Mark,

I went by a Benz dealer to buy an oil filter my new C240. The car already has 4K miles and I wanted to change to Mobil One. I plan on changing it often.

The parts man at this particular dealer mumbled something about changing the oil already. He then called a Service Writer over and asked oil change interval for a C240. The Service Writer answered that it was determined by the FSS. That was all that was said. I cheerfully paid for my filter and the special wrench to change it with. I then went home, drained the oil and changed it and the filter.

I am totally enraged that someone would tell you NOT to change your oil. Maybe their concern is that it will extend the FSS interval and they won't get to charge you $100 an hour to check your windshield wiper blades.

Most of the new cars that have the FSS have some very impressive technology that allows some of these intervals to be extended. However, it will NEVER hurt to change the oil and filter unless you leave the drain plug out or forget to pour in the oil.

Let us know what you learn from MBUSA about this. If you do not get a reasonable explanation, I will chime in with them. I won't do it just yet, because I'm sure they don't want to hear any more from me for awhile. I blasted them so much for not passing along some of the 10% they made with the DMark evaluations, I'm sure my name is a dirty word inside their facility in New Jersey.

Don't let anyone talk you out of changing your oil!

Good luck,

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Larry Bible
'01 C Class, Six Speed
'84 Euro 240D, manual, 533K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles