WDB
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Post by WDB on Jan 2, 2020 19:05:44 GMT
My habit is to take my Mercedes (this and the previous one) for a regulation dealer checkup once a year. It just feels like the right thing to do with a complex and potentially expensive machine.
While I’m enjoying my expensive free coffee, a service elf will approach and tell me that something boring but necessary is in imminent need of replacement. I smile, tell him not to do anything just yet, then take the car to the independent garage that does my MoTs and see what’s really up.
This time it was brakes. The service was only a couple of weeks after the MoT, which the brakes passed without a murmur, so I was a little surprised to be offered two new discs and a complete set of pads, for £900 less a little bit because the service manager liked my shiny shoes. So today I took it to MoT blokey and five minutes with his torch revealed that the front pads will probably need changing in a couple of months, but that the rear pads and all the discs are just fine.
Which rather leaves me wondering about the hit rate dealers’ workshops achieve with these tactics. I suppose the front pads wouldn’t have lasted until my next scheduled visit, but the rest certainly will. I knew it was worth getting a second opinion but how many others just cough up?
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Post by Humph on Jan 2, 2020 19:19:19 GMT
My Merc had its first set of replacement front brakes at over 100,000 miles. Pretty amazing really, but in fairness, its predecessor got up to 96,000 without needing them. Guess it proves something about the lack of stress of long distance/motorway driving on "wear and tear" parts. The "old" one never had replacement rear brakes as I recall. It went on to do nigh on 190,000. I know Al's was a bit of a mare, but the big Mercs really do seem to be screwed together well these days.
My local dealer doesn't appear to try it on. In fact they send me a little video of the car from the underneath when it's in for a service, commenting on the brakes, tyres, suspension etc. Usually saying it's fine. Up to 130,000 now. Love that car, despite its proletarian cylinder count, amazingly enough, it just about manages to keep up with the traffic.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2020 19:59:44 GMT
I dropped my Volvo out of dealer network servicing last year. It will be 9 years since first reg. at the end of this month, I think any software mods on a five cylinder car which has been out of production since late 2013/early 2014 is negligible.
It does have an appetite for brakes due to the torque vector braking they built in which causes more wear on the rear than the fronts. The car is on 80+,000 miles still on the original front discs and second set of pads, rears are second set of discs and third set of pads. My tame Volvo Inde of choice is really very good and on top of anything for this model.
Get a Mondeo Humph. Ford will send you a service walk around video, it is no longer something reserved for Cherman Überwagons. Get a Vignale and they'll treat you to your own reception area with free WiFi and coffee too.
I know Volvo are seen as a bit of Grandad car but fail to see past the two I've had for reliability. The car is off the road one day/year for a service and just works. Other than regular servicing this car has had a return intercooler pipe, about 200€ fitted (it's a real pain to get anything but child hands down to the connections) and a boost control valve 112€ fitted myself in about five minutes.
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Post by tyrednexited on Jan 2, 2020 20:27:06 GMT
My local dealer doesn't appear to try it on. ............ Love that car, despite its proletarian cylinder count........ ...they've got bored with telling you it's lost a couple, then..... |
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jan 2, 2020 21:44:36 GMT
Love that car, despite its proletarian cylinder count There is nothing like a well-sorted big car (doesn't have to be German but probably is) for making long distances seem shorter. It can impress even people you least expect it to; MrsB1, for example. She regularly takes the side of the young people when they complain to me - as they do - about shortage of space and comfort in the back of the CLS. But the other week, she had an event in Bristol to attend, wimped out of finding somewhere to charge the i3 during the day and took the CLS instead. She returned that evening purring about its speed and smoothness on the motorway and saying what a delightful machine it was to travel in. (She still doesn't understand the main beam switch, but that's another story.) Anyway, I've no plans to change it, even if a 630GT might have a little more space. And at 8,000 miles a year, I'm unlikely to wear it out before the world turns fully electric. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2020 22:09:08 GMT
I've just realised, I'm supposed to bemoan the Eu-V exhaust and endless problems I've had with the DPF - which have never, ever materialised. I stuck 4.5 gallons of unleaded in it by mistake 5 years ago. If you believe some motoring forums that requires a fuel system strip down, new pumps, lines, filters, yada yada yada.
I had the tank emptied, re-primed and off I went again. Volvo ya see. Built for extreme environments and just work.
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Post by Humph on Jan 2, 2020 22:12:56 GMT
Bit like Abba and IKEA I suppose? You can't really admit to liking any of them but secretly...😉
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jan 2, 2020 22:16:11 GMT
I've just realised, I'm supposed to bemoan the Eu-V exhaust and endless problems I've had with the DPF ... Nope, none with mine either, nor with the Euro 5 BMW I had before. I remember getting home one evening to find a lot of very hot air emanating from below the 325's door sill, but that was the only hint I ever got of the DPF's existence. The CLS has never even given me that much. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2020 22:32:21 GMT
Bit like Abba and IKEA I suppose? You can't really admit to liking any of them but secretly...😉 I'm just relieved Bjorn and Benny weren't called Steve and Dave. Funny you should mention IKEA, just bought a flatpak kitchen unit from Hausmann. Build in a matter of minutes and not a swear word. Cherman efficiency see. |
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Post by EspadaIII on Jan 2, 2020 22:37:38 GMT
I follow WDB's methodology of servicing and repair. Service at dealers, repair etc at local indy.
I must be very hard on cars; or maybe I do lots of urban driving... Discs and pads all round last January at about £720, new rear air suspension and shocks in August at £1,800. Luckily service and MoT threw up no issues.
But no issues with DPF either. Maybe it is the few daily miles (eight?) on the motorway.
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Post by dixinormus on Jan 6, 2020 21:35:43 GMT
6 years/45k miles service on my A1 is due next month; it’ll go to the main dealer for its annual once-over. They’ve been good to deal with on my 5 previous annual visits and I think the dealer service history will help at resale time, even at 6+ years old.
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