pcbrew

Yeah, seems like Mercedes is enforcing uniformity in pricing.
I will probably do the 4/40 PPM while car is under warranty - but demand the Mercedes pricing - hard to believe they had $900 markup.
After it's out of warranty I will probably take it to a third-party for maintenance - there are sure to be lots of specialists in DFW area.

RedwinGV

I've got about 32k on our GLC. I've done the tasks through my local shop. I did do one at my dealer as they sent me some discount... $100 or $150, I don't recall. I kind of understand why MB charges what they do since they do a ton of inspections. And I suppose the time to do them isn't free..I mean time charged for an exotic repair is likely the same rate as for one to look at a belt. With such a new/newer vehicle, I admit that I may be sacrificing missing some inspections along the way. But, I did get one full blown MB service recently and everything checked out. And we checked Brake Fluid, and moisture was fine. So, I see limited, if any, risk with going to a local mechanic.

Now if there is some issue with the vehicle, I'm still under warranty, so I'll go to the dealer for sure. Once I'm out of warranty, if an issue surfaces, it'll depend upon what it might be. Here's hoping I don't have to make that decision. FWIW, I did purchase a package for my Audi and it may have been worth it on one of the visits, but it was a lot less.. like $700 for what I thought was 3 services. Some of the services did more than the oil change.

Victor Sun

@pcbrew I actually plan to get an extended warranty some days later, which means I should do the dealer maintenance forever?...
Or you think extended warranty is not worth it?

Victor Sun

@RedwinGV How much cheaper if you go with local shop? The biggest concern I have is will dealer say my warranty got void cause I am not doing maintenance through dealer?

RedwinGV

Quite a bit less. My oil change is like $100. I'm thinking the MB was like $300. And FWIW, there is little that MB does that would say warranty is void if one has little proof of an inspection. Oil change is fair, but receipts are fine. The rest is inspection, but those inspections are just looking at things.. not like something is measured. Not saying that MB won't battle as I truly have no idea. But if tranny goes, there is no inspection to catch that. Same with suspension issues. Maybe I'm throwing the dice, but it's a bit of a game that I believe, some dealers infer when it's not really a factor. Heck, just think if you changed the oil yourself!

toslat

I am wondering if I am missing something but there doesnt seem to be much (if any) savings going with the prepaid.

Price quotes I have gotten from a few dealers around me is $500-600 for B service and around $300 for A service, while the best quote I have gotten for 3-pack prepaid is $1750 .

Is there something else covered by the prepaid that would justify the higher cost?

Roni07

I was told by the dealer that prepaid saves about 25% for the total 4 year maintenance. I’ve calculated it and it’s about right. I’ve found the sealer to be a little more accommodating and forgiving, I would just drop off the car and tell them I’ve got the prepaid and they went a bit above what they would normally do. Once it expired, started looking at other dealers for better price but at the end my dealer has special discount coupons , $75 off a B service with break fluid change. It was supposed to be $600 , ended up paying $500 with all taxes in. 👍🏻. I’ve seen A services at the other dealer for $100. I’ve always felt more comfortable with the dealer as opposed to other private shops I’ve looked at other brands and yes service is cheaper for cheaper vehicles. As long the vehicle runs fine without any issues , I’m ok paying for A and B service at the dealer

tcsting

So.

the extended warranty and pre paid service question.

are they worth it? Are they a good idea?

for the consumer?
No.

for Mercedes?
yes. lots of yes for Mercedes.

the answer has been no for consumers for as long as the question has been asked.

why?
because Mercedes knows the math is in their favor in terms of length of ownership.

you aren’t keeping the car for more than 3 years. On avg luxury cars are owned less than two years.

It’s a Mercedes, it’s a status symbol. Nothing is more sad then seeing someone driving up in an old luxury car trying to be something they’re not. You want that to be you? Driving around an old Mercedes past it’s prime? Stinky old halogen headlights and 4.2 inch command screen? Really? That was only 2016 you know.

No. that’s not you. You are like me. You need to have the new car. The one the screams money. Not the one that says used hand me down that makes you look— common.

so you can buy extended warranty and prepaid whatever for as many years as makes you feel ok, maybe even because you are a people pleaser and want the finance guy to like you— it’s a waste but then I suppose anything outside a KIA rio is probably a waste in actual transportation need cost when you are actually honest about it.

Daniel6L

I beg to differ. This car costs only a bit more than a loaded Toyota RAV4, Kia Sorrento, Hyundai Sante Fe with the discounts Mercedes hands out and you get better build quality and materials including more use of aluminum versus stamped steel, more powerful engine, 9 speed transmission, power tailgate, better infotainment, LED lighting, and the list goes on. http://www.fjmercedes.com has 80 lightly optioned GLCs in stock and with a 15% discount they're around 38k or less. Yes, the Mercedes logo can be a status symbol but it can also be a value proposition. I definitely didn't buy it to "scream money".

I can't speak for others but the car was only purchased because our other cars wouldn't work as baby carriers and the wife really wanted a 360 camera. We're planning to keep it at least until its warranty ends and if its reliable, for a few years after that as I'm sure others on here are as well. My father ended up keeping his S-Class well past its prime for a total of 10 years. At least it was the model that came with the xenons

High Technology

IF YOU LEASE, the prepaid maintenance is residualized in your lease end buyout. For simplicity, I'll use a 4/40 maintenance which I believe is $1,760. Assuming a 50% residual value (hypothetical, but close for a 42/15 lease), you're end of lease value is increased by ~$880, and your payments reflect the other $880 of the cost. Of course there is some interest, but my experience is that the payments increase increase about $20-25/month for maintenance.

So basically two A services and 2 B services cost you about $900, which is 4 oil changes, 4 sets of wiper blades, 4 tire rotations, 2 sets of air/cabin filter changes and 2 brake flushes -- plus all of the inspections for ~$880.

Even if I did it myself, the oil/wiper parts are $80-100 per service (7 qts. full syn oil, Mercedes filter, Bosch or MB blades), the air/cabin filters are about $40/set and the brake fluid is about $20/change. So I'm about $500 in parts alone, not to mention my time / skinned knuckles / fluid disposal.

Audi and Mercedes give some credit for prepaid maintenance in the residual: Mercedes adds the maintenance cost to the MSRP which gets multiplied by the residual percentage to get the estimated lease end value, where Audi simply adds 1% to residual percentage if you but prepaid maintenance.

TO GET THIS FAVORABLE END OF LEASE BENEFIT YOU MUST BUY THE PREPAID MAINTENANCE WHEN YOU SIGN FOR YOUR LEASE. I've kept it in my "back pocket" for the end of the negotiation, to get it at MSRP in exchange for something else -- like all season mats, get the F&I person to let me just sign the papers and be on my way, etc...

imoumni

Hi everyone,

our 2014 cla250 is due for 60 K service B. The dealers around me are quoting ridiculous prices $900 for service B.
Is it possible to purchase another 3 pack of prepaid maintenance services?

Roni07

-Daylight Robbery. Call other dealerships around.
. Another Dealer I called, could do a B service for $399.
my GLE350 4Matic cost me $500 at the Dealer, with break fluid flush. It’s normally $600 but used a promo $75 off coupon.

ajmtbm

Per the prepaid maintenance brochure, vehicles less than 80k miles and up to 8 model years can buy a 2 or 3 year package. The B is pricey as i think there is a brake flush, and if you go for a 3 years which is B-A-B probably will be up there in price. i have read here that different dealers have different prices so you may want to call around and get more than one quote.

imoumni

I will try to call some of the folks mentioned in this thread. thanks, will report back.

imoumni

I called one of the folks mentioned in this thread, for 3 years prepaid package the quote is $1560. I think I am going to explore indy shops.

cluelessCat

Were you able to confirm whether the 3-pack is almost the same as the 4-pack @1750? I've seen 1750 for a 4-pack and I think 1280 for a 3-pack on mbusa's official site. The 3-pack does not specifically state whether it's A-B-A or B-A-B, but something to the extent of whichever is scheduled to occur next (3/30K). I'm currently at 13 month past purchase with only 3500K miles (Covid is a factor) and I anticipate that the car will have low miles going forward as I will be splitting time between places. I've been quoted the same for 4-pack for $1760. I'd like to have complete records for better resale potential but not sure it's worth it at this price too. I'd be interested to hear what other's have decided as well.

maylin

Just to share the numbers I got today when I brought my 2016 GLC for 50k service. (Actual mileage ~ 32k)
Service A for 50,000K/Year 5 $998
Service B for 60,000K/Year 6 $1800
Service B for 70,000K/Year 7 $410
I also have an option for another 3 years prepaid that will cost $2350.

1_clean_glc

Does anyone know the exact terms (or where I can find it) on when you must purchase the Extended Warranty by? From this thread I understand it still has to be within its warranty window, but does that mean it must be both, [under 4 years old] AND [under 50,000 miles]?

What if its a high-mileage (say 70k miles), 2017 GLC?

Context: I'm looking into purchasing a used 2017 GLC (non CPO) and wondering if the extended warranty is an option if the vehicle is less than 4 years old, but higher than 50,000 miles.

WorkoutGenius

First time MB owner and just bought a 2020 GLC300. I almost purchased a four year prepaid maintenance package (dealer quoted $2,350) on the day of the purchase of the vehicle. I am glad I found this forum and decided not to. I have been searching and reading threads about prepaid maintenance and it appears most people recommended paying first year/10K A service out of pocket and buying a three year package (B-A-B) at a discounted rate (does this have to be purchased before first year service btw?) Dealer quoted first year A service $500-600. Is it really that expensive? If anyone recently purchased a prepaid maintenance package at a competitive rate, could you please share with me the contact info if possible? I am also looking at other options such as servicing the car somewhere else/at a local body shop vs. going to the dealer. If I do that, will that void the manufacturer warranty?

I plan to keep the car for at least 7 years. Dealer suggested extended warranty. But I came across this mechanical breakdown insurance with my car insurance company and think it might be a good alternative. Appears to cover more but cost less (it does have a deductible of $250 for every claim vs. zero deductible with extended warranty). Has anyone heard of MBI or had any good experience with MBI? Is it a better option than purchasing the extended warranty?

rmorin49

Based on personal experience I would be very cautious buying a 3rd party extended warranty. What you are really buying is an insurance policy on the failure of various parts. You need to read the fine print carefully. Many parts are often excluded and you may need to give prior approval before any repairs are authorized. I was burned badly when Warranty Gold went bankrupt as I had their policy on 2 of my cars at the time. The price of extended warranties is highly negotiable and is a real profit center for those dealers that charge full retail. I bought my SL extended warranty from the Mercedes dealer in Louisville, KY based on advice from SL owners on this forum. I saved almost $1000 over what my local dealer quoted. Good luck and Buyer Beware.

Roni07

Your dealer isn’t being honest with you.
A service is $325 apprx
and B is $600 with brake fluid flush. Without it, it’s $100 apprx less. I purchased the Prepaid maintenance , saves you 25%. also purchased the extended 7 year warranty. I wouldn’t mess around with 3rd party warranty, many use refurbished parts etc. Not the same thing as MB. You won’t save anything.

QUOTE=WorkoutGenius;8217381]First time MB owner and just bought a 2020 GLC300. I almost purchased a four year prepaid maintenance package (dealer quoted $2,350) on the day of the purchase of the vehicle. I am glad I found this forum and decided not to. I have been searching and reading threads about prepaid maintenance and it appears most people recommended paying first year/10K A service out of pocket and buying a three year package (B-A-B) at a discounted rate (does this have to be purchased before first year service btw?) Dealer quoted first year A service $500-600. Is it really that expensive? If anyone recently purchased a prepaid maintenance package at a competitive rate, could you please share with me the contact info if possible? I am also looking at other options such as servicing the car somewhere else/at a local body shop vs. going to the dealer. If I do that, will that void the manufacturer warranty?

I plan to keep the car for at least 7 years. Dealer suggested extended warranty. But I came across this mechanical breakdown insurance with my car insurance company and think it might be a good alternative. Appears to cover more but cost less (it does have a deductible of $250 for every claim vs. zero deductible with extended warranty). Has anyone heard of MBI or had any good experience with MBI? Is it a better option than purchasing the extended warranty?[/QUOTE]

akc70

I was able to get the the prepaid 4 year maintenance for $1600. I didn't do the extended warranty because we dont keep a car that long.

WorkoutGenius

Do you mind sharing with me from whom you bought the PPM?

WorkoutGenius

I see. The MBI I mentioned is not really a 3rd party warranty. Here is a link explaining what it is: https://www.geico.com/auto-insurance...own-insurance/

akc70

I purchased the car from Hendrick Mercedes in Charlotte, NC.