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Some manufacturers may not care or give you much of a hassle for doing the work yourself and just keeping receipts for the parts.
This thread is about a Mercedes, who I can assure you, DO care that the work is performed by a shop. Doesn't have to be a dealer, but is HAS to be a shop. Want to know why?
For starters, all higher end modern cars with computerized systems have an onboard maintenance schedule, which sends a service message when a certain mile mark is hit. A person can't reset those service interval indicators by themselves, unless they go out and spend a grand or more on a tool that can read and reset the factory specific codes.
If the codes aren't reset, then it looks as though no maintenance was performed, simple as that.
We're not talking diesel trucks and cheap cars. I spent $4500 once on a four years warranty for a Mercedes SL600... because if the convertible mechanism ever failed, that alone was $3000 to fix. Believe me, they were extremely unhappy about having to pay up for any repairs on that car, total repairs came to about $9k over the 4 years. I knew that going in however, so that's why I got the warranty. Lots of people got denied for various little things, some lawsuits were filed, etc.
Did you know most all of those diesel pickups you see cost well over 30k.
some more than a mercedes.
Well any way, I change my own oil on my 30+K truck(s) myself.
I keep all the receipts, they do hold up in court, they are valid proof. I site the millage and date on them when the oil or filters are put into service and you can buy them in bulk you just need the receipt.
The receipt is even good enough proof for Uncle Sam at tax time
I don't trust the kid at jiffy lube with my engine I enjoy servicing my vehicles.
I even have all most every receipt for fuel to window wash.
You hear stories about what the dealer would charge to replace a engine all the time. That is irrelevant.
I to at one time made the mistake of buying a aftermarket policy.
What a joke. They tried that bs to void it because there was no "record" of any maintenance. I told them to open the glove box and read the record in the owners manual.( I did all the work and some the the receipts were for oil from wall-mart)
They covered it.
The problem here is that MBUSA requires you to follow the parts/fluids/filters required for maintenance as suggested in the manual. Some MB's (not sure of the C250), but on others require special filters, and oil. Oil and filters that ARE NOT sold at Walmart. So if you show up w/ receipts and dates/times recorded it doesn't matter. You did not follow rec'd parts or parts that are similar to those that are OEM. They WILL void the warranty. If your vehicle requires 0W40, and you use a off the shelf discount brand of 10W40, you will NOT be covered under warranty. If you replace your fleece filter with a K&N filter, and you get too much oil breathing through...guess what...NOT covered if there's massive damage.
But if you're using OEM or equal parts and oil, there is no way they will not take care of you. Just be prepared for them to say it was incorrect "labor" that did the damage.
And I"LL say it again.
It does not matter what line of BS the dealer, aftermarket warranty Co, or MFG gives you, the LAW says differentially and they know it.
They are just trying to BULLY you into giving them your $$$
NO dealer, aftermarket warranty or MFG warranty can be void by YOU doing the MAINTENANCE work and your receipts are VALID no matter where they are from.
The filters and fluids you need can be found at other auto stores than wallmart.
I can't get the filters I need for my truck at wallmart either but I can at other auto parts stores.
You will find filters that exceed the FMG requirements at places other than the dealer or you can buy them there and do the work yourself.
And you will find fluids that meet their specifications too.
Like the act says if they say you have to use the MFG's filters or fluid only then they have to supply them to you for FREE.
Read the act them come back and post I think the GOVT know what they are saying as far as the LAW goes.
LOL Sno, I hope you never own a Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, you're going to be in for a real treat if you ever have to go up against the manufacturer for a repair.
lol No, I won't because I don't have s@cker written on my forehead.
Know the law your car MFG does, the warranty company does and they know they can't void it if you do the work yourself and with parts you got elsewhere.
quote=MckinneyOwnr;26827888]LOL Sno, I hope you never own a Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, you're going to be in for a real treat if you ever have to go up against the manufacturer for a repair.[/quote]
As long as the 10w40 it the correct type then it does not matter who made it.
Those letters on the can are very important.
Does the K&N meet the Mfg requirements do they call for a wet filter?
They don't call for a wet filter do they?
"But if you're using OEM or equal parts and oil,"
Bingo. EQUAL parts or the correct KIND.
Like 10w-40 .
And to you last line that goes for any service work.
If the engine is burned up because you can't change the oil or jiffy lube or The dealer with out installing the oil or drain plug correctly sure they will not replace it under the warranty NO matter WHO did it.
The shop will do the work under their insurance not on your warranty.
Quote:
Originally Posted by txgolfer130
If your vehicle requires 0W40, and you use a off the shelf discount brand of 10W40, you will NOT be covered under warranty. If you replace your fleece filter with a K&N filter, and you get too much oil breathing through...guess what...NOT covered if there's massive damage.
But if you're using OEM or equal parts and oil, there is no way they will not take care of you. Just be prepared for them to say it was incorrect "labor" that did the damage.
Go read the info on this GOVT site and get back to me.
They trump what ever bill of sales those MFG's are trying to sell you.
The law of the land.
Magnuson Moss Q/A
What is the Magnuson Moss Act?
The Federal Trade Commission Magnuson-Moss Act protects consumers. This act passed in 1975 states that tie-in sales provisions are NOT allowed in consumer warranties. Manufacturers cannot require consumers to purchase items or services in order to keep their warranty valid.
In addition to the Magnuson-Moss Act any manufacturer that conditions its warranty on purchases of its own equipment may violate the antitrust laws.
Potential warranty problems: The language in some owner's manuals suggests that using an oil other than the one specified by the manufacturer will void the car's warranty. This is not the case, says Thom Smith, Valvoline's vice president of branded lubricant technology.
again
Toss Out Receipts
There's no law that says you have to get all of your maintenance done through your Mercedes dealership. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There are laws in place that specify that the customer be given freedom of choice when it comes to getting his car serviced. That said, make sure you hold on to your receipts if you don't want to void your warranty. The manufacturer has every right to void that warranty if your engine fails and-according to any available records-you haven't changed the oil in three years. Every warranty comes with the clause that certain maintenance requirements be met. Whether you get them done at the dealership or elsewhere, make sure you have a record of it. Your receipt is a record keep it.
Last edited by snofarmer; 11-06-2012 at 11:32 AM..
LOL Your arrogance regarding a topic you know nothing about is pretty amusing.
Yep, there's a law regarding this stuff. Whoopty doo.
In the real world where I choose to live, if you have a catastrophic engine failure for an expensive car, and you have chosen to do all maintenance yourself (you've kept the receipts but you have no proof that any of it actually went into the car) you're going to get denied.
Mercedes isn't going to fork out any money to fix a $20k engine or higher if they don't have to. They're going to take you to court, and you'll be asked to prove that you did all the maintenance... And all you'll have are a box of receipts for oil and parts that could have been used on any car, no record of labor for the car, except for your carefully written notes in the back of the owners manual. Oh, and of course, the car will show that the service indicator light has been on for years because you were never able to reset it, which any technician will be able to show.
So you'll lose in court, and now you're out a car and thousands for a lawyer. Then you appeal and spend even more money. Best case scenerio is, a jury of your peers takes pity on you for being a fool and decides to stick it to the big bad manufacturer, and awards you money to fix the car. Then Mercedes appeals... and you're without a car for months or years.
But by all means, keep talking about that which you do not have personal firsthand experience of, it's giving me a laugh.
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