$350 for Oil + filter for MB vehicles.

[HTSS_TR]

My friend thinking about buying 2011 MB E350 from a co-worker. He checked with local MB dealer in Los Angeles and he was shocked at $350 for oil change every year or 10k miles. The oil change price is included visual check of various components under the hood. This is way over-priced, MB dealers in Orange County charge only $200-250 ($150 with occasional coupons in the mail).

I told him that just buy Mobil 1 0W40 on sale at various auto parts stores for about $5-6/qt(8 quarts is needed) and fleece oil filter online for about $10-12/ea, so that the total parts cost is about $60. Tools he needs are oil filter cap wrench and fluid extractor, these two tools cost about $90-100.

These two tools paid for itself after 1 oil change. He can also use it to do brake bleeding (and possible ATF).

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Holy Guacamole, Now just imagine how much it is in Canada, where a Regular OC cost you 60-70$ vs a 20-30$ one in the states!

 

[fdcg27]

If the thing has a drain plug, which I'm sure it does, he could have also saved the cost of the fluid extractor.
Who would pay three fifty for a simple oil change?
Apparently some do.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
If the thing has a drain plug, which I'm sure it does, he could have also saved the cost of the fluid extractor.
Who would pay three fifty for a simple oil change?
Apparently some do.


It's the special Mercedes Benz Gnome Additives in it that makes it awesome. They're like the scrubbing bubble guys, with German Accents and a Love for Grey Poupon.

 

[surfstar]

Business oportunity - specialized high end auto oil changes. Mobile service for half the price of a dealer. OEM filters and correct spec oil. Seems doable in LA/OC.

 

[MarkStock]

Mercedes dealers and competent independents charge about $100 for an oil change only. They frequently offer free inspections.

Together that's pretty much the equivalent of the minor 10k services.

Tell you friend to just look up the coupons for all the Mercedes dealers within 50 miles. Other dealers will usually match them and he can go to the dealer he prefers.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
If the thing has a drain plug, which I'm sure it does, he could have also saved the cost of the fluid extractor.
Who would pay three fifty for a simple oil change?
Apparently some do.

For the saving of the fluid extractor, he need to buy at the very least 2 items: a good set of jack stands and an oil drain pan, these 2 items can be as much as $40-50.

To drain oil from the drain plug, he needs to remove/re-install the splash shield. Total time is about 1 hour.

The time to siphon oil from dipstick tube with a fluid extractor is about 10-15 minutes, he can change oil filter in that time frame, so total time should be less than 30 minutes for slow/easy DIY'er and can be done in 20 minutes without getting under the car.

Anyone who owns a MB vehicle and tried both methods agrees that a fluid extractor is the best tool to do oil change.

I also use it to change ATF and bleed the brakes.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Business oportunity - specialized high end auto oil changes. Mobile service for half the price of a dealer. OEM filters and correct spec oil. Seems doable in LA/OC.

I agree.

It's a good mobile oil change service opportunity at half the price of dealer, one can make decent profit for $100-125 oil change for MB-BMW-Audi.

Small problems, Mobil 1 0W40 is fairly high priced at Walmart at about $6.xx/qt, for 8-9 quarts the cost of oil alone is about $60-65, plus brand names cartridge oil filter can be as much as $15.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
My friend thinking about buying 2011 MB E350 from a co-worker. He checked with local MB dealer in Los Angeles and he was shocked at $350 for oil change every year or 10k miles.

If that's for Service B (which is done every other 10K miles), then that's a standard dealer price. It also includes changing cabin air filters, wiper blades, etc. You will typically also get a loaner for the day. Still, it is a ripoff, IMO.

Then you have Service A which is every OTHER 10K miles (10k, 30k, 50k, etc.) This one is $170 at my local MB dealer. Still a ripoff. However, they will also do just a plain jane oil/filter change alone (not complete Service A) for $100. That's actually kind of reasonable, considering the parts alone are about $75.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
8 quarts is needed

8 quarts if it's a 4Matic. 9 quarts (actually 8.5) if it's RWD.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Tools he needs are oil filter cap wrench and fluid extractor, these two tools cost about $90-100.

Forgot to mention one other thing regarding tools. Some of these newer MB engines have funky oil pans and as a result, just sticking the oil extractor tube down to the bottom will not get all the oil out. The dealer uses a special tool that goes on top of the oil dipstick tube to seal it and to get most of it out. This tool can be bought for about $20 or so. If you're DIY, it's definitely still worth it.

Possibly one of the rubber adapters that comes with a MityVac might work as well.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
My friend thinking about buying 2011 MB E350 from a co-worker. He checked with local MB dealer in Los Angeles and he was shocked at $350 for oil change every year or 10k miles. The oil change price is included visual check of various components under the hood. . . .


That's the opening for a dealer to take a $125 job and make it a $350 one. Those world-famous "underhood VISUAL checks".

Unless this is a scheduled maintenance interval where the MB checklist demands such inspections, it's a bit of a shakedown for just a visual. It's neither an "A" or a "B" service if its just a visual.

Our dealer pours 5w-40 Total Quartz for around $150. Other than the MB approval, it's no more robust a G-III oil than T6. In our '00, that's what we presently pour. With a fleece Hengst, the whole thing comes to around $65. I may upgrade it to Mobil 1 0w-40 next year (which also works in this E350), and the price is still about the same.

Unless it needs an adapter, an extractor is the way to go on these. Very clean, very easy.

And unless your friend is a total incompetent, or he is forced to have these visual inspections done for warranty compliance, he can stare at the underhood fluids himself and pocket the $200-250 he saves.

That, or have you do it for a case of beer and five minutes of your time.

 

[lexus114]

we dont pay this much for service on my wife`s car. (at least her 2006 model)

 

[kkreit01]

Another reason while I'll never buy one.

 

[MBS500]

There is mag 1 5w40 Europian Formula, that meets mb specs anb bmw LL-01 on amazon. For less than $35 per 6q case. I would get it, but already to much oil stashed.

 

[fdcg27]

Ramps should work just fine, and most of us already have those.
The belly pan or splash shield on our last Mercedes was a breeze to remove.
Really nothing to it.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
If the thing has a drain plug, which I'm sure it does, he could have also saved the cost of the fluid extractor.
Who would pay three fifty for a simple oil change?
Apparently some do.


All of the elitists in neighboring towns (especially Short Hills) driving these (and Bimmers, Stuttgart's finest, Land Rovers, and Four Ringers), which it seems is ALL they are allowed to drive by their own self-inflicted uppity status quo, would GLADLY pay 3 TIMES THAT AMOUNT for the same exact service in order to not be bothered with it (or maybe to just BRAG about how much they over-pay for something?).

Gordon Gekkoism/Thurston Howell the 50th ism personified.

 

[VNTS]

My neighbor has a 2010 MB SUV, it comes with free 5/50 full free service, after, it is on his dime err 350$ LOL

Of course now I see why people who have 3 year MB lease, why change the oil, just top her off and pocket the 1000$, it is a lease and not their problem Buffy LOL

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: VNTS
My neighbor has a 2010 MB SUV, it comes with free 5/50 full free service,

Just to clarify. It does not come with free service. He probably got upsold on it by the dealer when he bought the vehicle. Dealers are happy to sell their maintenance contracts.

 

[hattaresguy]

That's to much, the dealers around here get about $100 which isn't to bad.