What is CARE, how does it work, and how can I best utilise my account?

What is a CARE account?

For every owner we have met on our ten classic Mercedes-Benz journey, there remains a consistent set of goals for all – to ensure their prized SL continues to be a joy to use, wherever, whenever and however the opportunity presents, whilst protecting and increasing the value over time.

Moreover, owners want access to the very best service and advice, and to be inspired to use these cars in the way Mercedes-Benz intended.

CARE from SLSHOP is a service and maintenance membership plan designed to make life with your classic Mercedes-Benz SL easier and more enjoyable.

Through a long term relationship with our front of house team, a CARE membership is a way to ensure your SL gets access to the very best knowledge and expertise, looked after by a team of passionate enthusiasts who know and understand you, your SL and your ownership journey.

More than just a service plan, CARE gives you access to a range of exclusive discounts and services, trips, tours and experiences. With a fixed monthly investment, you can be sure your SL is in good hands, giving you the inspiration to see more, do more and drive more.

What are the benefits of a CARE account?

Our easy to open CARE account gives you immediate access to a raft of benefits, including discounts on labour, parts and transportation. CARE also guarantees you a courtesy car when your SL is in our workshops. Alongside these benefits, CARE members are the first to hear about our events, with the first access to booking slots. There is no cost to becoming a CARE member, and we understand that every car and every owner is different… simply establish a monthly investment with SLSHOP to begin your membership.

How does a CARE account work?

Members of our CARE program invest a monthly amount towards their CARE account. This can be used for routine servicing, cosmetic improvement, ongoing renovation work or any way you wish for your SL. This easy to manage maintenance package makes annual servicing easier, a great way to budget for your classic SL ownership.

An example of CARE in action:

Mr Smith pays £55 per month into a CARE plan for his 280SL. 

In year 1, the car visits SLSHOP for an annual service. No extra works are required on the day, so there is no bill to pay as Mr Smith has 12*£55.00 in his investment account – a small surplus remains on the account.

In year 2, the car has another annual service, this time just an oil and filter change. With the extra funds that are building up on the account, Mr Smith invests in a replacement chrome decklid escutcheon, as his is damaged from years of use.

In year 3, the car is due a major service, but once again, with the funds available in the account, there is no bill to pay.

To read more examples of CARE in action, please click here.

How can I best utilise my CARE account?

A classic car is an expensive asset, and it can be hard to decide how much to budget for your hobby. With SLSHOP as a partner, we can help you to understand your car in detail, setting out which areas to address, and when. Working with SLSHOP as part of a CARE account gives customers peace of mind, reassurance and inspiration.

The best way to make the most of your CARE account is to let SLSHOP do the hard work for you. We’ll take on the management of the day to day servicing of your car, contacting you periodically to keep your servicing in line with the manufacturer recommendations. Once we have established what you wish to achieve with your SL, our team will set out a road map for your car, whether that’s just servicing or servicing and improvement of the areas set out in an initial health check. 

CARE can be used in a variety of ways, depending on how you use your car and the relationship you have with your SL. For someone wishing to cover more miles, CARE is a blanket of support and technical advice. For the collector, CARE functions as a consultancy to help you maximise the value of your investment. For the tourer, the adventurer and the long distance event entrant, CARE is your pit crew, a way to keep in touch with the team who know and understand your car to better prepare the vehicle for the events ahead.

We have designed the CARE plan to be inclusive, an easy to access service for all classic Mercedes-Benz SL owners to combine our passion and enthusiasm with yours.

A CARE account is a way for you to work closely with SLSHOP to get the very best out of your car – more enjoyment, more reliability and more value.

Keep your car at it’s best, whilst protecting and enhancing the value