Mercedes having a laugh?

[Andyg]

My E350 was in having its front airbags replaced (factory recall) and Mercedes did a full inspection.

One of the points highlighted was “corrosion on the brake hoses which could cause a future MOT failure”.

I was intrigued given the car had just had a B Service and none of the issues pointed out by Mercedes had been identified previously so I asked how much it would cost to replace them …..

They quoted £1750 + VAT (with an applied 40% discount) for the 4 short pipes. When I joked whether they would be making them, the answer was Yes, because Mercedes send a length of tube and 8 connectors and the garage would need to fabricate them. Once I got home I went online and found numerous braided stainless steel brake hoses available from performance companies including Girling for about £100. I also checked the hoses myself and once I had applied a bit a brake cleaner and removed the dirt I couldn’t find any corrosion. I did however not that the passivated finish on the connectors had tarnished.

Is this Mercedes being ultra conservative or is this attempt to screw its customers?

[The Doc]

Main Dealer

Profit maker

[lewie]

Sounds like deception

[JasonM]

Absolutely a attempt to screw you over, I’ve had similar experiences with VW, their ‘complimentary health check’ is their opportunity to invent issues that aren’t there.

[Scrubnut]

This is one reason I wont buy a Mercedes. Banditry

[The Doc]

Garages, owned by people or companies, pay a huge amount to the UK parent company to have the branding and Main Dealer status.
Their interest isn't you or your satisfaction.
It's profit.
They have to refurb the dealerships every 5 years or so, they have to pay for all the flashy lights and free coffee.
They make huge profits from pre-authorised (nobody checking) warranty work.
They rely on most car owners not knowing enough to doubt or question the "work"

Avoid.

Find a garage that exists on its reputation, not its branding.

[birchgra]

Whenever they have to do recall work it costs them money so they will always try to recoup it some other way. Most manufacturers would do similar and they would often find a ‘fault’ with the brake system as a lot of people would not want to take a chance. My AClass is due to go in for the same recall soon so I’ll let you know if they also find a fault with my brakes.

If there’s a genuine fault then it would be highlighted at an MOT long before they needed replacing.

[thieuster]

Whenever they have to do recall work it costs them money so they will always try to recoup it some other way. Most manufacturers would do similar and they would often find a ‘fault’ with the brake system as a lot of people would not want to take a chance. My AClass is due to go in for the same recall soon so I’ll let you know if they also find a fault with my brakes.

If there’s a genuine fault then it would be highlighted at an MOT long before they needed replacing.

^^^ this exactly ^^^

[ASW1]

Recently changed from BMW where I used main dealer for warranty work but specialist for anything else. https://www.brystone.co.uk/

Just moved to Mercedes and already found dealer to be somewhat lacking and prices that take breath way, fortunately also found a local Mercedes specialist. https://www.pentanglemb.co.uk/

Both these independent specialists are run by ex-manufacturer franchise technicians, are on the BMW/Mercedes systems and all their work is accepted as valid under any warranty requirements.

Re the BMW one I sold my car to the local BMW dealer and they were able to still sell it as approved used with the (albeit it very minor) Brystone work.

[adrianw]

Mine’s in on Friday for a recall, apparently they need to check the bonding on the carbon fibre propshaft, but it’s ok to drive it unchecked !

[Franky Four Fingers]

Intrigued to know how they’ll fabricate brake hoses out of a length of tube.

[kungfupanda]

You should have asked them for a picture. Did they really mean hoses? Surely the flexi hoses going to the calipers are rubber or rubber sheathed? Or do they mean the fixed brake lines that the flexi hoses follow off?

[TKH]

Its possible they are not referring to the 'flexi's' that connect to caliper then join to the braking system at the strut / inner wing..

they could be talking about the copper pipe work which runs prior to the flexi's then into the ABS block ?

making up brake pipes is a PITA with flaring tools and involves templating from what corroded or damaged pipes you have removed

That said its nowhere near that kind of money to do such a job

If it is just replacing flexi's (off shelf items) then bleeding system - yes they are taking the Pee

[julian2002]

Corroded brake lines are a known ‘issue’ on some mercs. That said I only use an independent specialist for mine and they are great (autoclass in Milton Keynes if you are nearby)
1700 is insane.

[xellos99]

The joys of expensive cars, they would probably charge you a fortune just for a mirror or bulb.

[mrushton]

The joys of expensive cars, they would probably charge you a fortune just for a mirror or bulb.

Some of the latest MB cars have to have the whole headlamp cluster replaced I think. At a cost of £1000s

[ralphy]

The joys of expensive cars, they would probably charge you a fortune just for a mirror or bulb.

This from 10 years ago.

The driver’s door mirror on my Mercedes was becoming discoloured and I was advised that it would be a fail for the forthcoming MOT. When I visited the MB agent in Plymouth to pick up another item I enquired as to the cost of replacing the faulty glass...

“£350 plus VAT, Sir.”

“WHAT, I didn’t mean the whole assembly, just the glass!”

“That is just the glass, Sir: it’s photo-chromatic on the driver’s side.”

“Erm, can I order the passenger door glass for a LHD car - I assume that’s non photo-chomatic?”

“Ah, good thinking, Sir: you can and that’s less of course...... £150 plus VAT.”

R

(Halfords: special order, £16.50 inc VAT) :thumbup:

R

[Franky Four Fingers]

Whilst i don't know what kind of job brake pipes are on a 350 I'm guessing they're no walk in the park as with most brake pipes. They're generally wrapped around the suspension behind covers or even the fuel tank. So whilst £1700 is a huge amount of money given main dealers labour rates it could be legit…..not all main dealers are shysters.

[TAG0001]

I has exactly this advisory on my Merc (see below)

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

My local back street garage fixed it with a quick rub down and re grease. Cost £10 and £10 for their Christmas fund.

It's not come up on the next 2 mot checks since.

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

[tango]

Don't think it's just Mercedes to be fair as already stated the dealers are always well over what things should cost and they play on the perceived safety in using the dealers.

It's all codswallop, they are in it to maximise profits, period.

[gingerboy]

I had a E class estate for 4 years. It failed it's MOT on the rear brakes pipes being excessively corroded.

The dealer is referring to the copper / cunifer rigid brake pipes that the attach to the flexis.

From memory it cost me circa £250 to have the lines replaced front to back.

£1700 is daylight robbery! As another poster pointed out, this is a known issue on mercs.

Does yours have rear air suspension? If it does and you start to see the car sagging after being parked, it is typically the rigid plastic air pipes splitting. The parts are cheap but it's another job that is circa £150 to sort. Much easier to do than brake pipes as they are push fit connectors. I'd get them done at the same time as the brake pipes as preventative maintenance. If they start leaking it can lead to the suspension air compressor burning out. Worst case scenario, if all pressure is lost the car will be not be able to be driven!

The joys of Merc ownership. In fairness, all cars seem to have their fair share of issues and challenges

Sent from my LE2123 using Tapatalk

[aa388]

Bmw charged me over £1300 to change the back plates on an E39, plates were about £15 each but everything else they had to change with labour took the rest. The local Indy said he would have cut and welded them but Bm have to do it by the book.


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[Jimmcb]

My E350 was in having its front airbags replaced (factory recall) and Mercedes did a full inspection.

One of the points highlighted was “corrosion on the brake hoses which could cause a future MOT failure”.

I was intrigued given the car had just had a B Service and none of the issues pointed out by Mercedes had been identified previously so I asked how much it would cost to replace them …..

They quoted £1750 + VAT (with an applied 40% discount) for the 4 short pipes. When I joked whether they would be making them, the answer was Yes, because Mercedes send a length of tube and 8 connectors and the garage would need to fabricate them. Once I got home I went online and found numerous braided stainless steel brake hoses available from performance companies including Girling for about £100. I also checked the hoses myself and once I had applied a bit a brake cleaner and removed the dirt I couldn’t find any corrosion. I did however not that the passivated finish on the connectors had tarnished.

Is this Mercedes being ultra conservative or is this attempt to screw its customers?

The latter. From an insider, they are after as much claw back as they can accumulate. Those who say ‘no’ are countered by those that say ‘yes’ with no thought given as to whether the work genuinely needs done or not.

Well done OP on not being ripped off!

Jim

[julian2002]

Genesis are marketing heavily in the uk and look to be very nice ‘Luxo barges’ as they are Hyundai/KIA they will be relentlessly reliable.
When my Audi was on the back of a low loader after exploding in a cloud of coolant, I asked the driver what the most reliable cars were, without hesitation he said Korean, KIA and Hyundai, a straw poll of 1 I know but the KIA I bought after that cost us nothing except basic servicing, tyres and brakes through 100k miles from new.
I’ve also run several Lexus and while, they are not ‘ultimate driving machines’ they are lovely places to be and anyone who drives in a manner where that makes a difference is an idiot on todays congested roads.
While I am currently servicing my desire for a convertible with a Mercedes, I am almost certain my next car will be a Lexus, KIA or Hyundai. I’m hoping that the LC convertible will nosedive in price, but I doubt it.
Unfortunately Renault have ruined Nissans reputation for reliability and had an I’ll judged relationship with Mercedes for their smaller diesels that also tarnished the brand.

[Steve B]

Genesis are marketing heavily in the uk and look to be very nice ‘Luxo barges’ as they are Hyundai/KIA they will be relentlessly reliable.
When my Audi was on the back of a low loader after exploding in a cloud of coolant, I asked the driver what the most reliable cars were, without hesitation he said Korean, KIA and Hyundai, a straw poll of 1 I know but the KIA I bought after that cost us nothing except basic servicing, tyres and brakes through 100k miles from new.
I’ve also run several Lexus and while, they are not ‘ultimate driving machines’ they are lovely places to be and anyone who drives in a manner where that makes a difference is an idiot on todays congested roads.
While I am currently servicing my desire for a convertible with a Mercedes, I am almost certain my next car will be a Lexus, KIA or Hyundai. I’m hoping that the LC convertible will nosedive in price, but I doubt it.
Unfortunately Renault have ruined Nissans reputation for reliability and had an I’ll judged relationship with Mercedes for their smaller diesels that also tarnished the brand.

[Scepticalist]

Whilst you *could* make flexible brake hoses in house, I'm not sure even AD would have that equipment? If they do then why bother buying "genuine" parts? Absolute top quality braided aftermarket hoses for your car would be ~£90 each.

The rigid pipes are easy to make once you know how. Long runs can be a pain but generally not a problem for a mechanic who's experienced.

Either way £1750 is taking the proverbial even at main dealer labour rates and if anyone believes that price is after a 40% discount I have a bridge to sell them.

[Chinnock]

Stealership Tic-Tacs I'm afraid. Need to make up profits from not being able to sell new cars due to Lockdown delays, parts and production disruption globally.

[Jimmcb]

Genesis are marketing heavily in the uk and look to be very nice ‘Luxo barges’ as they are Hyundai/KIA they will be relentlessly reliable.
When my Audi was on the back of a low loader after exploding in a cloud of coolant, I asked the driver what the most reliable cars were, without hesitation he said Korean, KIA and Hyundai, a straw poll of 1 I know but the KIA I bought after that cost us nothing except basic servicing, tyres and brakes through 100k miles from new.
I’ve also run several Lexus and while, they are not ‘ultimate driving machines’ they are lovely places to be and anyone who drives in a manner where that makes a difference is an idiot on todays congested roads.
While I am currently servicing my desire for a convertible with a Mercedes, I am almost certain my next car will be a Lexus, KIA or Hyundai. I’m hoping that the LC convertible will nosedive in price, but I doubt it.
Unfortunately Renault have ruined Nissans reputation for reliability and had an I’ll judged relationship with Mercedes for their smaller diesels that also tarnished the brand.

Seems Genesis is the car of choice for Scottish Open this week.

A huge number on the roads of North Berwick and Gullane today in prep for the tourney this week. Is it me but do all E cars of this ilk look the same??

Jim