Fixed price servicing - what to expect?

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Thu 25 Jan 2007 12:13
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - Mazda-Man
My Mazda MPV 2.0 diesel is now almost 3 1/2 years old. The dealer offers a fixed price servicing schedule which is IIRC, something like £250 year 1, £180 year 2, £250 year 3 etc until year 5 at which a cambelt inspection/change? is due and this takes the bill to something like £500. My car has done low mileage (<5k pa) and is now out of warranty and I'm wondering about the value of these services, especially if certain parts like filters, plugs etc. aren't actually being changed due to the low mileage. When it gets to year 5 presumably they will inspect the cam-belt regardless of the low mileage and since this will be time consuming and included in the price is it going to be worth getting the belt changed regardless of whether they claim it is necessary or not? Would it even be worth considering delaying the cam-belt inspection/change for a while? I will check what the garage's policy on this is but am wondering what your thoughts are.

Cheers as always!
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Thu 25 Jan 2007 12:31
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - yorkiebar
It won't cover any more than a conventional service (s) booked as you need them.

So do they work out cheaper, will you keep car long enough to take advantage of them?

Or is it better to choose where and when you have it serviced as time/mileage occurs ?
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Thu 25 Jan 2007 13:55
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - Mazda-Man
Hi - it's just the way the garage do things not my choice to opt for a fixed price. I had the car serviced by the dealer whilst in warranty but I'm not bothered now. Will probably keep the car for several years more and don't really mind where servicing is done providing I'm not being ripped off.
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Thu 25 Jan 2007 15:44
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - Stuartli
Guaranteed money coming in, value for money going out of the window.

A PAYG method is far more cost effective I feel. In any case the so-called services on offer from around £79-£105 seem to merely consist of an oil and filter change (£20 normally at National for semi-synthetic) and the rest merely checks.
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Thu 25 Jan 2007 15:55
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - aahbarnes
Don't rely on a visual inspection of the cam belt, it should be changed whatever the mileage.
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Thu 25 Jan 2007 16:01
Fixed price servicing - what to expect? - DP
I agree. And don't forget a lot of "cambelt failures" are caused by tensioners failing rather than belts. The only way to properly check a tensioner is to release the belt tension and spin the tensioner pulley to check for roughness and freeplay.

If you're going that far, it's daft not to fit a new belt kit, as most of the cost of a belt replacement is the labour involved in getting to the belt and then reassembling everything afterwards.

Cheers
DP
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