Hi Houston
I guess the "gas price" comparison is a little too abstract for me in relation to your real question.

MB has this service work that they want you to do. The whole link to when this work is done MB seems satisfied to directly connect to oil condition. In other words, they have this oil life monitoring system not all that different to what other manufacturers are using, and when the oil life is about shot, they want an A or B service done.

Does it make alot of sense to relate something like a dust filter or wiper blade to an oil change? Not really, but it's easy to see that for the average consumer, it may be a convenience to go ahead and have some of this other stuff at least looked at, if not replaced, at the same time it's in for an oil change.

But, if you wanted to save some money and just get the oil and filter done (whether at the FSS interval, or one you select yourself) and at some point you feel comfortable with, do the other stuff as you see fit, I can't see the harm in that.

So if you get the oil changes done, then say a few months later the wiper aren't clearing well, go ahead and replace them, and maybe every other oil change you get the tire rotated and ask them to check the brake pads, and maybe once every year or two you replace the dust filter, etc etc, hey, it'll work fine. Maybe more visits to the shop for smaller repairs, rather than a regular schedule of work, but if it works good for you, no big deal, as I see it.

A few things you probably already have read about though, real briefly:

replace/flush brake fluid every 2 years
replace/flush coolant every 3 years
(engine)air filter and fuel filter every 60,000mi or 4 years
spark plugs every 100,000mi or 4 years
(the "4 year" items you may be getting close to needing done based on time, your 2000 may have been built late 1999, the manufacture date (month and year) is on a label on the drivers door jamb on the body side of the door jamb).

Also if it's over the 60,000 and needs a fuel filter, it will need the updated filter kit installed, which is pretty involved, you may want to go to a dealership to get the fuel filter replaced, at least if it needs this update done. If the truck is still under factory warranty, you may be able to get this done for free. If not, probably going to be "tough luck" on a freebie fuel filter. For the original owners of a truck out of warranty, seems like MB will do it for free at 60,000, but not if you bought it used.

Take care

Gilly