BearFree

This is a real newbie question. I have a SLK55 AMG that I purchased last July. Our winters are pretty bad so I garage it for about 6 months. During that time it is on a trickle charger, the tires are up on a carpet, and I fill the gas tank with an additive adjusted mix.

Now that the good weather has returned, I'm getting a message on the HUD that says it is 30 days past the service interval. Since I am nowhere near the mileage milestone to get service, do I take it in anyway? What is the reason for getting service done on time elapsed rather than on miles driven?
Thanks for your advice!
BearFree

Shinigami

It might be that it tells you this because the SLK has a first mini-service inspection done after a few thousand miles have been driven. It usually doesn't involve anything more then being a courtecy check to find out if all is running fine. Oil is not changed. This mini-inspection interval may very well be short, say 6 months, rather then a year as is normal for the main service intervals (10k miles).

However, if the car asks for a service, you should bring it in. The oil is tested for purity by the sensors, and it could be that if the oil's been sitting around for a while, it might have become a bit thicker down in the bottom of the oil pan. If this is the oil that's being checked, then it could be normal why it detects it as needing to be replaced. 6 months is a little long, but generally acceptable, so the oil should still be good as should be the gas.

Anyway, as they say, the service should be done every 'x number of miles' or 'x number of months', whichever comes first.

fredfromny

The only true time interval IMO opinion is two years. That being for brake fluid. If you are leasing then the one year service may be contractually mandatory.

FishtailnZ

I too purchased my SLK55 last July and stored it over the winter. Put it back on the road in April and it's saying Service "A" is due in about 2k miles (about 10k on the car right now). Car has had no other service since new.