Has anyone created or seen a video on how to change the oil? Our local dealership refuses to service our Metris and the nearest dealership that will service it is 1 1/2 hours away. That's a three hour drive plus time in the shop. Too much time away from work.
How to Change Oil
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
My local Merc dealer won't touch it, but my VW dealer is happy to help! Just had service A done, but still want to change oil every 7,500.......... I like helping but c'mon folks. Drain from bottom or suck out from the top. Oil filter is out front under the airbox. 27mm socket. Just drive it to Atlanta. I'll do it. If you have anything more specific than that I can help, but oil changes are pretty straight forward.
Joined
·
2,699 Posts
I'm pretty sure the drain plug is obscured by the underbody aero cladding. But the dealers suck it out through the dipstick IIRC.
The cladding is easy to remove though. My wife did it in about thirty minutes. In the pouring rain. Without jacking the car.
The cladding is easy to remove though. My wife did it in about thirty minutes. In the pouring rain. Without jacking the car.
Joined
·
271 Posts
I love how an MB dealer can refuse to do service on the Metris with an ounce of integrity left.
Joined
·
2,699 Posts
I don't know about in Canada, but in the US there are Mercedes car dealers and Mercedes van dealers. Most van dealers do cohabitate with a car dealer (but not all) but only, iirc, about 2/3rds of car dealers have a van dealer.
The car-only dealers are not authorized to sell, service, or repair vans. Also remember that in the US, with a few controversial exceptions (e.g. Tesla) not only are car dealers not owned by the manufacturer, but it is illegal for them to be so. It is also illegal for them to set prices for the sale, service, and repair of said cars and their parts. That's why it's called MSRP or "Manufacturers *Suggested* Retail Price".
Most of the car only dealers don't sell vans by choice. In their opinion Mercedes should not be selling commercial vehicles in the US, and certainly not at a vaguely competitive price. They would, in fact, prefer the whole venture failed- or at least got rebadged as freightliners permanently.
So a car only dealer refusing to service it isn't surprising.
The car-only dealers are not authorized to sell, service, or repair vans. Also remember that in the US, with a few controversial exceptions (e.g. Tesla) not only are car dealers not owned by the manufacturer, but it is illegal for them to be so. It is also illegal for them to set prices for the sale, service, and repair of said cars and their parts. That's why it's called MSRP or "Manufacturers *Suggested* Retail Price".
Most of the car only dealers don't sell vans by choice. In their opinion Mercedes should not be selling commercial vehicles in the US, and certainly not at a vaguely competitive price. They would, in fact, prefer the whole venture failed- or at least got rebadged as freightliners permanently.
So a car only dealer refusing to service it isn't surprising.
Joined
·
271 Posts
Whomever sells it, should be servicing it. But yeah, if they are separate entities there, then it makes sense on a logistical level.
"The Manhattan store is the only company-owned dealership in the country, and the flagship of Mercedes’ Autohaus project"
Joined
·
2,699 Posts
I thought the Manhattan store was a Hoffman dealership.
Speaking of oil changes, are folks following recommended interval of every 12 mo/15,000 miles?
I have 7k Miles on my Metris (LOVE it!) and am just a little nervous about going so long between intervals.
Years ago, I leased a new BMW 323 which had recommended oil change intervals of 10k (party of their mission to lower cost of ownership) and when I was set to purchase it off lease a BMW mechanic acted like I had done wrong by not changing oil more frequent intervals!
I have 7k Miles on my Metris (LOVE it!) and am just a little nervous about going so long between intervals.
Years ago, I leased a new BMW 323 which had recommended oil change intervals of 10k (party of their mission to lower cost of ownership) and when I was set to purchase it off lease a BMW mechanic acted like I had done wrong by not changing oil more frequent intervals!
Joined
·
2,699 Posts
One of the biggest idiots on cars I ever met was an instructor at a college where I was taking a course on automotive maintenance.
He had some pretty crazy notions, like the cost cutting being done by installing disc brakes on cars because cars didn't need something as powerful as a drum. Or that it was not possible to have a feature that would tell you that a light bulb was out on your car.
(All you need is a simple resistance meter- resistance goes down, a bulb is out, cake, and MB has provided such a feature for decades- so do a lot of other manufacturers)
There is no reason to change oil more frequently than reccomended. I mean do it if you want, so long as you don't make the common error of thinking that changing the oil is a replacement for a thorough service at the prescribed intervals. You won't actually help the car at all by doing it, but if it makes you feel better... placebos are not a bad thing.
He had some pretty crazy notions, like the cost cutting being done by installing disc brakes on cars because cars didn't need something as powerful as a drum. Or that it was not possible to have a feature that would tell you that a light bulb was out on your car.
(All you need is a simple resistance meter- resistance goes down, a bulb is out, cake, and MB has provided such a feature for decades- so do a lot of other manufacturers)
There is no reason to change oil more frequently than reccomended. I mean do it if you want, so long as you don't make the common error of thinking that changing the oil is a replacement for a thorough service at the prescribed intervals. You won't actually help the car at all by doing it, but if it makes you feel better... placebos are not a bad thing.
Joined
·
43 Posts
Pretty much. Lots of mechanics were astonished to learn its 25000km service interval, but they showed more understanding once I told them it takes that much oil.
Joined
·
271 Posts
If you plan on keeping it for a long time, I would personally just do it at the halfway point, so every 12,500 kms (my B200 is slated for 20,000 kms, but I do it around every 8,000 kms). Fresher oil is better for a clean engine and turbo. Plus it depends on your style of driving or whether or not you are leasing or planning to dump it at the end of warranty.
Joined
·
2,699 Posts
8 quarts is about standard for a direct injection turbo of 2-liters. Don't think of it as a 2-liter four, think of it as an engine with 208hp, and 258lb-ft- like a mid-80s Mustang 5.0 HO. Except with a lot more low-end torque.
Modern fully synthetic oils and proper filters don't contaminate easily, and literally never wear out (break down).
Actually, my Cat 3126 was a 7.2 I-6, it had 4 gallons (16 quarts) (CAT sells its oil by the gallon) and a 30,000 mile change interval.
That, by the way, had 207 hp and 475 lb-ft.
Modern fully synthetic oils and proper filters don't contaminate easily, and literally never wear out (break down).
Actually, my Cat 3126 was a 7.2 I-6, it had 4 gallons (16 quarts) (CAT sells its oil by the gallon) and a 30,000 mile change interval.
That, by the way, had 207 hp and 475 lb-ft.
Joined
·
271 Posts
Yeah. Mine is 5L capacity and I have 167000+ kms. No burning or leaking oil.
Joined
·
378 Posts
Yes, don't understand the whole early oil change. It's a waste, unless you are towing very heavy loads regularly or you regularly drive only 5 miles. My 2005 BMW 530 has 15,000 oil changes and at 217000 miles it runs perfect and just changed a valve cover gasket and the valve train looks clean as a pin!
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
