One serious advice for you. If you cannot own a new merc, bmw, audi, or other luxury branded car, better avoid it. Unless you have the capability to buy new C200 but opt for 2nd hand because it is cheaper.

Because it is a luxury brand, the price charged is also luxury level, RM800 normal service to rm7k major service, if you break a front lamp, RM21k repair cost (LV bag?), damper unit RM6k (Gucci wallet?). When you can easily own a new merc C200 at RM289k, these type of cost is well affordable for you. But if you can't afford a new merc and want to buy second hand, be prepare to pay roughly these kind of amount for servicing. I don't want you to regret buying an expensive-to-maintain car with your wallet hurting a lot and eat maggi whole month. If you don't replace this item that item, the car will break down sooner, like many youngsters buy recond BMW but no money to maintain, ended up breaking down at road side, or car sounds like lorry.

Something worth your time to reconsider.

This post has been edited by RicoT: Mar 2 2015, 10:16 PM

I do have a W212 pre-FL E200, the one using 1.8L instead of 2.0L engine. I did warranty claim on certain items before, and did find the time to ask the Service Adviser on the cost of getting it replace without warranty. Headlights one pair + workmanship = RM21k (original parts of course). Damper 1 pair (not sure front or rear) + workmanship = RM6-8k(?) (I forgot the exact amount but it is somewhere in this regime). Brake pads + workmanship about RM1.5k(?). I just got a major service done and it cost about RM7k with some spare change, gear oil, engine oil, combi filter, air con cleaning & service, etc. I am not sure how much is the charges if do it outside after warranty, but to avoid my warranty getting voided, I usually do my car service at C&C PJ.

When you walk into a merc salesroom, if you ask the salesman what the service cost is, they will reply: "if you can own a merc, these are consider small money to you." Although it is a bit sarcastic, but it is true.

When you go do workshop outside, they will sharpen up their butcher knife because it is a merc. Beware..

Yes, if one have lobang, he can get cheaper price. However, I would still opt for official workshop due to the vast resources and proper training available to them. Outside workshop, they just chin chai (simply) whack here and there, forgot some bolts and nuts, place imitation parts while selling you price for genuine one. Something like how a workshop collaborate with insurance assessor to claim original parts yet put in imitation parts in damaged cars.

Yet they (the rich but spending-conscious) can afford to pay this kind of price when it is necessary, even if they are discontent with the price. But what if one does not have the money to pay the "unexpected" high price for repair/spare parts? How? Find relative/ah long borrow money to repair the car?

As always in life, don't judge a book by its cover. The salesman attending me very helpful, of course, there are the unhelpful ones, encountered many before him. But it suit them right, not being professional enough in their work ended up losing customers and buyers.

Sometimes, it is unfortunate that someone reverse into your car and take off one of the headlamp, maybe defects on the car found after warranty, or even pebble on the road crack the headlamp. Having a nice merc, the owner will feel unhappy about it and it is an eye-sore to look at it everytime. Hence, change.

I claimed warranty for my car headlamps because there is a, er.. sort of semi-transparent V-shaped mark on it. According to the service adviser, it might be due to oil on the road being wash up on the headlamp, and the high temperature light beam pass through the plastic headlamps, deteriorated the plastic, hence the V-shape mark. It is very obvious as we can trace the beam shape to the mark on the headlamp. They never had a case before for my model, but they wouldn't be surprise mine is the first one, since it has been through 132000km in the first 3 years. The mileage and driving duration clocked on the car is much higher than usual customers.

Even merc battery cost about RM1k each, but you can claim new battery during the warranty. Rear damper had been changed, warranty claimed. It feels like every mechanical parts can be claimed during warranty, except brake pads and discs.

This post has been edited by RicoT: Mar 6 2015, 05:37 PM

Double posted.

This post has been edited by RicoT: Mar 6 2015, 05:38 PM

Nope, to clqim insurance, you have to make police report, and there is a minimum claim amount, meaning if the DRL cost less than RM1000, thry won't entertain. That is why workshop will use hammer to break your car more, e.g. lights, bumper, etc. so you can claim insurance.

As I reiterate again, Mercedes Benz is a luxury and premium brand, so does BMW, Audi, Porshe, Lamborghini, Ferrrari, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc. It will cost a lot to own one. Consumers should do their research thoroughly before committing a decision to buy the car. The exorbitant price for spare parts is charged the same anywhere else in other countries. Price difference is dependent on the region, quantity ordered and profit margin the SC want to earn. Everyone is doing business, and if a business is not profitable, it wouldn't sustain itself. The number of luxury cars is smaller when compared to normal cars on the road. Naturally, if one cannot earn by quantity, it must mark up the price higher to cover its operational cost. I wouldn't blame them as it is justified to charge higher due to these facts.