Mercedes Service is Due, Dealer Quoting $495

[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.

DP



I work on my own cars. The bolts are most definitely not “different”. Head size, diameter, thread pitch, hardness, tempering specs - those all vary depending on the components in the engine they’re fastening together. But the bolts themselves are just generic metric hardware.

[Anonymous]

Most exotic thing a mechanic might need is a filter housing socket (also used on BMW) and a set of e-torx sockets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most exotic thing a mechanic might need is a filter housing socket (also used on BMW) and a set of e-torx sockets.

Torx fasteners haven’t been “exotic” since the Clinton Administration lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most exotic thing a mechanic might need is a filter housing socket (also used on BMW) and a set of e-torx sockets.

Torx fasteners haven’t been “exotic” since the Clinton Administration lol!

Why are you on here debating? Have you nothing better to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most exotic thing a mechanic might need is a filter housing socket (also used on BMW) and a set of e-torx sockets.

Torx fasteners haven’t been “exotic” since the Clinton Administration lol!

Why are you on here debating? Have you nothing better to do?

DP

Because I’m a car girl. And that’s the whole point of talking about cars.


Get bent.

[Anonymous]

Too bad you’re not a understanding plain English girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Interesting comment and I agree that M-B dealerships tend to be aggressive in their service recommendations. I took my Benz to the dealer about 2 years ago because the trunk lid struts were not holding the lid open in colder temps. I Googled this issue and found it was a common complaint. So, I go to the dealer and told them I suspected new struts were needed and asked them to confirm and fix while I waited. The service advisor came over to me about 15 minutes later and said they wanted to plug my car into their Star Diagnostic system to “see what’s going on with my car”. She also told me this would be $130 and asked if that was ok. I said “Absolutely ok! Do whatever you think necessary, and, btw, the car is still under warranty so there’s no charge to me, right?”
I clearly caught her off guard as she immediately backtracked and said she would take care of everything. Car was repaired at no charge but I don’t know that they bothered to plug it into their diagnostic tool. To me it just seemed she wanted to make another $130 on my car. I no longer use that dealer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too bad you’re not a understanding plain English girl.

Please don’t feel threatened by me. I’m not interested in your husband.

[Anonymous]

What?

[Anonymous]

GO to a reputable independent mechanic for your service. They can order all the MB parts, filters, oil etc required.

The only thing that needs to be at MB dealership is wheel alignment b/c they have proprietary equipment.

I had a GL450 for several years and I went to the dealer for anything under warranty, but out of warranty to a regular shop. Huge savings and actually better service.

My car kept being slow to start/turn over, acting like it wasn't going to start and the dealer service people told me it was b/c I drove around with low fuel-not accurate and my regular mechanic diagnosed it as something else and resolved the issue.

[Anonymous]

for mercedes. go to Randy at Auto Shoppe in Silver Spring. Has never overcharged in 25 years

[Anonymous]

We switched from Mercedes to BMW because the services for Mercedes were just ridiculously too expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GO to a reputable independent mechanic for your service. They can order all the MB parts, filters, oil etc required.

The only thing that needs to be at MB dealership is wheel alignment b/c they have proprietary equipment.

I had a GL450 for several years and I went to the dealer for anything under warranty, but out of warranty to a regular shop. Huge savings and actually better service.

My car kept being slow to start/turn over, acting like it wasn't going to start and the dealer service people told me it was b/c I drove around with low fuel-not accurate and my regular mechanic diagnosed it as something else and resolved the issue.

MB dies have a proprietary mounting system for their alignment rack but any reputable shop with an experienced tech can do the alignment with standard Hunter equipment. Radial Tire in Silver Spring is one of the best shops around. Same for RRT in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just spent 2k on an A service but I have an AMG. I go to Euromotorcars.

Wo!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

9 quarts of synthetic oil and a filter ($110), plus less than an hour of labor, for $2000? Unconscionable.