[katil.garage]

I have a 2018 pre facelift C200 which is due for 4th service tomorrow, the dealer has sent me two service options and I am confused as to which is right for my condition.

My car has been running fine, although the gear shifts can be a tad bit jerky at times and the brake pads seem to have worn out, it has done 20,000kms only till now.

Kindly suggest whether I need to go for the basic pack or the advanced one

[sauravpat]

Originally Posted by katil.garage

I have a 2018 pre facelift C200 which is due for 4th service tomorrow, the dealer has sent me two service options and I am confused as to which is right for my condition.

My car has been running fine, although the gear shifts can be a tad bit jerky at times and the brake pads seem to have worn out, it has done 20,000kms only till now.

Kindly suggest whether I need to go for the basic pack or the advanced one

20k kms is too low for a transmission oil change I believe. Has this been suggested after a test drive with the technician or just based on your mention of the jerky gear changes? The dealer will have added that only because of your complaint. I do not know of any car who has a scheduled transmission fluid change below 40-50k kms.

[lamborghini]

If the car has a dual clutch transmission, then Mercedes requires changing of transmission oil every 4 years / 60Kkm.
In my case the service advisor himself suggested holding off the transmission oil change till 5th year : but best to ask them what they would suggest given your cars history.
I wouldn't risk not carrying a gearbox oil change for a dual clutch in warranty.

[sauravpat]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

I wouldn't risk not carrying a gearbox oil change for a dual clutch in warranty.

I am aware that to not void warranty, you need to follow the manufacturer service schedule, but will not prematurely changing this gearbox oil before the scheduled date cause warranty issues later?

[androdev]

Service schedule is usually mentioned as 4 years or 60K km whichever is earlier. It's always a combination of time and mileage as both affect the component.

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by katil.garage

I have a 2018 pre facelift C200 which is due for 4th service tomorrow, the dealer has sent me two service options and I am confused as to which is right for my condition. My car has been running fine, although the gear shifts can be a tad bit jerky at times and the brake pads seem to have worn out, it has done 20,000kms only till now.
Kindly suggest whether I need to go for the basic pack or the advanced one

For your 4 yr old car, if the gear shift problem is not too severe and/or can be addressed by the service station easily, then suggest to go with the basic pack only. They have recommended changing the transmission fluid and the gear oil - that by itself does not resolve the gear shifting/jerking problem.

Originally Posted by sauravpat

20k kms is too low for a transmission oil change I believe.
---
I do not know of any car who has a scheduled transmission fluid change below 40-50k kms.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

I wouldn't risk not carrying a gearbox oil change for a dual clutch in warranty.

Originally Posted by sauravpat

I am aware that to not void warranty, you need to follow the manufacturer service schedule, but will not prematurely changing this gearbox oil before the scheduled date cause warranty issues later?

The dealership is likely to put pressure to go for the costlier service pack. Premature (referring to years and not mileage) changing of oil, if done at the authorized dealer, will not void the warranty. Anyways, the service schedule will recommend lesser of either 4 yrs or 55-60k km.
However, changing the transmission + gear fluids and inflating the bill by a whopping 4x times, needs to be considered on the back of diagnosis.

[sauravpat]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

The dealership is likely to put pressure to go for the costlier service pack. Premature (referring to years and not mileage) changing of oil, if done at the authorized dealer, will not void the warranty. Anyways, the service schedule will recommend lesser of either 4 yrs or 55-60k km.
However, changing the transmission + gear fluids and inflating the bill by a whopping 4x times, needs to be considered on the back of diagnosis.

I mean if we reject the recommendation of the service person to change the oil as has been suggested, will that affect warranty later?

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by sauravpat

I mean if we reject the recommendation of the service person to change the oil as has been suggested, will that affect warranty later?

Prima facie, I am assuming that since the dealer himself has given 2 options - choosing any one of them, shouldn't cause any problems later.

But this situation may not be that straightforward due to the gearbox complaints put forth by the OP.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by sauravpat

I mean if we reject the recommendation of the service person to change the oil as has been suggested, will that affect warranty later?

In my opinion, If it's there as part of manufacturer recommended service guidelines then yes, not doing so could hamper warranty on gearbox.

[itwasntme]

Broadly speaking, it's always the number of kilometres or elapsed time, whichever is earlier.

If the Mercedes manual specifically captures the above, then you should do it. No two ways about it, especially with your gearbox issues already formally recorded by the service center.

[katil.garage]

UPDATE: I got the full transmission + normal service done as it was recommended by Mercedes in the service schedule and wasn't just the dealership trying to extort more money.

Initial observation is that the car is running more smoothly than before, might be due to the transmission service or just placebo after paying such a hefty service amount

Getting the transmission service done was essential though as if I didn't get it done, the service advisor said I'll have to sign a document that acquits the dealership or MB India from any transmission problems that may pop up at any later stage.

[nareshtrao]

All, I need a different kind of advice.

I plan to upgrade and sell the current C-Class. However, I understand the dealers' Pre-owned divisions do not offer a great value as a buy-back or exchange.

Which are the better channels to sell the old car and realize a better value than going for an exchange and differential payment.

This is for Bangalore. Any advice deeply appreciated.

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by katil.garage

Getting the transmission service done was essential though as if I didn't get it done, the service advisor said I'll have to sign a document that acquits the dealership or MB India from any transmission problems that may pop up at any later stage.

Interesting that the customer is asked to acquit MB of any issues when the transmission jerkiness on such a recent vehicle is quietly ignored. If the recommendation is that the transmission oil has to be changed 4y/60k, what is the reason for it to be changed so early? MB won't address that?

Will MB sign off on the transmission running perfectly from now on and they will compensate you in case the transmission issues pop up again? Typical bs.

The joys of owning a German comes with the rigidity of their thinking, I guess.

[S2!!!]

Even I used to face the 7G-tronic's jerkiness issue and occasional sluggishness, which is widely talked and discussed about on international forums. I wasn't getting any transmission error or check engine error, and I had changed the transmission oil periodically in my W176 A-Class, however this issue kept bothering me. Solution? A transmission reset. All it takes is a few minutes, and you can do it anywhere without plugging in or connecting any external devices to your vehicle. I followed the steps based on this link, and it has smoothened out the jerks, and the transmission doesn't feel as sluggish as before. Hope it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk0kb4Zj55E

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by katil.garage

Getting the transmission service done was essential though as if I didn't get it done, the service advisor said I'll have to sign a document that acquits the dealership or MB India from any transmission problems that may pop up at any later stage.

Still confused. Does the manual for your variant specify a mandatory 4Y/60K km interval for the ATF flush/change? If so, MB are well within their right to insist you sign a relevant disclaimer if either of the ceilings have been reached, regardless of the mileage of the vehicle.

For example, other consumables like brake fluid or coolant don't care that the owner did not drive due to the pandemic; the various chemicals in them continued to degrade throughout 2020-2022, and in my opinion needs even more careful inspection and flushing if necessary.

In summary, I feel (after owning a BMW / Skoda), the grey area arises only if the change / flush is discretionary in nature.