NorseWagon

It has probably been asked several times before but a quick search fell flat..
I don't drive much, 3-4k a year, hence services come in September,
Last year was a B service, FREE as the previous owner had pre-paid for MB mainteance.
The previous A service was done at the BMW dealer where I bought the Wagon 2021.
The car only has 15k miles, but the MB dealer said last year they did a 40,000 mile B Service because
the average car in the US goes 15k per year, rather than 15k in 4 years.
Whatever. happy the 40k service was free last year.
Shortly my 55,000 mile A service will be coming up, probably oil and filter only, expecting $200-$250 in Florida, is that close?
Thx

The G Man

I drive 3 to 4k miles a year as well, I go by time instead of mileage for maintenance. Fluids and rubber tend to degrade with time as well as usage. At this point, you should be looking at possibly a tranny fluid change, differential fluids, coolants, battery, air filters, brake fluids or spark plugs. Below is the maintenance schedule.

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

Povitica3

Curious, why you doing a 40,000 mile B service with only 15K miles on the odo? And why you are planning for the 55K mile A service next when your car mileage is ~4X LESS usage? Am I missing something here? As an example, my 2020 just passed the 18K mile mark, and the next service (Mercedes Me app) says due in another 2,400 miles. Oil & filter change plus tire rotations are about all I plan to do, regardless of whatever MB dealer tells me when the next service is due (around Oct 2023 based on my monthly driving).

ps: I have a 2013 SLK roadster which has over 100K miles, and the car drives like brand new... (my second SLK roadster) hence I have history and experience with MBs and don't subscribe to the "sky is falling" crap from MB dealers or the so-called MB service advisory... its mostly about making $$ for the dealership and not about the health of your car.

ua549

My '18 E300 will be 6 years old in 2 weeks. It has 22k miles on the odometer. I currently drive about 2k miles per year. My cost is exorbitant at $2.25 per mile. Half of that is insurance.

A Service cost in August 2022 was $179 excluding taxes and addons. However, there are always services and parts that are not part of the A Service but are performed along side of it. The bottom line with fees and taxes (Federal, State and County) in Clearwater, Florida was $249.

B Service cost in August 2021 was about $350. I'm due for a B Service in August 2023. It will most likely top $400.

I schedule maintenance according to the calendar (once per year), not mileage.

NorseWagon

I guess you may be missing something here:
Let me try again..(Not being snarky, I just didn't explain it good enough)
If low miles MB calls for service once a year.
The last A service was around 6,700 miles, fall 2021.
A year later, September 2022 a B service was due, maybe 11-12,000 miles.
The MB Dealer, NOT me, called it a 40K service because the car was 3 years old then.
(Typical average milage 15k, X 3 = 45k miles)
This coming September I will be due for an A Service due to YEARs, not milage, I anticipate
the MD dealer will call it a 60K service, or 55k since the last one counted as 40k..
I am not making this up..

So, how much is the A Service?

I also go by time, not by miles, as explained above.
You are right, it maybe more than oil and filters, but I thought A was the little stuff and B was more involved.
I have more investigations to do, not just oil and filter, but the 60k items if they indeed use 15k miles per year regardless how many miles driven.

NorseWagon

Good post, thanks.
I never looked at $$ per mile, maybe I shouldn't..

($1,400 per insurance and average 20 mpg and 3k miles annually, no maintenance since I bought the Wagon. No payments and it should be $0.67 per mile?)
I did buy new Michelins recently and a spare/tools package a few months ago, $1,200 + $500 = $1,700 divided in 10 years, $170 per year, $0.056 per mile on top of the above $0.67?
Not an accountant for sure, numbers may be goofed up, but running coast ain't too bad right now.
(My previous boat cost me $18k per year in operating expenses and use was 125 hours annually = $144 per hour, average speed 10 mph, uh, $14.4 per mile, but it was also pure pleasure, just like the MB Wagon.)

ygmn

but what did they do at this "40k" service that was above and beyond a B Service?

A service is @ odd 1ok multiples and B is the evens.
so A = 10, 30, 50K etc.
B = 20, 40, 60k etc.
Difference between 2 is B has a bit more stuff done like: brake fluid flush and cabin filter and if lucky air filter but your cars service/maintenance manual covers all that.

NorseWagon

3 windshield wipers come to mind, but I have to dig into the files for the paperwork to see everything.
I remember they did air and cabin filters, and that I paid extra for tire rotation and balance.
(I have since replaced the RF tires with Michelins including life-time rotation and balance with Discount
​​​​​​​Tires, no more $85 MB dealer rotations)

hyperion667

NorseWagon

This is the the "40k Service" last year, done at 11k miles..



​​​​​​​

NorseWagon

Looked at the Service and Maintenance manuals today, nothing about additional items for the A service as the car gets older.
(Nothing on coolant, tranny fluid, plugs, etc, probably need a detailed MB maintenance manual to figure it out)
Talked to my local Indy shop, $133.00 for the A service, no mention of additional items, same with the MD dealer, but $325 for the basic A service.
Guess I answered my question, those are the going rates for 2023.

The G Man

I would go by this maintenance schedule: For example, replace spark plugs every 5 years.

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

NorseWagon

Yup, that is a good one, just what I was looking for..

Driving around town today I noticed a "hard" downshift in auto, is that normal, or an indication of future problems?

ua549

I posted one here a few years ago for the 2018 E class. They look similar.

The G Man

I also get jerky shifting once a while, there are just too many gears.

NorseWagon

Yup, I saw it while searching around.


Makes sense.
Previous car had a 10 speed auto box, can't remember it shifted hard, but different animal, F-150 truck with a 3.5 turbo engine and max towing package.

Looking at the Service Sheet I got from The G Man today I am due for a 50,000 mile A service with change of spark plugs. (At 16,000 miles)
It makes no sense, but since I have extended warranty I may be required to go by the official MB Service Schedule.
Need a discussion with the SA on that one, modern plugs can last as much as 100k miles.

cetialpha5

Yeah but Mercedes uses a multi spark ignition system which fires up to 5 times per cycle so you're getting 5 times as much wear as one that only fires once. Also the standard answer for not waiting 10 years is that they don't want the spark plugs to be rusted in at that point no matter if the plugs themselves are worn out or not.

NorseWagon

True, I did read about the multi-spark ignition today while searching around on Google, just didn't put 2+2 together, like wearing out plugs faster..

JTK44

The A service is basically nothing more than an oil change and filter. My Indy shop charged me $150 - basically the same as what you were charged. With coupons from my local dealer the "A" service is now about $225, up from $199 last year.

The B service is the "A" service plus brake fluid change and cabin filters.

IMO, cabin filters are mileage not time sensitive: If you drive only 4,000 miles per year, do you need to change them every 8,000 miles (every two years), I think not. More appropriate would be every 20,000 miles, regardless of time. Filters only get dirty by driving, not by sitting in your garage.

Tire rotation I think everyone will agree is mileage not time.

Wiper blades: I change mine as needed which is usually every 10,000 miles which for me is about every 15 months. I do it myself.

Brake fluid: this is tricky: A great many cars do not require brake fluid change and many only recommend it every 40,000 miles, not every two years regardless of mileage. I believe the Germans recommend changing more often because of the high speeds on the AutoBahn where the fluid can be heated and boil. Frequent rapid deceleration from high speeds can cause brake fluid to boil. Generally in the US this is an uncommon situation. Like cabin filters, I change brake fluid on mileage, not time. Brake fluid does not go bad.

FWIW, on my tractor and whole house generator, oil change and filter is by hours of use not every 12 months. Most equipment have a hour meter and service is every "so many hours" not once a year.

Just my $.02.

JTK44

I believe spark plugs are every 50,000 miles, not every 5 years - at least that is what my owners manual says.

This makes sense to me: spark plugs like tires and brakes are "wear items". If you only drive 4,000 miles a year, I can see no reason to change plugs every 20,000 miles - which would be 5 years.

JTK44

Like you I have an extended warranty.

I do not intend to change my plugs until 50,000 miles. I am not concerned with the extended warranty as my manual states spark plugs at 50,000 miles.

Spark plugs, like tires and brakes are wear and tear items not time - not time. (same for cabin filters: mileage not time)

BTW, I now have 35,000 miles on my car and by the time the extended warranty runs out will have less than 50,000 miles, so I do not intend to change the plugs, which can cost me over $700 - I have the E450, 6 Cylinder.

My extended warranty cost me $2200, so I see no sense in changing plugs ($700 plus) before 50,000 miles.

The G Man

The maintenance schedule from Mercedes USA is mileage or time based, it is whichever one come first. As someone posted, if you try to change a spark plug after 10 years, it might be seized in there and it will turn into a much bigger job. Anything rubber or lubricants will degrade over time even it sits in your garage, so it should be time based, not mileage, unless one exceeds 10,000 miles a year. I drive low mileage as well and I take that into consideration when doing maintenance at the dealer. I try to use my best judgement and sometimes push off some of the maintenance that I think should be mileage based but I would never solely based maintenance intervals based just on mileage.

JTK44

I have worked on engines my entire life. Seizing of plugs is so rare - not a concern of mine and certainly not after 5 years or 20,000 miles.

The dealers would have you believe that it is either time or mileage whichever comes first: They make money on service. What else would you expect?

As I posted, tires (check for dry rot). brakes, cabin filters, wipers, plugs among many others are wear items not time items.

Modern belts fall into the same category: mileage not time:

Having said that, belts, filters, plugs should be replaced, but every five years is not necessary.

Not to be snarky, but I try to use common sense when it comes to service: If Mercedes says spark plugs every 50K miles, then that is what I am going to do: ditto for cabin filters, belts, etc.

The one exception is oil: with time oil can go bad and not changing the oil for example every 5 years if you drive 2,500 miles per, 10,000 miles, is too long. But the other items clearly wear items, mileage not time should govern.

Just my opinion and doing maintenance more frequently cannot hurt - except in your pocket book and if the mechanic screws up - remember the post where they did not put the oil cap back on and the car caught fire!

I do not think that doing maintenance on a time basis is "better safe than sorry": It is just unnecessary and expensive and no added value.

The G Man

Driving 2000 to 3000 miles a year and using just mileage to perform maintenance is not recommended by the manufacturer. Based on 2000 miles a year, the first spark plug change would be in 50000 miles and in 25 years.
Some maintenance can be performed at home if you are a mechanic or if you are good mechanically and have the time to do it. Unfortunately, I am not retired yet and my work keeps me pretty busy. When I was younger, I used to work on my own car but those days of working on cars are pretty much over, I just found better ways to spend my time.
Maintenance wise, as an engineer myself, I would have to refer to the Mercedes engineer’s maintenance schedule. It is a good idea to have a certified Mercedes mechanic look over everything in my car every 12 months since this is not something I would normally do. Remember, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

JTK44

Definition of a Shelf Job:

When I worked in a garage many years ago, customers would come in for oil change, filter and inspections: We did the oil change and filter and then parked the car on the side under a shelf. We then told the customer that the inspections were being done and the car would be ready in 30 minutes.

Here is a fact: the person changing your oil and filter is not a Certified Mercedes Mechanic. He or she does not do inspections. He or she changes oil and the filter. If you believe that after the oil and filter change the car is returned to a Certified Mercedes Mechanic to do inspections - well it was not done in the past and doubt it is done now.

Further, my dealer offers oil change and filter while you wait in under an hour, 15 minutes longer if you want your car washed: It is not possible to change the oil and filter and then return the car to a Certified Mercedes Mechanic for inspections in under an hour. The dealer is admitting that no inspections are done.

see: https://www.rallyemotors.com/service/express-service/

and

see: https://www.rallyemotors.com/service/express-service/