Main dealer servicing costs can often seem like a moving feast — and an expensive one at that.
‘Amateur’ car owners may begrudge these costs, but when you’re running a busy business fleet of vans then skimping on servicing makes no sense at all.
To try and encourage more van operators to sign up for servicing plans or to book scheduled services at their own dealers, Mercedes-Benz has introduced fixed national service pricing for all current van models:
| Sprinter | New Vito | Citan | |
| Service A | £130 | £99 | £99 |
| Service B | £250 | £229 | £185 |
| Dust Filter | £23 | £28 | £50 |
| Brake Fluid | £40 | £30 | £50 |
| Coolant | – | – | £48 |
| Total | £443 | £386 | £432 |
These prices are valid at all participating Mercedes-Benz van dealers and are subject to a £20 surcharge for our-of-hours servicing.
Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said:
“We have listened to our customers and evolved our National Servicing pricing and Service Plans to be transparent, easy-to-understand, and above all, cost-effective. Our customers are focused on their businesses and daily lives, so we hope that the launch of our National Servicing pricing and tailored Service Plans removes one less worry for them!”
However, customers who are prepared to pay up front by opting into a service plan can make significant extra savings. According to Mercedes, a business operating a Sprinter and opting for out-of-hours servicing can save £261 over four years on six services.
Service Plans allow you to choose out-of-hours servicing with no extra cost. Here’s how it could work out, assuming two services over two years (exc. VAT):
| Sprinter | New Vito | Citan | |
| National Service Pricing | £443 | £386 | £432 |
| Approved Used Service Plan | £396
(£16.50 per month) |
£348
(14.50 per month) |
£420
(£17.50 per month) |
| New Service Plan | £240
(£10 per month) |
£192
(£8 per month) |
£192
(£8 per month) |
Mercedes isn’t doing this for love. Aftersales work is often more profitable for dealers than vehicle sales. It also helps dealers to stay in touch with previous customers and encourages customers to stay loyal.
Despite this, I have to say that these prices sound pretty reasonable to me. They seem on a level with the prices I pay to get my (older) Transit serviced at a local independent garage.
Of course, these rates exclude any repairs or non-services parts which may need replacing. This could cost more than at an independent garage. Yet on a well-maintained new or nearly-new van, extra costs ought mostly to be limited to service items such as brake discs, as a general rule.
The numbers certainly seem to add up in favour of pre-paying for a service plan when buying new or Approved Used.