adamt12

Hi, don't know if i should post here or the warranty forum,
If i purchase a prepaid maintenance for an A service and a B service, is there any cap on what is covered?
I am due for transmission fluid change, and a independent service place quoted me over 850 for it, plus over 200 for the cabin filter,
If i purchase a service B prepaid, will it cover anything that is due at the time?
thanks in advance

The G Man

Transmission fluid change is considered required additional work which cost more. Below is the maintenance schedule;

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...edule-19-e.pdf

cetialpha5

The best thing about the maintenance package is that it will include items like the transmission fluid change and the spark plug change so the best deal is to buy the package when you have B A B due instead of just A B A. Normally if you have a service B due, then the transmission fluid or spark plug will be an additional charge. Those packages also expire too so don't wait too long to use them. You can check the extended warranty subforum and check with the MB vendors there that sell extended warranties. There's not much of a mark up on them, but some dealers charge over list price so it might be cheaper depending on what your local dealer does.

The G Man

The packages are not the same price, it depends on when you buy it and what service is coming up.

JTK44

Neither the change in transmission fluid or spark plugs is covered under either the "A" or "B" service.

When you check out the "A" service it is basically an oil and filter change. The "B" service is the "A" service plus brake fluid change and filter change.

cetialpha5

Right, they're not covered under the regular service but if you buy the pre-paid maintenance package which is what I was talking about, they are covered when they do the service.

The G Man

they are covered at an extra cost. In other words, buying a 3 year maintenance plan for a 2 year old cpo Mercedes will cost more than a 3 year plan on a brand new car.

cetialpha5

That's probably up to the dealer. It's cheaper to buy the pre-paid maintenance if you're leasing the car, they roll the cost of the plan into MSRP and you only pay around 50-60% of MRSP so even though you use up the entire plan, when you turn the car in it's built into the residual. It probably doesn't make sense to buy the pre-paid maintenance plan if you just have a 2-3 year old car as it probably won't be due for a transmission fluid change/spark plugs until later so you won't get the extra benefit of the fluid change or plugs rolled into the pre-paid maintenance plan. Those pre-paid plans also go up as time goes on and dealers can also mark up the costs of the plans so that it's more than list price.

JTK44

In fact when I leased I put the pre-paid two year, 20,000 mile maintenance plan into the lease and the cost of the plan was residualized: than means that if the residual was 58%, which it was on my lease, I only paid 42% of the cost of the PPM.
My lease was for 3 years, 30,000 miles.

I have now bought my car off of lease: it has 29,000 miles and is scheduled for the "A" service at 30,000 miles, the "B: service at 40,000 miles and the "A" once again at 50,000 miles plus spark plugs and air filter.

I could be wrong, but I do not believe the PPM covers either the replacement of the spark plugs or the air filter.

cetialpha5

Well everything keeps changing these days, but the pre-paid maintenance package covered all the services that were due at the time including transmission fluid or spark plugs. If you just bought Service B, then transmission fluid or plugs weren't included in the service B pricing. It's how they sell the packages. Worth it if you're due for B A B, but not for A B A as the pricing is the same on the pre-paid maintenance package. And even more worth it if you're due for fluids or plugs. Or you can just go to an indy mechanic, usually they're cheaper than any pre-paid package.

JTK44

When I bought PPM, I had the choice of 2, 3 or 4 years, up to 40,000 miles.

What price were you quoted for a PPM that includes the spark plug and air filter change at 50,000 miles?

If the price is right it might make sense for me to buy it as well, as I now own my 2019 E450.

cetialpha5

Unless they've changed it again, the PPM always included the transmission and plugs, just depended on when they were due. You just have to buy them strategically so you can buy them so that they cover both the transmission and plugs. You have to use them in order, you can't save them for later. You could always buy a 2, 3 or 4 services in advance, I think the limit was at 80k when they didn't offer it anymore. If the plugs are every 50k, then you might be able to buy a 3 or 4 pack at 60 or 70k to cover the one at 100k.

JTK44

I believe the PPM was at every 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first. So a four year PPM would be 40,000 miles or four years, which ever comes first. I do not believe there is any PPM beyond 4 years.

Remember the warranty is 4 years or 50,000 miles: again whichever comes first. So a PPM that ends at 4 years or 40,000 miles makes sense.


Spark plug, transmission and air filter are at 50,000 not 40,000 miles: they would not be covered by a 4 year/40,000 PPM - their replacement is after the end of the PPM

Have you actually found a PPM that covers spark plugs, transmission and air filter and if so, the price?

Thanks.

cetialpha5

You can buy the PPM from the Mercedes dealer up to 80k. The vendors in the extended warranty subforum also sell it but don't discount it much but then some MB dealers mark up the packages so it might make sense to check with them on the price.

JTK44

What price were you quoted for a PPM for 80,000 miles? Is there a time limit, i.e., 8 years or less for example?

adamt12

OK, only issue is i had a long drive planned and took my 2017e300 in to an independent garage and he changed the oil and reset the B7 service due light.
He did quote me for transmission oil, cabin air filter and wipers for over 1100, mind you this is a german car, non dealer place,not a mercedes dealer( 851 just for transmission service)
If i pre purchase now, even if B 7 service light is off, will mercedes dealer still perform B7 service including tranmission fluid if i purchase b, a, b prepaid maintenance?

The G Man

When you buy the extended service package at the dealer. They will look up what extra require service you need on top of the A and B services, such as plugs or tranny fluid, and price the package accordingly. Nothing is free in life, when I calculate the pre-paid vs msrp for the schedule services last year, the discount was about 20%, I could generally cover that 20% with coupons therefore I decline the service package.

cetialpha5

It's usually a fixed price for the package no matter what the mileage. So that's why it's worth it if plugs or transmission fluid is due. Your dealer may be marking them up above list price, but you can go to any dealer with the pre-paid package which is why you should check with the vendors in the extended warranty subforum which don't mark them up.

JTK44

Multiple requests and help for the rest of us: There is some question about the price: Some like the G Man says that the extra cost of replacement of spark plugs, air filter and transmission fluid are built into the price: You indicate otherwise - that the PPM is the same whether you car has zero miles and will need only the A service at 10K miles, the B service at 20K miles and the A service at 30K miles and taking it 45K miles where the A service plus spark plug change and air filter at 50K miles.

To settle this once and for all can you please post what you were quoted for PPM with and without the spark plug, air cabin filter and transmission fluid change.

This would help all of us.

Many thanks in advance.

The G Man

do you really think the dealer will provide you with free plug service and tranny fluid service worth around $2000 based on when you buy the plan? Is there a loophole that big in a big cooperation like Mercedes who is famous for attention to details. If you buy a 3 year maintenance plan on a Mercedes that is 3 years old, the same plan would cost twice as much on a brand new Mercedes, same model. The services are labeled A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3……..the dealer knows exactly what year and what services are covered in the plan.

cetialpha5

Call up the dealer and ask. I'm only reporting what's been going on for a long while. I'm still amazed they let you roll in the package into the MSRP.

JTK44

Is there a problem in you setting forth the different prices on PPM depending on whether it includes the spark plugs, transmission and air filter?

The G Man

when I was buying my Mercedes last year, I looked at a 2 year old CPO vs ordering a new one and the finance manager told me that the prepaid maintenance plans are priced different depending on the services covered under the plans.
Why would they not let you roll the Maintenance plan into your lease, its the same as rolling iit into a loan. Residualizing the pre-paid maintenance plan means your service plan is longer than your lease, maybe buy a shorter plan.

cetialpha5

You buy a 2 service pack and if it's rolled into the MSRP and you have a 50% residual, it means you only paid 50% for the pre-paid maintenance instead of the entire amount. But when you turn in the car at the end of the lease, you would have used up the entire package but you only paid 50%. If you roll it into the loan, you pay the full amount. You're thinking they roll the package into the monthly payment, but when they roll it into the MSRP, you're only paying a percentage due to the residual, not the full amount.

JTK44

Clearly it would not make sense to buy a PPM for longer than your lease: you would be pre paying for services that under the terms of the lease you would never use.

My lease was for 3 years, 10K per year, 30K miles total: I took the 2 year PPM and put the cost in the lease. With my residual of 58%, I only paid 42% of the cost of the PPM. The PPM covered the "A" service at 1 year, 10K miles and the "B" service at 2 years, 20K miles. I would return the car before the A service at 30,000 miles. My net cost of the PPM covering both the A and B service was around $560: this is cheaper than paying for the A and B service at the dealership even with coupons. As my car was under warranty, I wanted both services done at the dealership rather than an independent: this way anything that was wrong or any problems would be covered under the warranty.

I have asked cetialpha5 repeatedly to set forth what the PPM costs including the spark plug, air filter and transmission change: He has failed to do so. Personally I do not think the PPM covers these costs.

My conclusion is similar to yours: The PPM covers the A and B service: nothing more: PPM can be for 2, 3 or 4 years: 20K, 30k or 40K miles All PPM would expire before the spark plug, air cabin or transmission fluid change which occur at 50,000 miles and 60,000 miles.:

Just my $.02.