Paying for servicing up front

[Simon Cobb]

With my Scout 2.0 TDi now just a few days away from arriving, I'm faced with making a call on whether to purchase the up-front service plan from Skoda NZ. Here's the deal:

A Škoda Service Select package includes:

• All scheduled maintenance up to the terms indicated
  
• A set of brake pads is included in the 60,000 kilometre packages
  
• A set of brake pads and discs is included in the 100,000 kilometre packages
  
• A new set of front wiper blades at each service
  
• Peace of mind in knowing that your vehicle is being serviced by trained technicians using genuine Škoda parts
  
• Peace of mind in knowing how much your vehicle will cost to service
  
• Protection from oil, parts and labour price increases
  

A condition of the deal is that the car must be on variable servicing. Skoda NZ want NZ$1,950 for the 4 year/60,000KM plan and NZ$4,500 for the 6 year/100,000KM plan. That's approximately £900 for 4 years and £2000 for 6 years..

I'm not even considering the 6 year option, but I'm interested in opinions on the 4 year package. I'd guess we will be doing ~15,000KMs per annum, a mix of many relatively short 15KM journeys interspersed with a few long trips. So my best guess is that the car might be serviced 3 times in the 4 year period.

At face value, this deal sounds expensive to me, but that is based on my having no knowledge of what is actually included in full authorised Skoda servicing in the first 4 years/60,000KMs.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

[mannyo]

At 15K kms Per annum, in 4 years on variable servicing the car will need around 2 services only. Each variable service is a full service, with little bits needed as extra in the second, fourth and so on. In the UK a variable service comes in at around £200 to £300 depending on dealer, then factor in the extra bits every othter one. I paid £200 for a variable service on my Superb PD140 DSG yesterday. My previous Octavia was sill on its original disks and pads at 160K lms.

The service package does seem expensive in your case, but its better for Skoda because (1) they get your money upfront. (2) if you dont use it you lose it, (3) it ties you to the dealer the network.

[Simon Cobb]

I thought I'd try a different tack with this question. Does anyone have a servicing schedule for current model TDi CR Octavia? I'd be interested to see what is checked/replaced as part of routine servicing and at what interval?

[octavia5]

Bare in mind that the 4 year service should include a Cam Belt change, assuming Skoda NZ has the same schedule as UK. That would cost about £450-500 in UK so worth a check to get confirmation as it could make the 4 years deal a bargain.

[Raglits]

How much are the standard services in New Zealand?

It's difficult for us in other countries to compare as the 4 year one sounds expensive to me unless it includes the cambelt change. My first variable services was last week and was just over £180. I'm assuming the second will be nearer £300 and I may well require some brake pads before that is due but can't see that costing £400 which would then take it to the £900 you've quoted...

[Simon Cobb]

So, I asked my dealer to provide a servicing schedule, which he duly did:

A cambelt is NOT included in the 4 years/60,000KMs servicing. To my mind it looks like a pretty minimal service schedule. My dealer talked to the service department and the consensus view is that if I do 60, 000KMs in 4 years, I'll come out ahead if I go for the upfront service plan; if I do less than 60,000KMs, I'd be better off opting for "pay as you go".

[tuonopepper]

So, I asked my dealer to provide a servicing schedule, which he duly did:

A cambelt is NOT included in the 4 years/60,000KMs servicing. To my mind it looks like a pretty minimal service schedule. My dealer talked to the service department and the consensus view is that if I do 60, 000KMs in 4 years, I'll come out ahead if I go for the upfront service plan; if I do less than 60,000KMs, I'd be better off opting for "pay as you go".

Also worth noting that (well in the UK anyway), if you sell the car and no longer need the service plan they refund on any un unsed portion of it.

James.

[ednmra]

Also worth noting that (well in the UK anyway), if you sell the car and no longer need the service plan they refund on any un unsed portion of it.

James.

In the 2 year service plan I mentioned, they pass any unused benefit to the next owner, where still applicable.

[Simon Cobb]

In the 2 year service plan I mentioned, they pass any unused benefit to the next owner, where still applicable.

Yes, it's the same here, with any unused portion of the service deal being transferable to the next owner.