Oil change cost!?!?!?
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Oil change cost!?!?!?
Ok, I am posting this for my father, who was extremely surprised at the cost of his oil change from the dealer.
They charged him $100 to change the oil. Is this commonplace among the XF? This just seems a little bit ridiculous, they said it is in a weird spot and hard to do so that is why it was so pricey. Is this the disadvantage to only having to get an oil change every 7K miles? Please, any info would be appreciated. Thank you.
Neil
They charged him $100 to change the oil. Is this commonplace among the XF? This just seems a little bit ridiculous, they said it is in a weird spot and hard to do so that is why it was so pricey. Is this the disadvantage to only having to get an oil change every 7K miles? Please, any info would be appreciated. Thank you.
Neil
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From: Yulee, FL
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
That's about right. There are several previous threads on this so you may want to do a search. I would recommend doing it yourself, if you are the least bit mechanically inclined. Not difficult at all.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Originally Posted by danimal
That's about right. There are several previous threads on this so you may want to do a search. I would recommend doing it yourself, if you are the least bit mechanically inclined. Not difficult at all.
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From: Yulee, FL
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
The filter is up front (on top), just forward of the oil cap. There are two ways to do an oil change...remove cover from the bottom (4 bolts) and drain in the usual way...or use one of several oil extraction devices, i.e. topsider or liquidvac or a pela pump to suck it up through the dip stick tube. Mercedes recommends the later, Chrysler the former.
But it requires 8.5 quarts of Mobil1 @ $5 (approx) per qt and the filter is somewhere around $13. I'm sure the dealer charged more for each. You can figure it from there.
But it requires 8.5 quarts of Mobil1 @ $5 (approx) per qt and the filter is somewhere around $13. I'm sure the dealer charged more for each. You can figure it from there.
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From: Varina, Virginia (LI Transplant)
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
My dealer charges $8.14 per qt for Mobil 1 0w-40 and $20.35 for the filter element. The total comes to $107.70, I believe its the Mobil 1 oil that shoots the price up. From time to time you can find the filter elements on Ebay, a 2 pack for about $20.00 + S/H.
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From: Akron, Ohio
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Neiladin, except for the high price of the oil and filter, it really is one of the easiest cars I've had to change the oil on. I don't even jack the car up. I've got a couple of 2"X10" boards that I pull the front wheels up on, and that gives me enough room to reach all 4 screws to drop the under body splash pan.
The trickiest part is when you replace the O-rings on the filter cartridge bayonet, just make sure you get them all back in the proper position. Especially the top one. Because if you don't, the entire engine bay gets "oil sprayed".
The cheapest place that I've found the oil is at Wal-Mart, or AutoZone. The filters can be found at the D/C dealership, or at the Mercedes dealer. I usually figure on paying about $60 everytime I change the oil. I change my oil every 3,500 miles. Good luck
The trickiest part is when you replace the O-rings on the filter cartridge bayonet, just make sure you get them all back in the proper position. Especially the top one. Because if you don't, the entire engine bay gets "oil sprayed".
The cheapest place that I've found the oil is at Wal-Mart, or AutoZone. The filters can be found at the D/C dealership, or at the Mercedes dealer. I usually figure on paying about $60 everytime I change the oil. I change my oil every 3,500 miles. Good luck
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Do it yourself but don't get some cheep paper filter. You can get good quality filters and synthetic oil from AMS. I use AMSOil in my SLK and order a quality filter from them as well. The nice thing is that you don't even have to get under the car. I used a vacuum canister (Topsider) to suck the oil out and the oil filter is right in front of the motor. With true synthetic you can extend the normal 3000 mile oil change to 7000 or 10000. Some even go 15000 before an oil change.
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From: Akron, Ohio
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
I'm not knocking anybody else's "aftermarket filter" but I think the safest thing you can do when changing your own oil is to use the "factory" oil filter.
That way, if you have any oil related warranty problems the dealer can't say, "But you weren't using genuine D/C parts so that voids the warranty."
Trust me, if they can find any excuse to keep from fixing your car, (for free) they'll use it. So why make it easy for them by using after market parts in critical areas. Just my opinion.
That way, if you have any oil related warranty problems the dealer can't say, "But you weren't using genuine D/C parts so that voids the warranty."
Trust me, if they can find any excuse to keep from fixing your car, (for free) they'll use it. So why make it easy for them by using after market parts in critical areas. Just my opinion.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
I just wonder if the same filters are sold at the Chrysler dealerships as the ones at the Mercedes dealerships. The ones I get say made in Germany and come with all of the need orings and are a Fleece filter instead of paper and made by Knecht, Mann or Hengst. I have seen some that say made in India that have less pleats in them and who knows what they are made of. The fleece filter is white and fuzzy, the paper media looks like a manila folder and is yellow color.
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From: Akron, Ohio
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
mb_slk...I've purchased filters from both the Chrysler dealer, and the Mercedes dealer, both had the Mercedes "seal" on them, and I think the boxes were the same too. I have one "empty" box sitting here in front of me, but I can't remember if it's the one from the Chrysler dealer or not. It says Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts Quality & Value. I'm pretty sure the filters were identical as well.
By the way, I think the interior in your SLK looks great. If I didn't have the cedar & black in our white XF, I'd be looking for a wrecked SLK "parts" car with your interior to put in our car.
By the way, I think the interior in your SLK looks great. If I didn't have the cedar & black in our white XF, I'd be looking for a wrecked SLK "parts" car with your interior to put in our car.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Originally Posted by mb_slk
I just wonder if the same filters are sold at the Chrysler dealerships as the ones at the Mercedes dealerships. The ones I get say made in Germany and come with all of the need orings and are a Fleece filter instead of paper and made by Knecht, Mann or Hengst . I have seen some that say made in India that have less pleats in them and who knows what they are made of. The fleece filter is white and fuzzy, the paper media looks like a manila folder and is yellow color.
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From: Akron, Ohio
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
ben47...Thanks for clearing that up for me. I keep reading how everybody is paying so much less than I was, I couldn't figure out why I was getting ripped off on the 3 oil filters that I've bought. Like you said, everyone was around 20 bucks.
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From: Richmond, VA
Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Originally Posted by mb_slk
With true synthetic you can extend the normal 3000 mile oil change to 7000 or 10000. Some even go 15000 before an oil change.
Originally Posted by BullFrog
I posted this a while back to clarify issues people were having with their FSS system.
The wrench is part of the Mercedes-Benz FSS system which is adaptive to your driving style and ambient conditions and time, it varies for everyone. The wrench will start appearing reminding you of upcoming service with the mileage left for that service showing next to the wrench. Example; when the wrench shows up with a reading of about 300 miles that means that in 300 miles service A will be needed.
If you buy your car new but its like an '04 model with low low miles like 1,000 and already requires service A, it is nothing more than that the FSS system also monitors the time the car has sat without use. So if your car has sat for a long time at a dealer prior to you purchasing it the system will also calculate that oil life sitting in your oil pan and countdown from the reset much faster.
Also the FSS system monitors your driving style and ambient conditions. If your driving style is aggressive you will see the countdown go suddenly from say 6,000 to maybe 5,300 in only 300 miles of driving. If you drive very conservatively then you will see the countdown parallel with the miles driven. Also if you live in a dusty climate it will also perform a faster countdown as opposed to a cleaner climate however the system will always calculate the time the oil has been there unchanged as well. In other words it has a life of its own when it tells you its due then its due.
The wrench is part of the Mercedes-Benz FSS system which is adaptive to your driving style and ambient conditions and time, it varies for everyone. The wrench will start appearing reminding you of upcoming service with the mileage left for that service showing next to the wrench. Example; when the wrench shows up with a reading of about 300 miles that means that in 300 miles service A will be needed.
If you buy your car new but its like an '04 model with low low miles like 1,000 and already requires service A, it is nothing more than that the FSS system also monitors the time the car has sat without use. So if your car has sat for a long time at a dealer prior to you purchasing it the system will also calculate that oil life sitting in your oil pan and countdown from the reset much faster.
Also the FSS system monitors your driving style and ambient conditions. If your driving style is aggressive you will see the countdown go suddenly from say 6,000 to maybe 5,300 in only 300 miles of driving. If you drive very conservatively then you will see the countdown parallel with the miles driven. Also if you live in a dusty climate it will also perform a faster countdown as opposed to a cleaner climate however the system will always calculate the time the oil has been there unchanged as well. In other words it has a life of its own when it tells you its due then its due.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
Originally Posted by +fireamx
ben47...Thanks for clearing that up for me. I keep reading how everybody is paying so much less than I was, I couldn't figure out why I was getting ripped off on the 3 oil filters that I've bought. Like you said, everyone was around 20 bucks.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
You can get a topsider at most boat stores. I got mine online at Overtons.com. It was about $49.
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/over...um=21664&fcat=
item number 21664
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/over...um=21664&fcat=
item number 21664
Last edited by mb_slk; Jan 19, 2006 at 01:55 PM.
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Re: Oil change cost!?!?!?!?
I had mine changed at a 5 star service center at the Carmax here in Atlanta last time. The charge was around $55.00 I mentioned to them that I paid $110 previously at another dealer (not 5 star) and asked why so much less. They said initially they had to charge like that due to the price of the required synthetic oil. Nowadays they keep it around in drums instead of individual quarts and were able to drop the price.