E/W214: First "Official" Service Questions
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 481
Likes: 155
From: DFW Texas
GL450, E450, Porsche 718 GTS
Anytime you grossly overpay, you must justify the cost, otherwise you have to admit "you have been taken".
$320 for an oil change, no matter how you cut it, is crazy: Oil at $6 a quart is at most $50 and the filter at most is $25: The balance of $245 is the pick up and loaner. As I posted my dealer does the "A" service as an express service, under one hour, about $200 while you wait. My Indy shop for $160 - also under an
hour.
If you know anything about horses then you know that a horse needs both oats and hay: that is why they are put out to pasture to graze.
For $320, did the dealer at least wash and detail your car?
$320 for an oil change, no matter how you cut it, is crazy: Oil at $6 a quart is at most $50 and the filter at most is $25: The balance of $245 is the pick up and loaner. As I posted my dealer does the "A" service as an express service, under one hour, about $200 while you wait. My Indy shop for $160 - also under an
hour.
If you know anything about horses then you know that a horse needs both oats and hay: that is why they are put out to pasture to graze.
For $320, did the dealer at least wash and detail your car?
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 3,048
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From: Long Island, NY
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
No. Mobil 1
see: https://www.costco.com/s?dept=All&keyword=Mobil+1+oil
and
see: https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Mobil+1
Last edited by JTK44; Apr 3, 2025 at 10:19 AM.
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 76
Likes: 19
From: Cape Coral FL
2025 E 350
Apologies if this was covered above, but I have a close friend who's a euro car "gear head" and regardless of MB's first service recommendation at one year or 10K miles, all the newer cars now with turbos should, at a minimum, have the oil dropped at 5K miles, then later again to the manufacturer's suggested full diagnostic service at 10K miles.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 905
From: Long Island, NY
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Apologies if this was covered above, but I have a close friend who's a euro car "gear head" and regardless of MB's first service recommendation at one year or 10K miles, all the newer cars now with turbos should, at a minimum, have the oil dropped at 5K miles, then later again to the manufacturer's suggested full diagnostic service at 10K miles.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
Almost all cars today use some sort of Turbo boost - including domestic and Asian. To the best of my knowledge, none of these cars recommend an early oil change.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with accelerating the oil change intervals. The only downside is the extra expense. Personally I follow the manufacturer's suggestion and waited until 10K for the first oil change.
Hope this helps
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 665
From: Tennessee
W214 E450
Apologies if this was covered above, but I have a close friend who's a euro car "gear head" and regardless of MB's first service recommendation at one year or 10K miles, all the newer cars now with turbos should, at a minimum, have the oil dropped at 5K miles, then later again to the manufacturer's suggested full diagnostic service at 10K miles.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
Thoughts on that, please?
Thanks.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 905
From: Long Island, NY
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
I completely agree which is why I changed my oil at 700 miles and again at 5K. The 10K oil change interval is not in the best interest of a consumer that wants to keep their car a long time. The car just has to last to the end of a 3 or 5 year warranty and most engines will easily do that while changing oil every 10K. I keep my cars a long time and want it to last 15 years or more.
Of course there is no way to prove or disprove your theory other than changing the oil every 10K miles instead of 5K and waiting 15/20 years until you have 150K miles on your engine. (I average 8K miles per year so to get to 150K miles will take almost 20 years)
Years ago, without synthetic oil, we changed our oil every 2,000/2,500. Engine tolerances were not great, economy was 13/15 mpg on the open road, engines were not efficient and the oil at 2,000 miles was black. Engines tolerances were so bad, between oil changes it was common to add a quart! Those days are long gone and modern engines require far less maintenance than engines of even 15/20 years ago. Engines run far cleaner and oil last a lot longer and needs to be changed far less frequently.
Last edited by JTK44; Apr 4, 2025 at 01:14 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2022
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Likes: 352
X214
I personally do an A-Service, every 5K miles, but add an Engine Air Filter change to it, even though they don’t ask for that.
At the 10K intervals, I go with the A-Service or the B-service, whatever is called for, with the Engine air-filter and the Cabin-air filter added in, even if the Service does not call for it.
Some folks may consider that a waste of money, and I certainly accept that may be the case.
PS: I over-maintain my cars and thus this is just my personal preference to do it this way. My prior ML320 (purchased new) was functioning like a Swiss watch, at 240K miles, when I donated it, with no problems whatsoever, other than changing wear-and-tear items during the period of ownership……and of course the shortened interval maintenance.
At the 10K intervals, I go with the A-Service or the B-service, whatever is called for, with the Engine air-filter and the Cabin-air filter added in, even if the Service does not call for it.
Some folks may consider that a waste of money, and I certainly accept that may be the case.
PS: I over-maintain my cars and thus this is just my personal preference to do it this way. My prior ML320 (purchased new) was functioning like a Swiss watch, at 240K miles, when I donated it, with no problems whatsoever, other than changing wear-and-tear items during the period of ownership……and of course the shortened interval maintenance.
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 32,222
Likes: 6,281
I personally do an A-Service, every 5K miles, but add an Engine Air Filter change to it, even though they don’t ask for that.
At the 10K intervals, I go with the A-Service or the B-service, whatever is called for, with the Engine air-filter and the Cabin-air filter added in, even if the Service does not call for it.
Some folks may consider that a waste of money, and I certainly accept that may be the case.
PS: I over-maintain my cars and thus this is just my personal preference to do it this way. My prior ML320 (purchased new) was functioning like a Swiss watch, at 240K miles, when I donated it, with no problems whatsoever, other than changing wear-and-tear items during the period of ownership……and of course the shortened interval maintenance.
At the 10K intervals, I go with the A-Service or the B-service, whatever is called for, with the Engine air-filter and the Cabin-air filter added in, even if the Service does not call for it.
Some folks may consider that a waste of money, and I certainly accept that may be the case.
PS: I over-maintain my cars and thus this is just my personal preference to do it this way. My prior ML320 (purchased new) was functioning like a Swiss watch, at 240K miles, when I donated it, with no problems whatsoever, other than changing wear-and-tear items during the period of ownership……and of course the shortened interval maintenance.
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Joined: Oct 2022
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X214
During the air intake process, if the filter is clogged, the efficiency of power generation goes down, and the engine is literally choking (a bit of an exaggeration, of course).
Even if the filter appears clean, the pores are all clogged with microscopic dirt particles, not readily visible to the human eye, but is still reducing the efficiency of the engine and consequently, compromising the power generation.
Similarly, if you wait till the engine air filter is visibly dirty, then the engine probably had been struggling along for months.
So I use changing the Engine Air Filter as a cheap way to help the engine breathe better. Happy engine, happy owner !
Last edited by Roweraay; Apr 4, 2025 at 04:40 PM.
MBWorld God!
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 32,222
Likes: 6,281
As we all know, in an internal combustion engine, the entire mode of operation is reliant on the Air and the Fuel mixture, which leads to the power generation.
During the air intake process, if the filter is clogged, the efficiency of power generation goes down, and the engine is literally choking (a bit of an exaggeration, of course).
Even if the filter appears clean, the pores are all clogged with microscopic dirt particles, not readily visible to the human eye, but is still reducing the efficiency of the engine and consequently, compromising the power generation.
Similarly, if you wait till the engine air filter is visibly dirty, then the engine probably had been struggling along for months.
So I use changing the Engine Air Filter as a cheap way to help the engine breathe better. Happy engine, happy owner !
During the air intake process, if the filter is clogged, the efficiency of power generation goes down, and the engine is literally choking (a bit of an exaggeration, of course).
Even if the filter appears clean, the pores are all clogged with microscopic dirt particles, not readily visible to the human eye, but is still reducing the efficiency of the engine and consequently, compromising the power generation.
Similarly, if you wait till the engine air filter is visibly dirty, then the engine probably had been struggling along for months.
So I use changing the Engine Air Filter as a cheap way to help the engine breathe better. Happy engine, happy owner !
