Frequently asked questions

Service A is the shorter annual (or 15,500 mile) service covering oil, oil filter, cabin filter, fluid check and reset. Service B is the longer 2-yearly (or 31,000 mile) service that adds brake fluid, air filter, spark plugs on petrol cars and a longer inspection list.

At our West London workshop, Service A starts from £249 and Service B from £349, depending on model and engine. We send a fixed-price quote before any work begins.

No. Under EU Block Exemption Regulation, independent servicing does not void your manufacturer or approved-used warranty as long as it is done to the Mercedes schedule with the correct MB-spec parts and fluids — which is exactly how we work.

Skipping services — particularly the gearbox fluid, brake fluid and long-life oil changes — is the single most common cause of expensive repairs on modern Mercedes. The engineering margins are tight. We recommend sticking to the manufacturer schedule.

Our standard diagnostic charge is £85 inc. VAT, which includes a full Xentry / Star scan across every control unit, live data analysis and a written report. We credit the charge against any repair we carry out.

No. An OBD2 scanner only reads emissions-related faults. A modern Mercedes has 40+ control units. Xentry / Star reads all of them, runs live data, actuates components on demand and does SCN coding — the same as a main dealer.

Not always, but they should never be ignored. Yellow warnings typically mean "investigate soon" and red warnings mean "stop the car safely". We will read the fault codes and tell you plainly how urgent it is.

Yes. If we carry out the repair we have quoted, the £85 diagnostic fee is credited against the invoice.

The MOT fee is a DVSA-fixed £54.85. We discount the test when combined with a service.

We will explain exactly what failed, send a fixed-price quote to put it right, and — if the repair is done with us — retest the car free within 10 working days.

An advisory is an item that is worn or borderline but not yet a failure. It does not have to be repaired immediately, but it will usually become a failure within 6-12 months and we will tell you which ones are worth doing now.

In most cases yes. We check soot and ash loading on Xentry first. If ash loading is below the limit, a forced regen or an off-car clean usually restores function. Only when ash loading is beyond the service limit do we replace the DPF.

Yes. The countdown is triggered by a specific fault in the AdBlue / SCR system — usually a NOx sensor, AdBlue injector or SCR heater. Once the root cause is fixed and verified, we clear the countdown on Xentry.

Rough idle, reduced power, coolant loss (if the EGR cooler is leaking), white smoke, and fault codes relating to EGR valve position or cooler leaks.

By far the most common are leaking air struts (particularly rear struts on W212 E-Class and W221 S-Class), followed by compressor wear, valve block leaks and ride-height sensor failures.

Only as a last resort. A coilover conversion is cheap short-term but changes the ride character, can trigger permanent fault codes and usually hurts resale value. We recommend repairing Airmatic properly in almost every case.

Yes. Every Airmatic strut and compressor we fit carries a 12-month parts and labour warranty.

Yes. Despite "fill for life" marketing, every 7G-Tronic and 9G-Tronic box we see benefits from a fluid and filter service at 40,000 miles. It is the single best thing you can do for long-term gearbox health.

Delayed engagement from P or R, limp mode ("F" on the dash), flaring between gears, or the car refusing to select gear when hot. All classic 7G-Tronic conductor plate faults.

Sometimes. If it is fluid-related or a conductor plate issue, absolutely. If the clutch packs are mechanically worn, it usually needs a rebuild. A proper gearbox diagnostic will tell us which.

On well-kept cars, yes — most Mercedes engines are easily good for 250,000 miles after one major repair. We will give you a fixed-price quote and an honest view of the car's remaining life before you decide.

A metallic rattle on cold start, usually lasting 1-3 seconds and going quiet when warm. Often accompanied by a "camshaft / crankshaft correlation" fault code.

Oil cooler and oil filter housing seal leaks (the classic "disappearing coolant and oil" fault), EGR cooler leaks, swirl motor failure and occasional injector wear. We rebuild the oil cooler area as a fixed-price job.

SCN (Software Calibration Number) coding writes the correct parameters for your exact VIN into a replacement control module. Without it, a new module will throw faults and often refuse to work. We do it online via Xentry.

Costs vary by model, but typically £200-£450 for the key plus the Xentry programming charge. We can quote for your exact VIN.

Reversing cameras on compatible head units, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto activation on NTG 5.5 and later, heated steering wheel, comfort-close and many MBUX feature activations. Ask us for your specific VIN.

Yes — the sensor warns before pads are dangerous. But book in within the next week. Running past that point risks scoring the discs, which turns a £189 job into a £500+ job.

Every 2 years, as part of Service B. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and old fluid boils under hard braking, which is exactly when you need it to work.

SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control) is an electro-hydraulic brake system fitted to late W211 E-Class and W220 S-Class. It requires a periodic Xentry service and occasionally a hydraulic pack replacement.

Modern AC systems lose around 5% refrigerant a year through normal permeation. Every 3-4 years is typical. If your AC has stopped cooling suddenly, that is a leak, not gradual loss — we will find and fix it first.

R1234yf is the modern, lower-GWP refrigerant fitted to most Mercedes from 2017 onwards. R134a is used on older cars. They are not interchangeable — we have both.

Usually a blocked cabin filter and bacterial growth on the evaporator. A new pollen filter and an evaporator clean fixes it in an hour.

Three reasons: you deal with the same people every time, our hourly rate is lower, and you keep warranty and digital service history protection either way (under EU Block Exemption).

Yes. We offer local collection and return in Ealing, Hounslow, Hammersmith, Hillingdon and Richmond. Further afield we can arrange transport on request.