How far can a Benz go between services?
| Distance | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Most models, including the A-Class, E-Class, GLE and S-Class | 25,000 km | 12 months |
| G-Class, Maybach GLS | 20,000 km | 12 months |
| AMG A 45, CLA 45, GLA 45 | 20,000 km | 12 months |
| AMG C 63, E 63, GLC 63, GLE 63, GLS 63, G 63, GT 63 | 20,000 km | 12 months |
That's CarsGuide's schedule, and intervals vary car by car, so your own service booklet decides. At 25,000 km a year, most private owners will reach the 12 months first. You'd only need two visits a year if you're covering a lot of ground.
The table doesn't include the Sprinter, so go by the van's own booklet.
Sprinters earn their keep differently
A Sprinter is a working vehicle first, and its warranty reflects that. The Vito, Valente and Sprinter have a 250,000 km cap, and so does any Mercedes used commercially. A cap like that can arrive well before five years on a busy courier or trades van.
Cars used as taxis or for ride-share are capped at 200,000 km. Private passenger cars, along with the V-Class and Marco Polo, have unlimited kilometres.
If a van is your income, tell us when you tell us the job. A mechanic used to commercial diesels will think about downtime as well as the fault.
Why does my Mercedes diesel need another fluid?
Mercedes uses the name BlueTEC for diesels with extra technology to cut nitrogen oxides. In one version, a mix of urea and water is sprayed into the exhaust, and it's usually sold as AdBlue.
It's a separate tank and a separate job from the fuel. If your dash asks for it, read the owner's manual and act on the message early, because it isn't one to ignore. A warning that stays on after a top-up belongs with a mechanic, and our page on exhaust and DPF work explains the wider system.
Your Mercedes warranty
Cars bought new on or after 1 March 2020 have a five-year warranty, with the kilometre limits above.
A qualified independent mechanic servicing to the maker's schedule and specifications doesn't by itself void it. The regulators' guide is plain on the wider point: any suggestion that a car must be serviced at a dealer to keep your consumer guarantee rights is not correct.
What kind of mechanic suits a Benz
Any qualified mechanic can change oil. The harder part of a Mercedes is finding out what the car itself is reporting, so look for someone who works on German cars week in, week out. Our European car service page covers what to expect.
Cars made from 2002 on fall under a national information-sharing scheme, so an independent can buy the same service and repair information as a dealer. That doesn't mean every workshop has it for Mercedes, so ask. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
Questions to ask before you hand over the keys
- How many Mercedes do you work on in a typical month?
- Can you read Mercedes fault codes in full, including the transmission and body systems?
- Which oil specification does this engine call for, and is that what you'll use?
- Will the service be recorded in my booklet or digital record?
Before you take it in
You can
- Check the service booklet or the dash for when the next service falls.
- Read the owner's manual on topping up diesel exhaust fluid, if your car uses it.
- Note any warning messages word for word, or photograph them.
Leave to the mechanic
- The scheduled service and recording it.
- Fault finding on electronics and exhaust systems.
- Anything on an AMG's brakes, or a hybrid's high-voltage side.
If it were our Benz
We'd set a calendar reminder for the 12 months, since that's the limit most owners hit. Then we'd pick a mechanic who works on Mercedes regularly and ask how they read its fault codes before talking about anything else. On a Sprinter, we'd also watch the odometer against the warranty cap, because a hard-worked van gets there sooner than you think.