Are Mercedes Cars Expensive To Maintain? (Cost Analysis)

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So you’re planning on buying a Mercedes model, but you’re concerned about how much you would spend on maintenance? But are Mercedes cars expensive to maintain?

The simple answer is yes, Mercedes cars incur high maintenance costs; they are second to BMW in terms of high maintenance costs.

Buying a brand new car is not guarantee the car would last long; it is routine maintenance that makes a car last longer. Hence, one of the things to consider when buying a new car is the maintenance cost. Here, we have detailed how much it costs, by average, to maintain Mercedes cars.

Are Mercedes Cars Expensive To Maintain?

Mercedes owners reportedly spend an average of $900 annually on repairs and maintenance, this is more than the industry’s average of $652. Yes, Mercedes cars are expensive to maintain. This is because Mercedes cars are mostly built as “luxury” rides, and most of their components are highly-priced in auto markets.

For several years, Mercedes has advertised its brand as a top-quality brand, and it’s not surprising that maintaining cars from top brands is quite expensive.

Just as the popular saying goes, “if you want the best, you pay for it!” This maxim is probably the secret behind the high cost of maintaining Mercedes cars.

However, if it’s just regular maintenance, like getting your car serviced, changing the oil in your engine when due, changing the fuel/air filters at specific intervals, and washing your car with the right car wash solution, then there’s nothing expensive about driving a Mercedes car.

The expensiveness kicks in when there’s a need to replace a bad or faulty component. For example, replacing Mercedes wheel bearings can cost up to $450 a pop for each bearing and installation.

More so, driving a Mercedes model with “Airmatic” air suspension is a debt trap. If the Airmatic suspension ever gets faulty, you’d be burning a big hole in your pocket/savings to have it fixed.

The worst of it is that the airmatic suspension has limited aftermarket options; so, you’re most likely going to order it from Mercedes.

Why Do Mercedes Cars Have High Maintenance Cost?

Mercedes components are manufactured abroad and shipped to verified Mercedes repair workshops in different countries. So, depending on the country you live in, shipping fees and taxes will add up to make the components seem expensive when they finally get to your location.

But, there’s a way to cut down the cost of maintaining your Mercedes model; this implies getting the Mercedes prepaid plans. Mercedes Canada offers two prepaid maintenance plans: Prepaid Maintenance and Prepaid Maintenance Select.

Getting either of these plans will help to reduce how much you spend on your Mercedes car. Well, the plans are not available ALL Mercedes models; they are for select models; mostly models built from 2012 to date.

General Mercedes Maintenance Schedule

Generally, Mercedes recommends two servicing schedules: Service A and Service B. The Service A schedule is recommended after driving the car over 10,000 miles and Service B is recommended after you’ve crossed 20,000 miles.

Important Note: The final cost of repairing a particular faulty component in your Mercedes vehicle depends on the model and year. The prices mentioned below are estimated costs from RepairPal and Your Mechanic analysis.

Maintenance Item	Cost
Service A	$250 – $500
Service B	$600 – $1,000
Oil change	$160 – $180
Oil and filter change (Cabin & Air)	$380 – $500
Cooling system flush	$265 – $350
Tire rotation	$100 – $300

Are Old Mercedes Expensive To Maintain?

Generally, both old and new Mercedes models are expensive to maintain. However, the cost of maintaining newer models can be reduced by getting a Prepaid Maintenance Plan, but there’s no possible way to reduce the cost of maintaining older models, which are not eligible for the prepaid plans.

One way to cut down the cost of maintaining old Mercedes models is by getting “Extended Warranty” coverage. Mercedes offers an extended warranty, and you can also buy from third-party providers.

Are Mercedes C-Class Expensive To Maintain?

Mercedes C-Class falls within the “Entry Level” models from the brand. It sits with the A-Class models in the same range. Compared with other higher-end Mercedes models like CLA, CLS, E-Class, G-Class, and others, the Mercedes C-Class is less expensive to maintain.

However, this does not mean that the Mercedes C-Class is cheap to maintain. It is still more expensive to maintain than models from other brands, within its price range. It is only cheaper when you’re comparing C-Class models with higher-end models from Mercedes.

According to CarEgde reports, Mercedes C-Class’s annual maintenance cost is about $1,784, and it can get to $8,920 after about 5 years of driving the C-Class model.

Mercedes-Benz Oil Change Cost

Mercedes-Benz maintenance costs are so high, insomuch that even oil change is almost about 2x more expensive than that of other cars. The table below shows the average cost to change the motor oil in your Mercedes-Benz.

Note: The final price depends on the size of your Mercedes-Benz oil reservoir and if the filter will need to be changed too.

Mercedes-Benz Model	Estimated Oil Change Cost
C-Class	$130
E-Class	$140 – $160
G-Class	$140 – $170
S-Class	$140

Source: Repairsmith

Mercedes Maintenance Schedule

There are two initial maintenance schedules recommended by Mercedes: Service A and Service B. However, after Service, it is expected you follow to routine to go for servicing after every 10,000 miles you drive.

Service A:

Hereunder are the things a Mercedes mechanic would check in your car when you for Service A:

Oil change
Filter replacement
Tire inflation check
Fluid corrections
General servicing

Service B:

When you go for Service B, your Mercedes car would be re-checked for everything in Service B, but the following services would be included.

Brake fluid change
Replacement of components showing signs of failure

Mercedes-Benz Maintenance Costs C300

According to Your Mechanic, the average annual maintenance of the Mercedes C300 is $368, while the actual estimated cost is between $100 to $3000. Common Mercedes C300 repairs include:

Alternator Repair
Brake Rotors/Discs Replacement
CV Axle / Shaft Assembly Replacement
Brake Shoe Replacement
Car Door Lock Actuator Replacement
Strut Assembly Replacement
Fuel Injector Replacement

Common Mercedes Repair Costs

Repair	Estimated Cost
Water pump replacement	$750 – $870
Brake pad replacement	$340 – $375
Wheel hub replacement	$250 – $300
Replace spark plugs	$360 to $500

Annual Cost Of Maintenance For Popular Mercedes Models

Model	Annual Repair Costs
C350	$580 – $724
E350	$630 – $788
GLK350	$859
GLC	$1,040
ML350	$1,020
S550	$800 – $1,249
S63 AMG	$1,581

How To Reduce Cost Of Mercedes-Benz Maintenance

The best way to reduce the amount you’d spend on maintaining your Mercedes-Benz model is by getting one of the Prepaid Plans offered by Mercedes.

Or, you could get Extended Warranty coverage (if your Mercedes model does not qualify for Prepaid Maintenance Plans).

Final Thoughts

Why are Mercedes cars expensive to maintain? They are generally viewed as luxury rides and their parts are quite rare to find in the market. Also, not all mechanics can perfectly repair Mercedes vehicles, and that’s why it seems the maintenance of Mercedes cars is expensive.

If you’re getting a used Mercedes model, you have to inspect the car very well, especially if it’s a model that comes with an Airmatic suspension system.