red00lght

Took the vehicle in for its' first service since I've bought it used at 19k miles. It now has 23k miles on it. They said it needed the "b" service--though the cluster was saying it needed the "c" service. The original owner had all the servicing done at that dealer so I figured I might as well get it out of the way.

Well, they charged $742 to do the B service, balance 4 tires (no rotation needed), fuel inj service, and replace the air filter. Am I crazy or is that WAY too expensive? Next time I think I'll take it to a local German auto shop. No wonder everyone is buying the BMW's with the maintenance plan included!

sosh

Sounds a bit high. Let us know what was done as this could be the answer. There is no C service, only A and B. The C stands for additional items on that particular service that are due because of mileage or calender time. Perhaps the first owner never had some of the items done before trading and you got stuck with them. My B service cost $435.00. Not everyone is buying BMW's for the free maint and if you believe its free I can tell you otherwise. You pay for it in the price of the car. Even if you figure the cost per mile of yoyr service its only about 6 cents per mile, pretty reasonable.

mtrandpm

I think they charge me a little over $500. It is amazing! Mercedes, Mer****ty. lol

paulybagadonuts

That is a little high but as sosh says it depends on what they did.

I was quoted $475 for the basic B service in NY and thought that was a bit much but now I don't feel so bad.

I'm looking for an Indie in my area and would definetely suggest it to anyone whos warranty is up.

If you can find a good Mechanic who can be trusted, that is definetely the way to go IMO.

You have no idea who's working on your car at the dealer but you know they're charging top $$$.

uhaveit

Dealers in Atlanta area all charge below 400 for B-service
visit atlantaclassiccars.com for B service details and pricing

sosh

No you don't know who is working on your car but you can be assured that they have been thru the initial and on going training programs by MB. You can also be aware that they have access to all the latest info and DTB's, etc. In addition you can be assured that they have the correct tools and equipment to service your vehicle. Do not believe that I am aware of any independent that suscribes to all the items that MB dealers are required to suscribe to and practice. Mechanics like any other group are not created equal but the overall standard at a dealership in my estimation is higher than any independent.The only thing that indy's are at an advantage is pricing but cheaper is not better in every situation.

AR.Shah

Welcome aboard, MB workshops are expensive all over the world. BMW do not offer free service here and they're generally known for ripping off people with expensive carparts and stupid service prices.

MB workshop:
Service A including oilfilter and oil costs $564

Service B (also know as the BIG service) including, airfilter, fuelfilter, oilfilter, oil and the interior ventilation carbon filter costs about $900

All four Brakespads and gearbox service including filter and oil will cost an additional $980.

All prices are including 25% VAT.

paulybagadonuts

I guess I should also disclose that my initial visit to the MB service department where I purchased my car was quite disheartening as they tried sticking a USED steering wheel in my car as a replacement for a 3 month old defective wheel which was under warrenty.

When I questioned the SA about it he swore it was "right out of the box" but when I insisted he take a closer look he finally admitted it was a mistake.

I had to go back for a second visit to get the NEW wheel installed as they should have done in the first place but I would rather not go back there to have my car serviced in the future. I have yet to get my A service performed but I'm afraid I can't trust these guys.

I've never prefered dealerships for service in the first place but felt Mercedes must be a step above the typical car dealers.

Unfortunately I was extremely disapointed to find out they are NOT.

roughyear

that's why people refer to them as $tealers!!!!!

sosh

Not all dealerships are created equal. You apparently have one thats not so good. Mine is excellent. Sure over the 11 years I have been doing business with them there have been a few issues but they always have been resolved quickly to my satisfaction in a way that I was not inconvienced. There is actually another dealership thats much closer to my home That I would not set foot in from my own and friends past experience. If you want to see the worlds worst service buy a Cadillac. I did in the early 90's and have never had a worst auto experience. I try to rely on dealerships as the added cost means nothing to me and its quite small. I do feel they know the product better, have the latest info and do the best job. I also feel that even though the hourly rate is higher than an indy the end result bottom line is better with better sevice. I have an excellent SA, they give me loaners, they pick up and deliver at my home or office, the car comes back clean. and they stand behind any mistakes with no discussion. Remember MB and all mfgers set MINIMUM standards dealer service. Its only human nature that some try to skate by while others pride themselves on providing the best. I resent when here some are called "stealers" The people that do that have never owned a business or had to make payroll each week. They are only on the receiving end.

paulybagadonuts

Yes, I agree it's a shame that a few bad apples can give the bunch a bad name, but unfortunately, that is true.

You can only imagine my disappointment and discouragement when I realized what they were trying to 'Pull" on me.

I didn’t want to believe it. At first I gave the SA the benefit of the doubt. "This must be a mistake, how can this happen"? I said to myself. But when the guy started swearing how it was 'Brand New" and then made up some BS story about how it got mixed up with a part that was on its way to Germany, my heart sank and I knew this guy was like any other greedy trickster... just looking out to get over with little regard for me, my car, or his integrity.

This is my first Mercedes and I feel privaledged to own one. Maybe I'm a bit naive but I expected a step above my prior experiences with car dealers at a Mercedes dealership.

Truthfully, before I felt angry about this guy taking me for a sucker, I actually felt hurt and betrayed. It seems he was not only disrespecting me but the whole Mercedes name and the level of integrity and excellence I imagine the company stands for.

I want to believe the dealership is where the most qualified and experienced people are, who love the brand and will treat my car with the level of respect and integrity it deserves, but I am quite disheartened by my first experience.

The other thing that bothered me was the lack of remorse or ownership they took with the whole situation. Yes they finally put a brand new steering wheel on the car (4 weeks later) as they should have done in the first place and yes I believe the SA did tell me he was sorry but, it was just too “matter of fact” and "oh well". They really don't care and I am sorry for that.

What’s more; How can I trust them to continue?

How do I know, if they do an A service they will change the oil filter with a new fleece filter, and drain the engine of all 8 quarts instead of taking another short cut? I'm sure I wasn't the first customer they made a "mistake" with nor will I be the last. I just don't want to be the next!

I know they would probably do the right thing the next time but, I will always wonder, and I don't like that feeling.

I also know all dealers aren't the same but which ones are good????

It's like Russian Roulette!!

I've done a few posts asking for a reputable dealer in the area and for some reason have gotten absolutely "0" NO REPLIES!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

red00lght

OK....to be fair...here is the breakdown of that service visit:
Balance 4 tires...$70
Shop disposal B.S. fees...$26
Fuel inj service....$56
Air filter..........$103
B service.........$439
Tax...$49


So, after reading through all the posts, it sounds like my actual B service was in line (though still ridiculously expensive). For comparison, my wife's 07 Toyota Rav4 with a 275hp V6 that runs on regular gas had a whopping $29 service visit!!! $29!!! I know you can't compare Merc and Toyota, but they will probably both last just as long and it just makes me a little sick.

I think in the future I'll have any fuel inj service done elsewhere, put in my own damn air filters, and take the vehicle to a tire shop for balance/rotation.

Thanks for letting me vent a little!!

sosh

Well, to their credit they eventually did correct your steering wheel problem. Perhaps what your SA said was what he believed to be correct. Personally I would give them another chance and watch them closely to monitor their actions. Maybe the problem or part of the problem is that the SA does not know how to properly communicate and express himself. However I am not familar with dealers in your area but reading these forums I have never seen anything but bad posted. However with your vehicle under warranty and the fact that you want to keep it current with DTB's etc I would go to a dealer not an indy. The cost considering that its NY does not seem out of line. As we all know NY is an expensive place to live and to do business.

sosh

Actually all the charges look to be in line and not excessive except that the disposal fee seemed a bit high but I do not know what the enviormental regs are in Florida. Did you authorize the tire balance and fuel injection service?? Should not have required them at that low mileage or, for that matter perhaps the air filter also. Re the comparison to your other vehicle, Its my contention that the bottom line would not be too much different if you had done to that vehicle what was done to the MB. Your comparison is apples to oranges. Perhaps their labor rate is a tad less and the parts cost is a tad less.

paulybagadonuts

Hey red sorry to hijack your thread there for a while.

I guess with all the other stuff they did that price isn't really out of line.

I do beleive they should have discussed it with you before proceeding but the numbers sound about right.

Welcome to MB ownership.

Thanks for sharing.

chilledbenz

Welcome to MB servicing...my B service was $457....which is a good reason not to keep a Benz longer than 50k miles..cause once that warranty is up...you don't want to know what servicing and parts cost if it costs that much to change the oil and some filters.

For the guy claiming BMW service is included in the price....so what if it is? You can easily get a BMW cheaper than a Benz(depending on model)...and then your getting free servicing...so whats the harm in that? I will say that when I had my BMW the free servicing was nice, but they always didn't want to do everything they were supposed to do....like replace windshield wipers...rotate tires...I had to get on them and then they would be like..oh we forgot we will get right on it.

On another note...when I got my ML in the fall of 05 (its an 06) they had just done away with their free servicing and when I told them that BMW still did it..their line was "oh they will stop at the end of the year theres no way a company can do that, they lose too much money"...hmm three years later BMW still offering free servicing..Audi dropped the free servicing but offers an excellent extended warranty that covers all oil changes up to 4 years or 50k for an additional $500...thats a steal. Lincoln is still offering free servicing and in my area believe it or not Chrysler is offering the same on their whole line up.

That all said...I still like Mercedes Benz and their products...so you go with what you like and take the bad with the good. Plus my service department has never done me wrong and are quite frankly is the best service department I've ever experienced.

m1kefries

You might even want to consider trying a different service advisor at the same dealership. People are people anywhere you go and some of them get it and some don't.

We went thorough 3 SA's with my wife's car until we got a good one. When I finally bought my own ML they assigned me to a different SA and I thought I would just go with to see how it would turn out. Poorly is the best way I can describe it right from the start. It didn't take more than one or two visits and I went to the service manager and got switched to the SA that I use for my wife's and now my car. She is fantastic and I couldn't be happier.

Take the time to go in and, for lack of a better term, interview the service advisers. You'll find one you like and can relate too, but if you can't then I suppose it is time to find another dealer and another service department.

Good Luck!

ohlord

your manual is the procedure for calling up the items that are time and mile based in addition to the regular a and b services.Find a good indie shop if you don't DIY do it yourself

NO one yet has stated the reason BMW is the only co. offering the freeservice anymore......no one would buy the crap they are putting out without such service.They build it into the cost of the car so that all the customers that have cars spending literally more time in the shop than on the road say"oh well at least I get free oil changes"
This is the word I get from friends in Germany and others stateside who work for BMW.

mtrandpm

This is my first time with Mercedes. I was expecting GREAT quality and GREAT service. But, that ideology of a Mercedes does not hold for me now. You can't really teach a person on how to work with customers if they don't have it in them. The plant that builds the MLs is in Alabama and are those technicians really care? I even sent in my evaluation/thoughts, but they never follow up with me. One less person (like me) does not change the people at the top of the chain there. I tell my close friends and family not to get a Mercedes. I will go back to Japanese cars now, such as Lexus, Acura, Infinity, Toyota, Honda, etc... Oh well. Business practice now is not what it was used to be. I have my own business and I make my "customers" feel good; we will try to work to the best of our ability to resolve their issue, not just ignoring them. PEACE!

red00lght

Wow...lots of BMW haters on here! LOL! I don't own a BMW because they aren't comfortable for me at 6'7" like Mercedes are and I don't care for the Bangle-designs...but they are a competitor of Mercedes and I've had several friends switch to BMW solely over the maintenance plan issue. I think Mercedes needs to get back in line with the competition.

Guess I had some sticker service shock. My past Benzes all had the service included (2003-2004) and I got spoiled!!

AWFAXIS

I live in Lake Tahoe California, and MB of Reno NV is our dealer. Just got this price list in an email.

"A" Service (For C-Class, E-Class, R-Class, ML, CLK, SLK) - $179.00 (Plus tax)
"B" Service (For C-Class, E-Class, R-Class, ML, CLK, SLK) - $299.00 (Plus tax)

(Additional services may be required depending on vehicle age, mileage and model. Your Service Advisor will be happy to check our service file to determine your exact needs.)

Dave

GregW / Oregon

Understand your frustration--maybe you should have gotten an X5 with 4 years free maintenance. I own both an M-B and a BMW, so I'm not that partial, but that is a nice perk on BMWs that many don't realize is worth quite a bit.

360º

mercedes benz is full of BS none of that stuff even needs to be done that often. its just another way to take your money

bigben320e

Those prices are actually nuts. Not to say that most MB shops charge that much, but the cost of the services is.

Balance 4 tires...$70 Too much, could get it done less than $50.
Shop disposal B.S. fees...$26 B.S. but what can you do.
Fuel inj service....$56 OK
Air filter..........$103 B.S. Get the filters and do it yourself for less than $60. I do mine in less than 30 minutes flat.
B service.........$439 Too much, my B service was around $325.
Tax...$49 OK I guess...

dante&david

I did the third service, C, full engine oil change, oil filter, air-condition filter, 1 small lamp infront left, windscreen wipes new, diesel filter, all that total 320 Euro payed. Around 410 $, in Thessaloniki Greece.