Man’s Mercedes Notifies Him It’s Time For An Oil Change. You Won’t Believe What Mercedes Charges Him: ‘Bro…’

Owning a luxury car can be expensive.

The average 10-year maintenance cost for a luxury car is around $13,000, according to SoFi. Some car brands can be even more expensive to maintain; for example, SoFi estimates that a Land Rover will cost an average of over $18,000 to maintain in its first 10 years.

Numerous internet users have shared their stories about being surprised by their car maintenance costs. But do you really have to pay thousands of dollars for something as simple as an oil change?

In a video with more than 584,000 views, social media user @dev.havin says he received a notification that it was time to take his Mercedes-Benz AMG in for its first oil change.

However, when he actually took his car in, he was met with an unfortunate surprise.

“Right now, I'm thinking it's covered through warranty. They ain't say no price, right?” he starts.

He then found out how high the bill was going to be. According to the TikToker, the price quoted was $1,600.

“Bro. Oh, nah,” he says. He then asks viewers for recommendations about where he can get the job done at a better rate.

Why Was Mercedes Oil Change Quote So Expensive?

Paying $1,600 for an oil change in a consumer vehicle is almost unheard of. According to RepairPal, an oil change for a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT should only cost between $203 and $231.

So, what’s happening here? There are a few possible explanations.

The first option is that the TikToker was not simply receiving an oil change. Mercedes-Benz recommends that AMG vehicles receive a 2,000 mile break-in service. This typically involves a rear differential oil change and inspection, not a normal oil change.

That said, costs for this service do not come close to the alleged $1,600 price tag. For example, a forum poster in 2019 claimed they spent around $250 for their 2,000 mile break-in service. Even if he received both this service and a normal engine oil change, they would only be at around a third of the quoted price.

The next option is that there are other recommendations bundled into that price. The shop could be including things like alignment, filters, tire services, and other work in the estimate that drive the price up.

Third, the repair shop could be overcharging. This is an especially common issue with luxury and foreign cars, where technicians charge more to work on these vehicles. Sometimes, this occurs because sourcing parts for these cars can be more expensive and work may be more specialized; other times, drivers believe these higher costs are simply a scam owing to the fact that repair shops know they can charge wealthy people higher costs.

In a comment, the TikToker said he received Mercedes’ Service B. This service tends to start around $500, though prices can increase depending on the vehicle. 

Drivers Say He’s Getting Ripped Off

In the comments section, users said the TikToker was being ripped off. Some offered alternatives to prevent this from happening again in the future.

“Foriegn cars are very expensive... not that expensive tho!” exclaimed a user.

“Go to a European shop. Dealership told me it’d be $600 for oil change. An individual shop charged me $130,” detailed another. “I brought my own oil.”

That said, some claimed these high service prices were expected.

“I have a G-wagon… I paid $1,300 for mines in Jersey,” wrote a commenter.

“Me as well! I had ask them for what, they told me I needed wiper change, alignment, and the oil. I told them the car doesn’t need an alignment or new wiper. I still end up paying $1,125,” recalled a second.

We’ve reached out to the TikToker and Mercedes-Benz for comment.