It is not unusual to see customers drift away when they purchase a new vehicle, only to come back a few years later when the motor starts to age a little. Once the warranty runs out, they realise that the main dealer is no longer cost effective.

The customer who owned this 2013 Mercedes S-Class 400 Hybrid , had always brought his previous Mercedes to me for servicing and repairs. When he got the hybrid version, he thought that sticking with the main dealer would be a good option.

That was until the first major problem he had. The hybrid system light was illuminated, so he popped into the dealer who had been servicing his Mercedes for the past few years. This was when the tale turned into a horror story.

They informed him that the hybrid system battery had run its course and was in need of replacement, as it was no longer holding a charge. The Mercedes had only covered 18,500 miles since new. But the diagnosis was that a new hybrid system battery was needed and the cost would be €16,780, plus fitting.

After the customer recovered from the shock, he rang me asking if this was a good price.

The batteries can be sourced for around €3950, as a remanufactured unit, and this would be a more cost effective option. Of course, it may be the case that Mercedes would not be interested in taking the vehicle in for part-exchange in the future, if they had not carried out the work.

The owner is still driving around, using a little more fuel, working out if the cost of the hybrid battery is viable on the low milage he covers.

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