Mercedes Service is Due, Dealer Quoting $495

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Expensive cars typically charge a lot for service. You wanted an expensive car, you got expensive service.

I take my subaru in for service at the dealership for $75.

FWIW, I did lease a MB at one point, but I knew the cost of ownership for such a car was going to be ridiculous, which is why I leased it as a "fun" car only for 3 years.

Agree. We have a Cayenne and the first oil change was nearly $1000. We switched to a dealer farther out, which was less expensive, and now take it to a local mechanic. But it's hard to find people wo will work on Porsches, maybe Mercedes is easier.

Can you please let me know where local mechanic is, I need to take my Cayenne for service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2021 MB GLC 300 with less than 9000 miles is past due for service. The dealer quoted $495 for service that mainly consists of checking levels and changing the oil. My question is where do you take your Mercedes cars for service? I don't mind paying but know there must be other less costly methods of keeping on top of service, with someone who knows this brand. I would appreciate your recommendations. I live in Montgomery County Maryland. TIA

$500 is a standard rate for checking everything, topping up fluids, changing the oil etc.. at a dealership for pretty much any non "value" car. Its trip off, Mercedes is a moon vehicle, I'd take it to your local mechanic but only of they do German cars, Lexus IS a souped up Toyota.

Tell me you’re totally ignorant about cars without actually telling me you’re totally ignorant about cars.



Do you *really* believe there is difference in the requisite skill level to service a Toyota Corolla or a MB S550?

If you think there is, you prove my first sentence 100% correct.

The tools they use are different, car guy.

Really? Are they?

Can you provide an example of this? Because to do an oil change on most cars - including MB’s - involves using a common wrench to remove the oil pan nut, and another common wrench in another size to remove the oil filter housing to replace the filter element. Then a plastic funnel to pour the new oil into the engine.


So what tools are different? My H uses the same set of wrenches to change the oil on our Honda Accord as he does to change the oil on my Q5. Do MB use special nuts and bolts? I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should not be complaining about the Maint cost when you decided to purchase a brand new MB. Why the hell did you not purchase a Toyota? I bet you are complaining about the premium gas also. Not feeling sorry you. BTW, I have four European cars - I always go the dealer because they at least use OEM parts. When spending do much $$ on the initial purchase price not a good idea to go cheap on the service or Maint parts.

I am at an age and stage in life where I don’t drive Toyotas. Thanks though. My first car out of college was a new Toyota and I drove it til the engine locked; the car before this one was a Lexus, the only other one I’ve owned was a Honda Accord which was driven til it wouldn’t drive. The Lexus had 199k miles and had seen it’s life. Was great to me. I am allowed to be smart about where I shop for service. I was smart about the purchase of my Benz. I’m at a stage in my life where I’ve worked hard and I will drive the luxury car I want to drive. I put $20k down on it (because I could) so I bet my car note is less than a Toyota. My partners uninspiring yet very practical 2017 Toyota RAV4 costs more per month than my vehicle. And since you’re so nosey- my 2021 was bought used. Had 322 miles and a previous owner. So, it wasn’t new, nor did I pay new car prices during Covid last spring. No one is complaining here but you PP.

You seem to becoming less wiser with age. Most people I know purchase high end cars when they are younger and then learn via the aging process to settle on more fundamental, reliable, no fuss vehicles such as Toyota or Hondas.

I literally know no one like this. In the old days, you traded up makes as you grew older and more successful - my grandparents went from Chevy to Buick and Ford to Lincoln, respectively. My father (70+) just went up to Cadillac for the first time. At work, senior guys recently went from Jeep Grand Cherokee to Range Rover, Acura to BMW to MB-AMG, or 5 series to 7 series. Young guy just went Jeep to Lincoln. I can't recall a single person in my life who went from driving a luxury vehicle back to a non-luxury one unless the luxury one had been a hand-me-down to start with.

The ones driving Hondas, Toyotas and Subarus have always driven them and treat it like some weird badge of honor to be the guy making 7 figures driving a 10-year-old Accord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should not be complaining about the Maint cost when you decided to purchase a brand new MB. Why the hell did you not purchase a Toyota? I bet you are complaining about the premium gas also. Not feeling sorry you. BTW, I have four European cars - I always go the dealer because they at least use OEM parts. When spending do much $$ on the initial purchase price not a good idea to go cheap on the service or Maint parts.

I am at an age and stage in life where I don’t drive Toyotas. Thanks though. My first car out of college was a new Toyota and I drove it til the engine locked; the car before this one was a Lexus, the only other one I’ve owned was a Honda Accord which was driven til it wouldn’t drive. The Lexus had 199k miles and had seen it’s life. Was great to me. I am allowed to be smart about where I shop for service. I was smart about the purchase of my Benz. I’m at a stage in my life where I’ve worked hard and I will drive the luxury car I want to drive. I put $20k down on it (because I could) so I bet my car note is less than a Toyota. My partners uninspiring yet very practical 2017 Toyota RAV4 costs more per month than my vehicle. And since you’re so nosey- my 2021 was bought used. Had 322 miles and a previous owner. So, it wasn’t new, nor did I pay new car prices during Covid last spring. No one is complaining here but you PP.

You seem to becoming less wiser with age. Most people I know purchase high end cars when they are younger and then learn via the aging process to settle on more fundamental, reliable, no fuss vehicles such as Toyota or Hondas.

I’m not most people. If you have nothing constructive to say I don’t care what you say. No one asked your opinion. Good day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a service plan? I have an Audi and I don't think I've ever paid that much for a routine service unless there was something else going on.

NP with Audi and a service plan. Once it ends, look forward to $1700 service appts (just had one)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. If a MB is still under warranty does having it repaired at a non authorized dealer take it out of warranty? TIA

Pretty sure that that would violate the Magnussen-Moss act.

This. As long as you are doing it right, you do not void the warranty. Warranties are voided when damage is the result of improper repair or maintenance (a simple example: you use the wrong type of oil, or you dump the oil and don't replace it).

Personally, I buy my own oil and filter, bring it to an independent mechanic I trust, and just pay for the labor. It's about $30 for the labor. Your car takes mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w-20. You can get a five qt jug for about $30 at Walmart. I would buy one additional quart, because sometimes european cars take six quarts. I like Mann filters. I buy them on Amazon for $10-$15.

[Anonymous]

Op again. Called Autobahn Coakley Road Rockville MD today. Jacob the owner answered. I told him I was looking for an A service. He said I needed an oil change and he asked if I could come then. I hung up and drove over and he serviced my car while I waited. I sat near him and watched while he changed my oil (7 quarts), ran diagnostics on computer, put air in tires, topped the fluids, blew and vacuumed the dead leaves and pollen from under the hood etc. The grand total came to $95.38 including tax! He told me to come back in 5k for next oil change and air filter change. My new mechanic. Highly recommend. Google him to see reviews. He works on MB, BMW and Audi. (He drives a Porsche Cayenne.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll never take my Mercedes to the dealer again. They are crooks, known for recommending expensive unnecessary work. I highly recommend Autobahn Motors, Coakley Circle, Rockville. No frills, but honest and very reasonably priced.

Best recommendation possible! Thank you. Positive, reasonably priced experience.

[Anonymous]

OP again- the tools he used were specific to Mercedes Benz vehicles and were not generic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again- the tools he used were specific to Mercedes Benz vehicles and were not generic.

Nope. Sorry. You’re being lied to.

The diagnostic/ECM scanners are brand-specific because they’re proprietary to the manufacturer. Same with certain specialty tools for servicing or removing parts of the transmission in particular. But the fasteners themselves - the nuts and bolts that hold everything together - are just common metric hardware. The same wrench that turns the drain plug on a Hyundai oil pan turns the drain plug on a Mercedes oil pan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op again. Called Autobahn Coakley Road Rockville MD today. Jacob the owner answered. I told him I was looking for an A service. He said I needed an oil change and he asked if I could come then. I hung up and drove over and he serviced my car while I waited. I sat near him and watched while he changed my oil (7 quarts), ran diagnostics on computer, put air in tires, topped the fluids, blew and vacuumed the dead leaves and pollen from under the hood etc. The grand total came to $95.38 including tax! He told me to come back in 5k for next oil change and air filter change. My new mechanic. Highly recommend. Google him to see reviews. He works on MB, BMW and Audi. (He drives a Porsche Cayenne.)

Do you think he services Cayennes too since he drives one? TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again- the tools he used were specific to Mercedes Benz vehicles and were not generic.

Nope. Sorry. You’re being lied to.

The diagnostic/ECM scanners are brand-specific because they’re proprietary to the manufacturer. Same with certain specialty tools for servicing or removing parts of the transmission in particular. But the fasteners themselves - the nuts and bolts that hold everything together - are just common metric hardware. The same wrench that turns the drain plug on a Hyundai oil pan turns the drain plug on a Mercedes oil pan.

I’m not being lied to. I sat there and watched everything he was doing! I am making this statement from my own observations of oil changes and other repairs being done in my other cars. The parts on this car are not the same as for example my 2003 lexus. The bolts in the Mercedes are different. They are covered. Cover must be removed first w a tool before the bolt can be removed. Not gonna debate you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op again. Called Autobahn Coakley Road Rockville MD today. Jacob the owner answered. I told him I was looking for an A service. He said I needed an oil change and he asked if I could come then. I hung up and drove over and he serviced my car while I waited. I sat near him and watched while he changed my oil (7 quarts), ran diagnostics on computer, put air in tires, topped the fluids, blew and vacuumed the dead leaves and pollen from under the hood etc. The grand total came to $95.38 including tax! He told me to come back in 5k for next oil change and air filter change. My new mechanic. Highly recommend. Google him to see reviews. He works on MB, BMW and Audi. (He drives a Porsche Cayenne.)

Do you think he services Cayennes too since he drives one? TIA

I shared what he drives for a reason. Why not call and ask him? Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again- the tools he used were specific to Mercedes Benz vehicles and were not generic.

Nope. Sorry. You’re being lied to.

The diagnostic/ECM scanners are brand-specific because they’re proprietary to the manufacturer. Same with certain specialty tools for servicing or removing parts of the transmission in particular. But the fasteners themselves - the nuts and bolts that hold everything together - are just common metric hardware. The same wrench that turns the drain plug on a Hyundai oil pan turns the drain plug on a Mercedes oil pan.

I’m not being lied to. I sat there and watched everything he was doing! I am making this statement from my own observations of oil changes and other repairs being done in my other cars. The parts on this car are not the same as for example my 2003 lexus. The bolts in the Mercedes are different. They are covered. Cover must be removed first w a tool before the bolt can be removed. Not gonna debate you.

This is true. Had a lexus and the engine area had no cover. replaced it with a benz, took it to a mechanic for oil change, messed up the cover and MB dealer had to replace it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have a service plan? I have an Audi and I don't think I've ever paid that much for a routine service unless there was something else going on.

NP with Audi and a service plan. Once it ends, look forward to $1700 service appts (just had one)!

I’m selling my car once the service plan end.