Mercedes oil change habits

[DrewQ45]

... I'm talking the dealer.

Almost brought a 1999 E320 a week ago. The car was selling for about 2K below KBB retail value. Single owner, 89K and immaculate inside and out. The car was owned by an older well-to-do couple and was driven by the wife who had purchased and new diesel model and wished to sell.

I went throught car pretty thoroughly and took a long test drive. She was tight and drove sweet with no hitches. I felt compelled to drop a deposit on it... that is, until I read the service records... the dealer service records that is, as the car never went anywhere else for service.

My jaw dropped when I saw the oil change frequency, or should I say infrequency? The car went as many as 9, 10, 13K miles between oil changes (synthetic). When I questioned why this was the case, the husband (he showed the car) informed me that the car tells his wife when it's ready for a change. He calls up the wife who in turn calls the dealer, who in turn states that the car continuously monitors the oil condition and informs the driver when it has deteriorated to the point of needing to be changed. Dealer also stated that it's common for Benzes to go up to 16K between oil changes or much less, depending on the car. Mind you, the oil on the dipstick was a black as a thousand midnights and was also low, but probably not low enough to set off a sensor having being changed 6K prior. Coupled with the fact that the transmission "needs no maintenance for the life of the car" and has no dipstick (at least I didn't see one)...

I was scratching my head and backing off slowly. These cars are expensive to maintain as it already is. No wonder Benz realiability coming under increased scrutiny these days.

Suffice to say I walked away from the deal. They received an offer on the car that same evening I looked at it and the guy was ready to buy it quickly. They told me what he was offering hoping that I would top his offer. I suggested that they take his offer as it was quite reasonable. I'm no longer looking at Mercedes due to dealer suggested oil change habits. The sellers took care of the car as they recommended and price-wise, there was no better deal to be had when I checked the classifieds.

...Drew...

[Jesda]

GM, Honda, and MB are using oil life monitors to measure the life of the oil, and I don't really trust them.

The GM and Honda systems seem pretty clever, taking into account quite a number of operating conditions. The MB system uses some kind of sensor?

Either way, I'm not comfortable. I know extended oil changes have been a problem for some newer BMWs.

[maxnix]

Really scary. Why you don't want a BMW off lease either. 15K OCI.

If it is the 3.2 V6 SOHC with 3 valves per cylinder, you really don't want those engines either. They had to turbo the V12 to get it to breath.
Modified by maxnix at 8:29 AM 3/11/2007

[DrewQ45]

Really scary. Why you don't wnat a BMW of lease either. 15K OCI.

If it is the 3.2 V6 SOHC with 3 valves per cylinder, you really don't want those engines either. They had to turbo the V12 to get it to breath.

Yeah... a whole year and more between oil changes... summer, winter... no checking of the oil either... neither one knew a damn thing about cars other than turning the key and adding gas.

[maxnix]

Yeah... a whole year and more between oil changes... summer, winter... no checking of the oil either... neither one knew a damn thing about cars other than turning the key and adding gas.

Typical badge consumers. We know not what we drive, but it has the right badge.

[Jesda]

Typical badge consumers. We know not what we drive, but it has the right badge.

[lino]

My $0.02

That is Mercedes' way of saving money. If they include free service for a new car during a 4 year/50000 mile warranty period, then they only have to pay for 4 oil changes, when realistically there should have been 16 oil changes during that period of time.

Car owners (or people leasing cars) these days tend to keep the car for shorter periods of time compared to the past, and so by the time they sell the car, they are not aware of the damage that has been done or the surprises that lie ahead for the unsuspecting new owner.

Also, I would hate to see the inside of an oil filter after all that time. I believe that an oil filter cannot withstand that kind of abuse.

When you buy a used car, you should be looking for a car owned by a person that shows you that he totally disregarded the dealer's oil change intervals and changed it every 3000 miles as usual.

[qship96]

my wife drives a 1997 e420 that has enjoyed 12-15 thousand mile oil changes since new,has never had transmission fluid changed,and runs well today.........at 263,000 miles-- go figure-it makes me cringe

[louiegz]

Well, my wife drives a 03 330i. The recommended service is 1 year/15k miles. We don’t drive 15k a year, so we got the free annual oil change. I only had a problem the first year when about a month before the year, the oil light went on. I checked the oil and it was low a quart. I topped it off and got my free oil change the next month. I've been told that since the engine has a bigger oil capacity and the use of synthetic oil, I don't have to worry about the longer change intervals. It make sense, but I know they're BS ing me to not have to do more free service. Since it’s my wife's car, and she thinks I don't know what I'm talking about, it's only gotten annual oil changes, but this year the free service is over, so I think I'll do it biannually. That should be fine. We do about 5k every 6 months and it does get synthetic.

[midnightsliding]

i know on alot of the hondas and GMs you can set the interval cycle for when it tells you to get an oil change. i do it every 3K its not hard and dont cost much to change my own oil so y not.

[Q45tech]

The ability of extra sump volume to prolong usable life is not linear................8 quarts lasts a lot longer than just 8/6= 1.33X more..........same with all the fluids.........coolant, ATF, diff, steering are all gigantic compared to Q.

These extra fluids and the extra metal to encase them often adds 40-50 pounds above that of a Q component with smaller volumes.

[Miyabita_Y33]

Thats crazy but.... I went to the Porsche dealer and picked up a book on the new 911. It said no oil change for 20,000 and no dealer service for 2yrs WTF... Also they said the coolant lasts the life of the car....

[maxnix]

Also they said the coolant lasts the life of the car....

To a dealer and an OEM that means intial warranty period.

[lino]

... Also they said the coolant lasts the life of the car....

http://www.hrpworld.com/index....egory

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/....html

[silver2k2]

I have a 04 330ci, and I change the oil at 7500 myself, and do not reset the computer. I then goes into the dealer for the "free" 15k change. My service rep still swears changing it at 7500 is a waste of money. Based on the number of high mileage cars he has seen with said oil changes

Its the computer that says when the oil should be changed and sometimes is more or less then 15k. Based on a host of variables(engine speed, temp, gear changes etc)

This topic has been beat to death on the e46fanatics forum with blackstone lab reports to back up findings. The bmw oil filters have been redesigned to handle the longer intervals.

What I have read so far is the towards the 15k mark the oil is at the end if it's useful life due to fact the detergents have been depleted. I do it at 7500 just for peace of mind, and it gives me reason to take good look over and under the car


Modified by silver2k2 at 9:49 AM 3/12/2007

[maxnix]

I think your choice is much wiser, although I would cut it back to 5K or less in TX heat.

The point of inspecting the undercarraige with knowledgeable eyes frequently should not be lost on any member who still trusts quicky lube shops.