Sprinter prepaid Maintenance plan worth the $$$?

velvetsprinter

New member
Hello All,
I have never posted in a forum before so I apologize if this is bad form.
I have been reading this forum a lot and you guys seem to be "in the know".
We are to pick up a 2015 Sprinter passenger van for the family today after waiting for 5 months and borrowing cars to get us by. I would be very excited, but I am nervous about the decision of the warranty and maintenance.
1. I think ? the new warranty extension to 7 yrs/175k for $4,225 is important and who knows if down the road I could afford a mercedes repair like the ones talked about on here!
2. So, the question Is the maintenance prepaid program...
I am no mechanic, but I could always handle changing the oil on my old pick ups. Most of the stuff listed is checks except the transmission service which seems to run over a grand. I'm NOT experienced enough to run all those checks myself, and I worry about the warranty being voided because I did not document something correct as the sales guy says, maybe to scare me?
I appreciate any guidance you can share before I drop an extra $8+ grand on these items at pick up.
Thank you very much and have a groovy day,
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Hello All,
I have never posted in a forum before so I apologize if this is bad form.
I have been reading this forum a lot and you guys seem to be "in the know".
We are to pick up a 2015 Sprinter passenger van for the family today after waiting for 5 months and borrowing cars to get us by. I would be very excited, but I am nervous about the decision of the warranty and maintenance.
1. I think ? the new warranty extension to 7 yrs/175k for $4,225 is important and who knows if down the road I could afford a mercedes repair like the ones talked about on here!
2. So, the question Is the maintenance prepaid program...
I am no mechanic, but I could always handle changing the oil on my old pick ups. Most of the stuff listed is checks except the transmission service which seems to run over a grand. I'm NOT experienced enough to run all those checks myself, and I worry about the warranty being voided because I did not document something correct as the sales guy says, maybe to scare me?
I appreciate any guidance you can share before I drop an extra $8+ grand on these items at pick up.
Thank you very much and have a groovy day,
The extended warranty may well be a good investment. But you have until your basic warranty expires to decide. It makes little sense to purchase it when the vehicle is new. Who knows what the future will bring? Keep your money in the bank and decide later. If and when you do buy it, shop on the Internet for the cheapest seller. They are high-profit items, so deep discounts are available.

As you suggest, prepaid maintenance is in almost all cases a very, very bad deal. Sprinter maintenance is very easy. Doing those checks is important, but there is no reason you can't learn to do them all yourself if you are so inclined. If not, the world is full of third-party garages that will do them all for a tiny fraction of what you would be paying to the dealer.

Please, please: totally ignore anything you hear about "voiding your warranty". Unless you actually CAUSE a problem, the law is very strongly on your side. Read this:

Federal Trade Commission-Auto Warranties & Routine Maintenance

In particular, note the following:

Do I have to use the dealer for repairs and maintenance to keep my warranty in effect?
No. An independent mechanic, a retail chain shop, or even you yourself can do routine maintenance and repairs on your vehicle. In fact, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which is enforced by the FTC, makes it illegal for manufacturers or dealers to claim that your warranty is void or to deny coverage under your warranty simply because someone other than the dealer did the work. That said, there may be certain situations where a repair may not be covered. For example, if you or your mechanic replaced a belt improperly and your engine is damaged as a result, your manufacturer or dealer may deny responsibility for fixing the engine under the warranty. However, according to the FTC, the manufacturer or dealer must be able to demonstrate that it was the improper belt replacement — rather than some other defect — that caused the damage to your engine. The warranty would still be in effect for other parts of your car.
 

BBlessing

61k happy miles
I bought a service package for my van when I picked it up. it was $2500 for the first 10 oil changes and included one brake fluid flush and one trans service. however I ignored the 100,000 mile expiration and missed my last oil change by 500 miles. so the first oil change I had to perform myself cost me $230 for all the filters (oil, air and fuel) and oil, and of course my labor and fuel running around to get the parts and tools. you will need a special oil filter wrench as well.

bb
 

3TURBOS

2004 Dodge 140wb pass.
Avanti, Well stated and sage advice. I also use this method, if it is not a lemon, it will sail thru the factory warranty and you will have a semblance of confidence.
If you have issues during this time frame, its probably time to ante up, at the end of the initial warranty. Also gives you time to get a feel for the vehicle and it nature... AKA.... this is not what I expected, or I love it!
 

smiller

2008 View J (2007 NCV3 3500)
Just FWIW, and oil change (using Mobil 1 ESP Formula M and Mann filter) costs me about $90 (add $35 for a fuel filter), a transmission fluid change (again using correct premium fluids and parts) cost about $120, and a rear axle fluid change about $22. And doing it myself I know no shortcuts or mistakes were made, plus it's a good opportunity for an overall inspection so I can catch any problems early on. But if you don't like working on vehicles, or pay list price for parts, or count the gasoline it costs to go to the store, etc., then a prepaid plan may be for you.

Basically, whether service plans are worth it or not often depend more on the owner than the vehicle so one must look inward for the answer (your spiritual thought for the day.)
 

surlyoldbill

Well-known member
Extended warranties are only good if you plan on keeping a vehicle for an extended amount of time. Most Americans get bored with, or need to Keep Up With The Jones', every 2-3 years. Having a 7 year warranty on a vehicle you're only going to have for 2-3 years is completely illogical. I doubt the increase in resale if the warranty is transferable would make it worthwhile.

BUT, putting it in perspective; if you don't want to have to do this stuff yourself, or can't, it's not too bad a deal. It's less than a month's pay for most people, and you get 7 years? That's only about $60/month, $2/day for 7 years. If the warranty is not just maintenance but actual failed parts, covering you for EVERYTHING except accidents and tire wear, it's not too bad. All you would have to pay for in 7 years would be tires and gas.
 

Moji

New member
HI All,
Not to plow up a snake, but more questions re the prepaid warranty and prepaid maintenance. We are purchasing a 2016 144" w/b 4cyl crew van. Very excited.

Went thru some angst re the Tom Robertson blog Mercedes Sprinter Fatal Flaw. Seems like the extended warranty would relieve said angst. Steve & Nelli at Laguna Niguel Sprinter offered what I believe to be sage advice. Mercedes has gone thru things like this before, e.g. the leaking roof mount a/c; they acknowledge the problem, then fix it. My guess is Mercedes has watched closely the "VW dieselgate" and will ensure that they do not become the fall guy for this type problem.

Thoughts????

That being said has anybody found a better price on the Prepaid Warranty and/or the Prepaid Maintenance Plans offered from a Mercedes dealer? In the past I have seen various dealers for Toyota and Lexus offer better pricing on factory warranties.
 

smiller

2008 View J (2007 NCV3 3500)
The general pros and cons have been discussed above. With regards to price, maintenance plans are a very high markup item, sometimes 100% or more, and that's why dealers love to sell them (believe me, it's not your bottom line they're concerned about.) As such there is usually room for negotiation, in fact every time I've refused one I've had the F&I guy come down on price, sometimes to as low as 50% of the original asking price. Also there are many other companies willing to sell you a maintenance plan and the price is usually lower, but you have to carefully vet the company and plan to be sure that you'll actually be able to use it if/when the time comes.
 

Moji

New member
Thanks...concur with your thoughts. My plan is to only purchase a Mercedes Plan(s)...do not want to play games as to whether something is approved or not.
 

4wheels

Well-known member
Moji :
Please ignore Tom Robertson blog , his drivers are idling his Sprinters 24 hours sometimes and filling up on truck stops because fuel supposed to be "fresh " ( and getting B20 diesel ) .
Tom Robertson bought Transits and Promasters - read his next blog in a few years about failing turbos, heads or flex plates .
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
As always: read the fine print.

They'll tow? How far?

If your Sprinter breaks down in East Podunk Montana, it will be a looooonnngggg way to a Mercedes Sprinter dealer.
Some policies have a distance limit (i've seen 50 miles), almost all have a "first stop" limit (they'll tow you to where you say to go, but if that "dealer" can't fix it, the insurance will probably not cover towing to someone who really can).

Will Mercedes pay for a non-authorized service point repair?
(that's usually negotiated on a case-by-case basis, so it may add a day or three to the layover).
((example: turbo hose replacement doesn't require specific Sprinter Knowledge, but it does require a Sprinter-specific part.))

Extended warranties are good for "peace of mind (and tummy-rumbling), but still can be a bit exasperating when invoked.
(will they cover things obviously *about* to fail, or does the Sprinter really have to die on the road?)

--dick
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Here is the coverage for any vehicle covered under any MB warranty:

As of January 1, 2014, Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance will offer the following complimentary services
for eligible vehicles:

• Roadside Assistance*
• Replace a flat tire with a spare
• Jump start
• Deliver a small amount of fuel, should the vehicle run out.
• Lockout Service - Pay per use service without an active Mbrace account
• Complimentary towing to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership, given that the service/repair is completed
at the dealership
• If the repair is not performed at the dealership, a fee of $150 will be charged to the customer
As an aside, you also apparently get this coverage if the vehicle purchased directly from an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership prior to January 4, 2011 and you still own the vehicle
 

Moji

New member
Thanks much 4wheels....the blog with all the others joining and repeating same had me reeling.
Was very comforted by Steve at MB Laguna Niguel comments.
 

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