Teufel

I saw a huge two page BMW advertising in the "Road and Track" regarding BMW's ownership cost. It claimed there are no costs for routine maintenance for FOUR years for every new BMW! It included pretty much everything, routine services, bulbs, belts, brake pads and rotors... I looked up my C36 maintenance cost for the first four years an it was around C$5,500! And I don't have X-non lights or any other fancy new high maintenance tech stuff. I know C$5,500 is not enough for me to give up on a SLK55 but it sure would be nice if MB offered free routine maintenance for FOUR years! MB will lose a lot of costumers to BMW in the base C Class, base M Class and possibly the base E Class model (their bread and butter!). So, I hope MB reps are watching this site closely and will do the right thing: Match their archrival offer!

saturnstyl

Too many customers were not clear on exactly what was covered under the maintenance commitment. It created dissatisfied customers. They expected everything to be covered and it was not. Unhappy customers means bad surveys. That coupled with the weakness of the dollar compared to the euro meant mercedes had to cut something in order to not raise the price of the car again. So they eliminated the free services. Now you can get your car serviced whenever you want, no more waiting for the FSS indicator to read a certain remaining distance before warranty will cover it etc.... You just have to pay for service yourself. I like the idea, warranty pay for service work was getting worse and worse. It makes a tech have to half *** service a car so he can make a living, instead of taking his time and doing it right, as he is paid to do it that way now.

GDawgC220

MB did offer free scheduled maintenance starting in 2000 or 2001 i believe for 4 years/50k miles...just not wear and tear items (pads, rotors, blades, etc) but services A and B were free. They ran the program for about 4 years and decided to cut it for 2005.

I think BMW started about the same time as well...

mleskovar

"It makes a tech have to half *** service a car so he can make a living"...I agree. But then again, nothing is 'free'. It's a good idea gone bad to increase the revenue.

tuscanraider

So instead of competing with BMW, and INCREASING their warranty coverage, they cut it all together? Just an example of how poorly MB is run now. My 1st MB will be the last, I'm most certainly jumping to BMW or Audi next; too bad because MB styling is the best, but build quality and service is about on par with Chevy and Ford......

ldangeli

Funny you say that. I have my MB with service intervals included, and it really doesn't cover a whole lot. I have my 04' S4, with service intervals and they even cover the brakes up to 25k miles. Now I have the Cayenne, and I knew getting into that, that service intervals are not covered. But it's a Porsche, so I understand.

I have asked this question over and over. Why cut services when your competition is not only adding them, but beating you up with them?

Teufel

I totally agree with you. It is BS reason!

What build quality and service! MB sucks in that department big time! I am talking from experience. I have a 1996 C36, my father had a 600 SEL and the 320 SEL? (before 1990), my mother had a 600SL and all our friends have or used to have MB's. My parents and most of our friends have stopped buying MB's because of horrible quality/service.

MB is well below the industry average on the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). MB is 28th on that list from a total of 37! BMW is 13th on that list and well above the industry average and that is why BMW can offer free routine service maintenance and most of the wear and tear stuff.

Having said all that I will still buy the SLK55 because my stupid heart says so! And so do thousands of people in Vancouver. I swear you see four times more MB’s in this town than you see BMW’s! I wish one day Lexus could build something close to a MB minus their quality/service!

Teufel

BMW is covering the brake pads and rotors for four years or 50,000 miles! In fact the only thing they are not covering is the gas and tires!

ultraseven

Expect to cut around 1500 dollars on your next purchase, because that's approximately what the average service interval over 4 years should equate.

For those of you whose free maintenace has expired, how much is the bill for a service A or a service B, per se?

Expensive service -> next car = Acura/Infiniti/Lexus. Just because it's German doesn't mean it has to be expensive, considering they have outsourced parts manufacturing to other countries.

GDawgC220

from the dealership, 'A' service (minor) is usually between $150-$200.

'B' service (major) can be anywhere from $250-$400.

At my independent MB dealer, 'A' service is $100ish and 'B' is about $200.

ldangeli

But at 12k miles my CLK needed new pads, 500.00, then at 20k they said it needed new rotors, and you can't replace the rotors without the pads, 1500k. That was within 2 years. Not to mention if I have to pay for service. 3 year expectancy 5k in cost without payments.

Kar don

just got my wipers changed for free on my BMW under the maintenance program

revstriker

I don't think it's BS, I think it was a business decision. Knowing that it would cost them some sales, they probably compared they're net sales loss with the cost of providing service. If the net of the lost sales (profit) was less than the cost of doing the services, it was the correct business decision to make.

Although I like having free maintenance on my car, that alone will not prevent me from purchasing another MB.

Also, you also have the option to get your car serviced at an non-MB service station for a lot less.

taylor192

If you needed new pads and rotors you're driving the crap out of your car. I'm over 60K kms and still on the first set.

Canadian MB warrantees cover pads and rotors up to 40K kms. Thats a great marketing tool as I always cite this when explaining MB warrantees to people who ask why I bought a MB, yet the average driver will never take advantage of it as pads/rotors last much longer.
So BMW can advertize 25K miles for pads/rotors, yet unlike you, most will never use that warrantee coverage. I think its smart to take it out, it discourages people from driving like idiots ruining their brakes and dumping the cost onto the dealer.

There is no free service in Canada, Service A costs $180, Service B $350, for a total of $1590 (CND) for 6 services over 4 years (90K kms in 4 years). That's more than reasonable considering a domestic car changing the oil every 5K kms @ $40/visit woud be $720, nevermind other maintenance costs.

ldangeli

Really, you think.. According the dealer, in NJ, that mileage is about average for pads, and the same for rotors on a CLK. I almost hit the floor when he told me that.

Teufel

Yes, it could be because he is driving the crap out of his car but it could also be the location/area he drives, ie steep hills!

Canadian MB warantees cover only pads for 40K OR 2 years!

BMW covers rotors and the pads for four years OR 50,000 miles!

Just because there are idiots out there doesn't mean...

ps I used to live in Ottawa.

Teufel

You made my point! It is like insurance, you could use it big time!
My C36 first four years cost was around C$5,500. But it could have been much higher!

Teufel

That alone will not prevent me from purchasing another brand neither. But that is not the point. I am just saying I really really like what BMW is offering. We all love free stuff! How much are rotors and pads (front and back) for the SLK55? A lot!



It was a business decision. You are right because it costs a lot to maintain a MB!

EddieGTP

20,000 miles or so seems to be the figure for brakes. For me, at 22,000 miles the dealer said that new pads and rotors were required ($750.00 or so)... Off to my local trustworthy mechanic and he said the pads needed changing, but change the rotors on my next trip... 300.00 or so.


Would you buy a used Mercedes? Hmm. I wonder if someone buys a new Mercedes; believes it to be indestructable, doesn't do any maintainenance to it, until necessary, then trades it in 4 years later...

ldangeli

Definitely not driving this car harder than any other, and as a matter of fact, somewhere on this forum was a post specifically asking why the brakes on the CLK went so fast.

Hills? C'mon now, really.. Hills? Are you kidding? I am on the east coast for F's Sake, HILLS....

taylor192

The BMW 50K miles brake warranty is new, it used to be 25K miles, which would be less than the average life of most pads/rotors.

If he lives somewhere with steep hills, the warranty is a great plus, my point was that for the majority the warranty is useless, just another gimic to 'think' we're getting more for our $$$. Many accept this 'gimic' and aren't mad at MB doing away with free maintenance and warantees they never used.

Teufel

Thanks! That is what I get for defending you!

ldangeli

calboy

Are you sure your dealer isn't just ripping you off? based on the remaining pad I had left at 15,000, i estimate my pads to last until 25,000 or more. Of course I only have the 320 engine, but I think you should set up a poll to see how long stock clk pads and rotors really last.