do i have to take my mercedes to the dealership for an oil change?

Question

i was told today the mercedes i'm purchasing has to be taken to a dealership to have the oil changed is that true, or can I do it myself?

I was also told that when the dealership changes the oil they reset the computer and that has to be done otherwise the car will shut down on you (even if YOU changed the oil b/c the computer was not reset)????

its a 2005 c230 btw

Answer 1

If you want to maintain the warranty you need to take it to a reputable garage and keep the receipts. Doing it yourself during warranty is risky if you should have a warranty related issue as they may deny you a claim.
You will need solid proof that proper maintenance was done.

Answer 2

You can have it done elsewhere, but be aware of several things:

1) Mercedes has a specific list of approved oils. You MUST use one of these to maintian the warranty.
2) Mercedes uses cartridge filters, you may have to supply these to your repair shop, as they often aren't stocked. There is also a special tool required to open the cartridge on many models.
3) You must keep the receipts. If you do it yourself, keep the receipts for the filter and oil.
4) Whoever does this has to reset the service reminders. There should be a procedure in your owner's manual.
5) Current Mercedes are designed for the old oil to be suctioned out the dipstick. This requires a vacuum pump. If you do it yourself, you will need to invest in an Oilboy or some similar pump system.

***Late addition*** The service computer will not shut your engine down, but it will give you a lot of bothersome reminders. There is a procedure for resetting it in your user's manual (the procedure varies by model and year). It can always be reset by disconnecting the battery for a couple of minutes, but then you have to reset the radio codes and window computers, which involves more procedures.

Answer 3

You need to tell us what type of M-B it is. You can take it to an indy mechanic. They should be M-B or German car specialists to reduce the chances of problems. Many M-B's use cartridge filters - many mechanics might not know how to replace these or where to find the housing. They need a 36mm socket or a large wrench/pliers. They also have to reset the maintenance remainder light. All this can be done by you if you learn how to do it. To maintain the warranty, you would have to keep all receipts, including sales receipts for oil, filters, etc. You can use aftermarket products to save money, as long as the products are of decent quality. If you want to use an oil extractor (pump), check out the Pela 6000.
http://www.pelaproducts.com/

Answer 4

no you don't ,i own a shop,and any good oil change station can do this for you ,and it doesn't have to come from a dealer,and it wont affect the warranty any either,as long as you use good oil and a good filter it will be fine,and you,ll find its a lot cheaper also having it done somewhere else also,you,ll save some money ,and get just as good of work done,good luck with it i hope this helps.

Answer 5

well i own 2 mercedes benz.

from my experience, its better to have them checked & maintained at the mercedes benz service garage.

u have better resale value for that record.

ofcourse it would be almost half d price cheaper if u do it outside d dealer's but u know u can rest assured your benz is in good hand @ d dealer's.

cheers,

Answer 6

Don't you even think about trying to do an oil change on a Mercedes-Benz by yourself.Theres a reason why people at Mercedes all have lab coats and laptops.

Answer 7

As long as you use oil and filter that meets requirments u can do it yourself. They all lie about this at the dealership