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Iridium Plugs #1622255
23/06/2018 20:14
23/06/2018 20:14
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
Merc went for its annual Merc main dealer service today. It’s done 27k miles and is 4 years old.

Apart from the oil and filter change (and a whole load of other nonsense they add it to make the price not seem quite as obscene) they offered me:
- brake fluid change
- air filter change
- iridium plugs change

I took the fluid change as fluid degrades with age and the air filter change because, well, I’d expect it to be part of a service anyway but declined the plugs - after all, the car has only done 27k and, depending on brand, iridium plugs are meant to be good for up to 100k miles and I can’t see them degrading with age.

That’s fine, the bloke said, but you’ll lose your Mercedes Assistance cover!

So, there I am faced with paying £310 for 6 plugs that don’t need changing or losing (forever, presumably) the Merc breakdown cover. I declined and will call Merc UK on Monday.

I like Mercs to drive but I hate dealing with any part of their after sales.

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622268
24/06/2018 08:54
24/06/2018 08:54
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 221
norwich
sharman Offline
Making a profit
sharman  Offline
Making a profit

Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 221
norwich
Wow, talk about bullying tactics. And £310 for 6 plugs!?! Thats £51 each.
I'll never moan again about coupes being expensive to maintain.

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622381
28/06/2018 10:35
28/06/2018 10:35
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,704
Harpenden
S
sugerbear Offline
Je suis un Coupé
sugerbear  Offline
Je suis un Coupé
S

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,704
Harpenden
What does the service manual say about spark plug changes? Are Iridium the only option?


How to make a startrek widget cable >> http://tinyurl.com/dyje6fy
Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622383
28/06/2018 11:32
28/06/2018 11:32
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
neil_r Offline
Enjoying the ride
neil_r  Offline
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
When you say "they offered", do they mean that it is part of the required maintenance at that point in time? If it is not, then the treat of removing a service cannot be right?

I assume that the £310 includes fitting at Mercedes dealer rates? The plugs are probably half that total?


1997 20V
2000 V6 manual S-Type and 2011 5.0 XKR
2016 Tucson 1.6T AWD
2018 Mazda2 GT
Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622386
28/06/2018 14:25
28/06/2018 14:25
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
It was an “option”

Yup - might include some labour - can’t imagine its that hard on a front-engined V6 though. They had completed the £400 oil, filter and brake fluid change by 9am...

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622399
28/06/2018 17:55
28/06/2018 17:55
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
szkom Offline
Club member 2000
szkom  Offline
Club member 2000
Forum is my job

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,994
ation
As I recall, on the old S type Jag V6, you had to remove the inlet manifold to access the plugs. It might not be as easy as you think on yours

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622402
28/06/2018 21:26
28/06/2018 21:26
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
TBH - the price isn’t my gripe - it’s changing plugs at 27k - or not, and being held to ransom.

That said, YouTube shows that plug replacement on the V6 is as simple as you could imagine: plastic covers off, couple of pipes to remove, then coil packs and plugs.

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622408
29/06/2018 06:32
29/06/2018 06:32
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
neil_r Offline
Enjoying the ride
neil_r  Offline
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
Funny, I have an S-Type with those difficult to access plugs smile

Jaguar also used iridium plugs and stipulated a mileage related change on their Vehicle Maintenance Sheet. Time was not an issue for plugs.

I changed them myself when the car was about 11 years old but probably only had covered 40k miles because I was worried that they might get progressively harder to get out the longer I left them in.


1997 20V
2000 V6 manual S-Type and 2011 5.0 XKR
2016 Tucson 1.6T AWD
2018 Mazda2 GT
Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622427
29/06/2018 10:35
29/06/2018 10:35
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
ScouseCoupe Offline
Enjoying the ride
ScouseCoupe  Offline
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
My iridium NGK plugs are removed every 25k on a SEAT, but recommended to be changed at 75k, when i had the 80k service, was advised good for another 20k. Mine are in a VW TSI engine.

27k change for a MB sounds bonkers.

Last edited by ScouseCoupe; 29/06/2018 10:37. Reason: Spell

1999 Rosso Corsa 20VT ( Restored )
2000 Rosso Alfa 916 Spider 2.0 T.S Lusso ( Under Restoration)

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1622596
03/07/2018 07:05
03/07/2018 07:05
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
The plot thickens slightly: Merc say that you do not lose your breakdown cover if you choose not to do optional items. Sytner dealerships are wrong to be saying this.

When I raised it with Sytners (Merc Swindon) the lady I spoke to said they’d been telling customers this for at least the last year (the length of time she’d worked there). This raises the question of how many customers have been misled and sold work that wasn’t necessary.

Re: Iridium Plugs [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1623366
27/07/2018 12:34
27/07/2018 12:34
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline OP
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
So the saga continues. After a month of messing about, Mercedes say that it is correct that if you don’t have the “optional” service items done, you lose your breakdown cover, your accident recovery and your 30-year anti-perforation warranty.

He explained that it is “optional” because you can choose not to do it. I retorted that I can “choose” not to service the car at all so I can’t see the difference.

Personally I think that it’s just a scam to make servicing costs seem less and possibly to reduce the cost of the service plans they sell (these “optional” items bring extras).

As I have AA cover anyway and, by servicing the car at any point in the future, you can restore the cover they give, it’s all a total nonsense.


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