Motoring Discussion > Fixed price servicing Tax / Insurance / Warranties
Thread Author: legacylad Replies: 16

 Fixed price servicing - legacylad
I’ve owned the GR Yaris for almost a year now, and being two years old it’s due a ‘major ‘ service...£470 at local main dealers. Providing its serviced in accordance within the network it’s a 10 year/100k mile warranty.

I’ve been offered a 4 year service plan....54 monthly payments, includes 4x MOTs, 2each intermediate and major services, and 4 GR Safety Checks. The latter are recommended, not mandatory, and do not affect the warranty if not carried out by a main dealer....anyone with a modicum of motoring knowledge can do the Safety Check as per the service book.

Total cost of the 54 monthly payments is £2089.

Seems a lot, but it is a specialised piece of kit with the powerful 1.6 3 cylinder and the adjustable four wheel drive running gear...it’s inflation proof but still a large wedge of money.

Any ideas how that compares to similar machinery....especially Zeddos 540 x Drive Touring.
TIA
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 20 Jun 23 at 12:35
 Fixed price servicing - sooty123
Do you intend on keeping it that long?
 Fixed price servicing - legacylad
Maybe. Maybe not.
It is transferable to a new owner, but a downside is if I’d paid xx equal monthly payments, a costly major service was a few months, or even longer away, then I decided to change vehicles.

So I’d have paid, albeit incrementally, for something I wasn’t going to use. If that makes sense.
Does it ?
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 20 Jun 23 at 14:38
 Fixed price servicing - Fursty Ferret
Doesn’t 3 cylinders mean that there’s actually less stuff to go wrong than a more complicated engine?
 Fixed price servicing - Bromptonaut
>> Doesn’t 3 cylinders mean that there’s actually less stuff to go wrong than a more
>> complicated engine?

The 1.0 3cyl in the standard Aygo and it's PSA siblings is an astonishingly simple unit. Oil changes and regular servicing are no more difficult than in the BMC mini I had in 1982. In fact, with electronic ignition so no points etc and bulbs rather th Sealed Beam Units it's probably less problematic.
 Fixed price servicing - Bromptonaut
I got a plan bundled with both Skodas I've had over the last 8 years. Two years servicing. MoT etc.

The first, a Roomster, turned out to have unused plans bought by the previous owner and I barley paid anything for service MoT in the 4 years I had before it got written off.
 Fixed price servicing - smokie
So for £2089 you get 2 x £470 and 2 x (say) £250. I think I pay about £35 for MOTs so another £120. Safety check not worth much really. So total cost at main dealer is maybe £1700. I don't think I'd bother.
 Fixed price servicing - legacylad
I think the intermediate service is circa £350 !! The main dealer may well charge the max MOT price, currently £54.85.....my primary argument for not taking out a monthly payment service plan is that the monthly fee includes the cost of the expensive service ( every two years) and if you sold the car before this particular service you’d be paying summat for nowt.

I see the argument for buying 4 years of inflation proof service ( and MOT) costing, if the car is a definite keeper for that duration, but as you say, I don’t think I’ll bother.

I Appreciate your reply.
 Fixed price servicing - sooty123
>> Maybe. Maybe not.
>

I wouldn't worry about it, it's neither here nor there in the cost of swapping new cars. Just pay the servicing as and when they need doing.
 Fixed price servicing - Zero

>> Any ideas how that compares to similar machinery....especially Zeddos 540 x Drive Touring.
>> TIA

5 years, 72k miles, 3 services in dealer network, 2 outside, £2,300 approx.
 Fixed price servicing - legacylad
And presumably now out of manufacturers warranty....but that price seems pretty fair to me given the machinery in question.
 Fixed price servicing - Zero
>> And presumably now out of manufacturers warranty....but that price seems pretty fair to me given
>> the machinery in question.

Wouldnt have been fair if all in dealer network. Got a service booked at my indy next month. Going to need new front pads, (hopefully skim the disks if they are lipped) oil and filters, brake fluid, but the biggy will be transmission fluid* & filters. Expecting a 700+ quid bill for that lot.

*BMW say its filled for life. The makers of the box - ZF - say every 80k. And thats the rub with fixed price servicing, you only get whats in the manufacturers service schedule, at the interval they specify. In BMW's case every 18k or two years. 18k is too long, even with high spec oil.

 Fixed price servicing - Boxsterboy
Exactly. 18,000 is too long even for modern oils but if you buy into a manufacturers plan that's what you get.
 Fixed price servicing - Runfer D'Hills
Tend to agree, although I accept that I might possibly be being too careful. I just get my car serviced twice a year now at my local indy which equates on my current mileage to about every 12,500 miles. Got the transmission fluid changed at 80k and again at 160k.
So far so good on reliability and with just shy of 200k on it now.
I’m tempted to see if I can get it up to 300k now. If it won’t do that for some unfixable reason, I’ll just give it a decent funeral and start again.
 Fixed price servicing - Rudedog
SP are very popular on the GTi forums... as soon as any deals from VW come out they are passed around.

Got my second two year SP a few months ago...

£15.50 over 24 months, this gets me -

1 x major & 1 x minor service.

Each service includes oil and filter where the VW spec 0w-30 is at least £16 per litre and the GTi needs 5 litres.

Cabin filter at year two (included) and this year at year four it included new plugs (around £12 each).

Myself and other GTi owners can't see how they make any money on these as my SP works out to be about £190 per visit.

Extras are -

Brake fluid change @ £59 although some seem to get this included.

DSG oil change around £190 @ 40k

VAQ front diff oil change £135 @ every 3 years

MoT's
 Fixed price servicing - Bill Payer
>> Myself and other GTi owners can't see how they make any money on these as
>> my SP works out to be about £190 per visit.
>>

Servcing is fantastically profitable for dealerrs - I waited while daughter's Golf had its first service, it was in the workshop 20 mins and they accidentally gave me the invoice that they send to VW. It was £67, inc parts, labour and VAT.

Oil in bulk costs dealers a couple of £ per litre.

You'll find things like DSG changes have gone up a lot at VW - got it done on wife's Tiguan last year for £230 but that was discounted. Someone on a Tiguan forum I look at just paid £400.
 Fixed price servicing - Fullchat
Having experienced issues with main dealer servicing (or lack of), particularly with Kia. Paid for on a service by service basis. Personally I would be reluctant to let them have any money upfront and see it as another opportunity to skimp on their obligations.
Must, should and could. You'll be lucky to get 'Must'.
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