Maintaining a Mercedes-Benz in India

[GTO]

My Mercedes C Class is now due for a second service. Its just about completed 16,000 kms, and after the initial service at the 5000 - 6000 km mark Mercedes stipulates a service at every 10,000 kms or 12 months - whichever is earlier.

Mercedes offers not a single free service on its cars, and every service is to be paid for by the owner. I found this surprising as even a Maruti 800 buyer gets three free services...but what the heck, I thought while buying the car.

There is absolutely no work required in my car, and except for a small 200 buck plastic part that fell off the rear seat. Its been painstakingly maintained and you cant tell it from a brand new example if you were to see it or take a ride in it.

So off my car goes to the Auto Hangar this morning and guess what the quote is for the second service? A holy whopping Rs. 35,000!!!

I thought this to be really funny and called up the Sanghi Motor Cars company, guess what their quote was? Rs. 38,000!!!

This is outrageous maintainence for a car that is yet almost brand new. Whats included in the service is checks on various parameters (a/c, engine etc. etc) but then every car maker performs these checks. All the lubes are changed and except for the Rs. 4900 (7 liters of Mobil 1) cost of engine oil I dont really see any major lubrication component in the estimate. All the brake pads are changed on 99% of the Mercs that come in for a second service. Isnt this strange, considering that even Maruti brake pads last much longer than 16000 kms? So do Honda, Toyota and even Mahindra brake pads.

Now I know that as a Mercedes owner, the maintainence costs will be higher than regular automobiles and I consider myself more of a spendthrift than a miser...but give me a break. 35 grand for just the second service? Whats the major service at 40000 kms going to cost? One lac rupees?

My Honda Vtec has had the first three services performed at Rs.600, Rs. 650 and Rs. 1300 respectively. The first major service at 20,000 kms is going to cost apprx. Rs. 2000. And this is for a car that sold for about half the cost of a C Class...not much lower down the ranks. For the record,

I'd really like to know what E Class and S Class owners pay at their initial services. And yes, a strong email to DCIL is to follow *

GTO

[normally_crazy]

[ported_head]

very serious matter, and daylight robbery. would have been understandable if a high price would have been quoted for an accident repair or any major repair. but for a second service?? considering the number of c-class' that i have seen on the roads, doesn't seem to refrain people from buying the car, or maybe they are yet to experience the rude awakening. the word has to be spread, people must know, i wonder if it's the same in other countries? if not, the Indian consumers should not be taken for a ride.

[S350L-E240]

GTO ive had mercs for last 5 years maybe i could help you out?? lemme know if you need any assistance im also very close to my dealer here so i could help u with anything u need.

[ajmat]

Time to open a specialist repair shop complete with diagnotstic equipment. I subscribe to a UK mag called Mercedes enthusuiast and there is plenty of stuff available that you really do not require an official dealer. Most people now go to the official dealer till the warranty expires and then go to specialists. As long as you have paperwork proving the car was maintained, people will still buy your car when you sell it on!

[Rtech]

35 grand for a sevice! wow! I guess the initial purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg with a Benz! what I can't believe is that they change brake pads after jsut 16000k's...! That sounds like the dealers are trying to make a fast (thousand) buck!

I guess the reasoning is if you r rich enough to buy a Benz, you gotto donate to the MB dealership charity as well

[Dippy]

GTO, you made my jaw drop today pal. 35,000 grands for a service

Its always out here that dealers rip off the customers under the Mercedes brand name. I remember you telling that while a litre of Mobil 1 costs 450 rupees outside , Auto Hangar charges you 700 bucks. Talk bout looting. If a C costs that much to maintain I wonder what the big boys must be paying. And I really dont understand whats with the brake pad replacing??

Will the cost to maintain the earlier Mercs like the 124 be the same or will it be lesser since I presume its less electronic as well.

Leave an email GTO I feel you should write a formal letter to them

[Aditya]

I had talked to the chauffer of a W140 series S320 a few months ago. He had indicated a minimum service cost of Rs. 45,000/-. Judging by that, I expected a C's service to cost about Rs. 20,000/-. 35K is rather daft.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Dippy @ April 30 2004,17:18)]Leave an email GTO I feel you should write a formal letter to them

CC Autocarindia and co also

[Shan2nu]

Hey that's bull man. I spoke to a driver who drivers the C class in Hubli and even he said that the service comes to around 20-25K. 35 is way too much.

Changing brake pads after just 16K? What material are those pads mad of......butter?

I got my pads changed at 25K with all the hard braking i've done.

Regards...
Shan2nu

[RJK]

goodness lord ! ubelievably high charges !! i mean what do these people do for chargine so much money ! & 16000kms for brake pad change...thats absolutely ridiculous ! my indica has done 45000kms & is due for a change now i thought merc's lasted longer....

[GTO]

[quote] the service comes to around 20-25K.[CODE]

Correct, but Mercedes classifies service in two ways. Service A is minor where only the engine oil is changed and the cost of that is below Rs.20000. Service B (The second and fourth services) is more comprehensive and include changing all lubes and the brake pads.

Heres more...I asked him NOT to service the car and return it the same evening as I still have 1000 kms to go before its actually due. Buttttttttt since it was there already, I asked him to check it up. My family had a complaint that the air-con blower varies its speed intermittently since the last 7 days. Auto Hangar checked it up and guess what? My cooling coil has broken down, and Mercedes being Mercedes will not change only the cooling coil. They will include replacement of the expansion valve, receiver dryer, gas and oaring for expansion valves. Cost of repairs including parts and labour? Rs.74,000!!! And this is on a car that is exactly 1 year and a month old.

Auto Hangar is completing this job under the 2 year warranty, but I can only think of what awaits me once I am out of the warranty period. Boy am I opting for the extended warranty program!

GTO

P.S. Now you know why the Accord V6 has a 7 month waiting period!

[Powerslave]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Boy am I opting for the extended warranty program!

Go for it. Will make a whole lot of sense.

[Shan2nu]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (GTO @ May 01 2004,10:22)]Now you know why the Accord V6 has a 7 month waiting period!

Exactly, why would someone pay 22 lacs for a car that doesn't have the power or the low maintainence of the Accord which comes at 17lacs.

I'm not sure about the accord's service charge, but i'm sure it's not even more than 12K.

Regards...
Shan2nu

[GTO]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Exactly, why would someone pay 22 lacs for a car that doesn't have the power or the low maintainence of the Accord which comes at 17lacs.

Driving one for 16000 kms has provided more than enough answers. There really is not much that comes close to experiencing a mercedes-benz.

GTO