A Mercedes-Benz owner takes viewers along for a ride to get a battery replacement at her local dealership. The price initially shocks her, but she uses the opportunity to demonstrate how to negotiate at the service station.
Moya Donice (@moyadonice) owns a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Coupe, and she recently posted a TikTok about taking it in for a battery replacement. “So originally it was supposed to be $800, but I ended up getting the price talked down, because $800 for one battery is insane,” she says.
The video starts with Donice driving up to the Mercedes service station. It then cuts to a shot of her sitting inside the office. “Time to negotiate,” the on-screen text reads.
Can you negotiate a Mercedes-Benz service center quote?
After some discussion, the dealership employee says the price will actually be $580, including labor.
Then Donice asks if she can add an air filter replacement to the quote. The worker informs her that the final total will come out to approximately $800. Yes, that’s the price Donice was initially quoted for just the battery alone.
However, she isn’t finished negotiating. Ultimately, the dealership employee knocked down the labor cost, making the final total $633.
“This is for anybody that has a luxury vehicle,” Donice says in a voiceover. “Don’t be afraid to question them about the price.”
She says she called ahead of time and another worker said the battery replacement would cost about $600. So when the woman quoted her a higher price, she decided to double-check. That decision ended up paying off.
“Now, granted, the maintenance on a luxury car is expensive, but don’t play in my face,” Donice says.
Viewers react to the deal
The TikTok video has amassed more than 132,000 views since it was posted on April 28. In the comments, many viewers disagreed that Donice got such a great deal.
“$32 for a cabin filter???” wrote one person.
“Labor? To change a battery? Bruh, it literally takes a minute to change them out?” wrote a second.
“At this point, it ain’t even worth owning a Mercedes,” said another.
Someone else said, “That’s why you find a non-dealership Benz mechanic.”
Should you take your Mercedes to the dealership for service?
Mercedes-Benz dealers generally urge drivers to bring their vehicles into an official dealership for maintenance. That’s because Mercedes-Benz vehicles are equipped with computer systems that require a mechanic familiar with the brand. A local repair shop might employ a mechanic with that expertise…or it might not. It just depends on where you live and the market.
However, some Quora users note going to a third-party auto shop could potentially void your car’s warranty. So, before running to the nearest shop, a driver like Donice would need to evaluate her warranty situation first. Donice’s vehicle appears relatively new, so she probably made the right decision going to the dealership.
According to Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich, the cost of a new battery is between $75 and $200, and it should last between three and five years. With labor added, it does appear Donice got a fair deal.
@moyadonice Getting my @Mercedes-Benz car battery replaced 😩 #blackgirlluxury #mercedesbenz #luxurycarmaintenance #luxurycarlife #mercedesbenzcla ♬ make it to the morning overlapped – 🫧🥹.
If her vehicle were a few years older, the situation might be different. “If it’s out of warranty, then there’s no concern about keeping the warranty,” wrote one Quora expert. “I do most of the work myself. The main exceptions are things that require a lift or a suspension spring compressor.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the cost of Mercedes-Benz maintenance sparked conversation online. This spring, a Mercedes-Benz owner urged car buyers to avoid the German auto brand due to the high cost of regular maintenance, like an oil change.
The brand acknowledges it’s more expensive to maintain a Mercedes-Benz, but attributes it to parts and the expertise of its mechanics.
The Daily Dot reached out to Moya Donice via email for comment. We also reached out to Mercedes-Benz via press email for comment.
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