Hello,

I have a 2000 CL500 with 117K miles. I originally got the car in 2005 with 26K miles. The car is always maintained at the dealer with the exception of me working on brakes or small jobs myself. I get regular 40K transmission fluid flushes there etc..

I am going to drop the car off tonight because it is due for a "B" service. After reading online about this it seems to mainly consist of oil and filter change plus fluid top-offs and visual inspections. At a price of $399 this seems a little high. After all in the past whenever I get an "A" service they always bring up any other issues they "find" with the car but my point is I don't want to pay extra for someone to tell me my wipers need to be changed or tires are slightly worn. Does it make sense to just op for the oil change?

Thanks ,
Jerome

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05 E55
03 E500

That ($400) is a TOTAL waste of money.

Just an oil service with a/c system dust filters...and overall inspection.

DIY and save $300.

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I agree just download a B service form, fill it out, hit the check boxes and but in your maintenance file.

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Thanks guys for confirming my thoughts.. Sometimes I think about switching to an independent mechanic but where I live it is only *slightly* less expensive so I figure it is good to take it to the dealer because they will be more likely to notice potential developing problems. Not to say an independent garage can't be better but I think after all the warranty work done at the dealer over the years on cars like mine there is a certain expertise and expectation for things to be done right that makes me happy.

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05 E55
03 E500

The "B" Service may vary from dealer to dealer. The dealership I work at includes a brake fluid flush, wiper replacement, air filter replacement(client pays for filter only),rotates tires and measures brake rotor thickness, in addition to all the silly stuff on the service sheet. If you live in an area with several dealers nearby, it pays to call around.

I'd agree there is no need to have this done at the dealer unless they will provide a service you cannot. For example, some may apply a firmware upgrade to the ECU or TCU during a scheduled service. I'd guess ILUVMILS is an aberration; most dealers charge extra for a brake fluid flush, B service or not.

That said, thinking of it as a glorified oil and filter change is not appropriate. The inspections are important, although who does them is not, so do be sure to do them. Otherwise you may have a really ugly occurrence down the road.