.

BubaE350

Never did I mention anything about price on my original post. I asked about quality or if anyone had any experience with Amazon Basics motor oil. Price is a personal matter. "Who am I to judge", Commie Pope Francis. LOL... There are many MB owners that are getting ripped off on simple maintenance and repairs, that would normally cost much less on other vehicles . Would you be pissed if you found out you were ripped off? I would! MB's are no more difficult or simple to maintain and repair than other vehicles out there, but not everyone out there is mechanically inclined to do their own work. That's understood and dealers and repair shops thrive on that. Who's to say that Amazon Basics doesn't meet or exceed MB's 229.5 oil or Mobil 1 oil? Stop with the cost, that's not what I asked about. Scotty on the video made a good point, like him or not, crazy or not, the guy was a general mechanic and makes a good point. He's probably forgotten more about maintenance on cars than most of us will ever know. Would MB know the difference whether what oil you were using? I say NOT! MB has done a great job of marketing and creating a bunch of sheep out there that will never question anything they tell you. Why not? As for me, I will continue to change the oil at the local MB dealer, but not because it's better oil, but because they keep records (CarFax) and hopefully it will retain more value at the time for resale or trade in. BTW, my neighbors just found that his beautiful 2003(?) E500 sedan, garaged kept, meticulously maintained and repaired by the local MB dealer, with less that 75,000 mile is now worth less than $4,000. At the end of the day he'll keep it and just came to the realization that his car is worth the same as any other car, it just took a little longer to devaluate. He was pissed!

rustybear3

It is after all a 16 year old car. I wouldn't expect it to be worth more than that, regardless of mileage or service records. Holding onto cars expecting them to not lose massive value is sheer lunacy these days. People want new or nearly new ( a few years old) and the prices reflect that to an extent. People may pay a few more bucks for a used car with better service records than others, but not that much to make a difference.

jonUF02

I would agree with this statement for general cars, but there are always special cars of limited production and high cool factor that will eventually appreciate if well kept and not driven a million miles. AMG models fit this category, but an E500, nah. I think really nice E55s will start going up very soon. They have been holding steady for a while.

kajtek1

E55 in W210 body sell dirt cheap. Originally they cost $15,000 or 30% more than the same car with diesel engine. Now comparable 20 yo diesel sells for 3x more.

Oda112

I doubt the aforementioned crowd possesses the cognitive capacity or emotional depth to grasp such irony.

I agree with what you said but I don't think maintaining your car at MB will have a significant influence on the resale price. At best you can get a 5 to 10% higher price compared to a similar, non MB maintained vehicle. When you factor in the overall expenses you might realize you would have been better off by just changing the oil yourself. As these cars get older, unless they're sought after models with low mileage, they'll experience the same depreciation curve regardless of options or even maintenance records.
I change the oil on mine every 5 to 7000 miles not because I'm hoping to increase it's resale value, but for peace of mind and increased reliability. I've actually never considered selling any of the cars I bought. All of them ended up being gifted to family members. I couldn't bare wasting the emotional and financial investments I made with those cars.

jonUF02

W210 E55 is a dog compared to the W211. The diesels have a certain purpose, so it just proves there is always those special models. I drove my W208 daily for 4 years and sold it for $2000 less than I paid, which was a premium when I bought it because it was so nice. Sold for more than double the "book" value. I was always afraid of wrecking it because I knew insurance would pay peanuts compared to the real market value. If you keep it nice and it looks tastefully special someone will appreciate it.

Sunnyslope48

I purchased a 5 qt jug of the Amazon Basic 5W-20 for my 2004 Buick and did an oil change. What I noticed immediately was how much quieter the engine was. The Amazon Basic oil is spec'd as the full synthetic oil for most of newest GM cars, and certainly sufficient for the 2004 Buick. I woulldn't use it for an almost new Mercedes, but for older models, and considering driving conditions, might be just fine.