Dealer's extended warranty service - don't get caught by this "error"

[hedonist]

My vehicle was bought new from a major Adelaide dealer and the manufacturer's warranty expired in August 2010. I am covered for a further two years under an extended warranty issued by the dealer. The vehicle was serviced annually by the dealer, as required, under Toyota's $120.00 fixed-price-service.

Six months after the last service I received a card from the dealer stating, "Forgotten something?...Your vehicle is now overdue for service". I ignored it, believing it to have been issued in error. After receiving a further two similar cards I rang the dealer and spoke to service reception and was told that the service would cost nearly $500.00. Bear in mind that this is a relatively minor service.

I later rang the service manager and asked why the reminders had issued six months after the last service. I was advised that the six-monthly service was a condition of the extended warranty. I said that I could find no such condition in the dealer's extended warranty agreement. I pointed out that the six-monthly intermediate service is only required under severe operating conditions. I was later advised that the reminder cards had been issued in error and that the six-monthly service interval applied only to second hand vehicles but their computer system was unable to determine new from second hand. Accordingly, every purchaser is apparently receiving these reminders. Hmmmm.

[Ronnyboy]

I do recall seeing these notes in the mail in the first 2 years after purchasing the vehicle..

This never affected my warranty. I did make a claim once under the dealer warranty to have the Alternator replaced. Didnt have any problems there.

I usually get my vehicle service every 6-7 months. Most times i have done 15,000 Km in 6 months and other times ive done 7500 kms in 6 months.

[Tash]

Can't say I've ever received a card and I've also got manufacturer's extended warranty, though I have had a bit of trouble with a local dealership claiming my car isn't under warranty. The advice I have received though from multiple Toyota dealerships is that as long as the car is serviced regularly and the items in the manual are covered off (i.e. components replaced at the recommended times) then warranty claims aren't an issue. I don't have my car serviced by Toyota because I'm not confident in the local dealership and when I had the boot leak (which was actually due to an accident that wasn't repaired properly, and I wasn't told this when sold the vehicle - long story short I fought and fought and the dealership I bought the car from paid for the car to be repaired properly) as well as an issue with the clutch I actually took it to the Wangaratta dealership, which is a good 230km away from where I live. So I've been pretty happy with the warranty conditions.

I must admit I'm like Ronny though, I don't always wait for it to have clocked the 'necessary' K's, and sometimes feel it worthy of going to have a service earlier than this, although that said I'm a bit late with it this time due to some cash flow issues

[Adamsy]

Guys this is really quite straight forward and not a trap at all and has nothing to do with Toyota as each dealer is free to use whomever they want for their used car warranty standard or premium. I'll use my car as an example it was an ex TMCA executive driven car 08 model which i purchased around this time in 09. now i still have the $120.00(now $130.00 for Aurion’s 09>>) service advantage fixed price servicing which i have until the vehicle either runs out of factory warranty or hits 60k (my case it will be ran out of factory warranty)and this was $120.00 per service once yearly for 4 services, interim services are at extra cost and may not be $120.00 now once my car has run out of factory warranty my dealers 3 used car warranty then kicks in and irrespective of your factory warranty conditions and your cars servicing schedule the majority of used car warranties and servicing schedules are every 6 months or 10,00kms. I know it's quite annoying when it comes to a vehicle like the Aurion that is normally a once yearly or 15,000kms service, just means your car gets serviced twice as much as Toyota says , so fresh oils and new filters more often. Too ease your pain feel sorry for VW used car owners, there intervals are at a minimal 15,000kms with some stretched out too 30,000! Under VW warranty and service schedule but yet under most used car warranties they still have to service them 6 monthly or 10,000kms.

[aem]

interim services are at extra cost and may not be $120.00 now once my car has run out of factory warranty my dealers 3 used car warranty then kicks in and irrespective of your factory warranty and your cars servicing schedule the majority of used car warranties and servicing schedules are every 6 months or 10,00kms.

What are interim services?

Also with the 3yrs dealer warranty, when it says 10K/6mths does it start from the date you buy the car and not the date when the last service was carried out?

Eg, car sold on 30/9/10 with date of last service on log books 30/8/10, do i come back 30/3/12 or 30/2/12?

I rang and asked the next day and the service dude says, it will be as of the date of purchase but i'm not sure.

Edited November 27, 2011 by aem

[Foss]

Interim services are the optional 7,500km/6 month services as shown in your service book. IIRC they're pretty much just an oil and filter change.

I imagine start date for your dealer warranty service intervals may differ between providers. I'd take a look at your policy and see if its mentioned in there. If your service advisor has said its based on date of purchase, theres a good chance thats the case.

[Adamsy]

As paradigm highlighted your interim service is 7500kms or 6monthly which should be carried out under severe conditions i.e bumper to bumper traffic daily, many weekend thrashings or operating in extremely cold or hot climates.

To answer your question it can really depend on your own particle circumstance. Usually it will be 6 months from the day you pick up your vehicle or from the day the balance of your new car warranty expires. BUT since Aurion usually gets serviced yearly under TSA you will never go over this time period. so say you got your car serviced today and your new car warranty expires in 3months and used car one kicks in on the same day your car will only at worse go 9 months between its service which of course is no longer that before under TSA guidelines.

[aem]

So the interim services apply only during factory warranty periods?

[Foss]

The optional interim services apply fo as long as your driving in conditions that necessetate interim servicing. Like Adamsy said, bumper to bumper traffic, extreme temperature conditions, regular thrashings, etc. They're still optional, and therefore not doing them won't effect your warranty.

Once you're out of your new car warranty and into your extended warranty, the "compulsory" (for want of a better word) intervals in your service book go out the window in favour of the intervals as stated in your warranty policy. So the fact Aurion has ordinary 15,000 and optional 7,500 intervals, even if your extended warranty agreement says you get your car serviced once a week or every 500kms, thats when you do it if you want to keep your warranty valid.

[aem]

So post factory warranty, the deal with the dealer's 3yr warranty is that you get it back to them every 6mth/10000Km.

Roger that Paradigm, thanks.

[Adamsy]

That's correct. The normal 15000kms/12months and severe interim 7500kms/6months servicing schedule is to be ignored and shelved once your used car warranty kicks in which as mentioned early in most warranty policies is 6months or 10000kms whichever occurs first.

scnerio2! you buy your Aurion new and also purchase the extended extra car warranty.... you service your car every 15000kms/12months (& do the interim service if operating in harsh environments) until your 4 TSA services or 60,000kms are up and then you continue to service your vehicle at the same kms/time schedule as before just of course without the benefit of the capped price.

All clear lol?

[aem]

I can't find paper to state how much it costs per fixed price servicing for extended 3 years warranty. How much is it and should i ask the Dealers to send me a formal paper?

[jeffy]

I can't find paper to state how much it costs per fixed price servicing for extended 3 years warranty. How much is it and should i ask the Dealers to send me a formal paper?

we got $125 for our corolla, for 3 years, or 60000kms whichever comes first

[aem]

Was it according to the mechanical protection plan booklet, which would have stated what things will be done (on the inside of the cover page)?

[jeffy]

Was it according to the mechanical protection plan booklet, which would have stated what things will be done (on the inside of the cover page)?

special deal from our dealership,

[Ronnyboy]

I can't find paper to state how much it costs per fixed price servicing for extended 3 years warranty. How much is it and should i ask the Dealers to send me a formal paper?

The 3 year extended mechanical repair Warranty i got had a fix Service cost of $195.

You can get the Dealer to post it out to you.

[aem]

Just rang and they said system is down and couldn't see my car as having the 3 yrs extended warranty. Lol, all used cars there has it so wtf!!! Anyway the service guy said it's $199 and he'll put something in writing.

If they don't honour it, i have to think if it's worth escalating or just forgo it. $200 and a fair travel distance to the dealership isn't something i'm 100% keen on.

[69.NIX]

Just rang and they said system is down and couldn't see my car as having the 3 yrs extended warranty. Lol, all used cars there has it so wtf!!! Anyway the service guy said it's $199 and he'll put something in writing.

If they don't honour it, i have to think if it's worth escalating or just forgo it. $200 and a fair travel distance to the dealership isn't something i'm 100% keen on.

I'm with Tash, I dont trust my local dealers to service my car (western suburbs SYDNEY). I drive a shade under 200km (Bathurst Toyota, were I got the car from) to get mine done.

I think if you find dealer that offers no BS and does a great job, travel shouldn't be a factor even worth mentioning.........and besides.....make a day of it and explore the local area while your there :)

[aem]

The dealership is at Windsor, there are horses and cows on the way there so the scenery isn't too bad. I'll just do the first service and then decide i think.

[Ronnyboy]

I think if you find dealer that offers no BS and does a great job, travel shouldn't be a factor even worth mentioning.........and besides.....make a day of it and explore the local area while your there

+1 - I agree with Pete on this one. The Toyota Service centre i go to is about 40kms (which isnt much) from home.

[aem]

I rang them and asked for something in writing about the mechanical protection plan, in 3 months time i will know if they will ring me to get the car in. i'm not in a hurry. If they don't, i'll ring up and if they say no records of my car, that's the decision made...no need to go back to them.

[Adamsy]

Wow that really sucks to hear hat so many people are unhappy with the service and car they receive from the closest Dealer. However it is nice if you return to the dealership from which you purchased your vehicle from unless you had a real bad experience or is simply too far away.

[White Lightning]

Plain and simple answer for all of this - and to be honest I haven't read anything after the first 3 replies because I can clear this up right here, right now...

Oils, lubricants, brake fluids, etc... are perishable items. Regardless of whether the car gets driven hard or not is irrelevent... It's like opening a vacuum packed packet of food. Once the air gets to it (or heat in the case of the consumables used in a cars' engine) their is an expiry date on how long it will last and continue to operate without causing any risk of damage or excessive wear to the internal components of a cars engine.

Getting this done at 15,000km intervals or 6 months (whichever comes first) is what is required under warranty as these are the conditions that these engines have been tested for to work reliably. Therefore if this is done and the engine fails in whatever way and upon inspection it is determined that abuse is not the reason for the failure, whatever component has failed will be covered under warranty. If the log book is not stamped and / or it is not able to be proven that the log book servicing has been done, depending on the nature of the warranty claim a dealership and / or motor vehicle manufacturer retain the right to decline authorized warranty repairs.

They altenator you probably got away with because it was not an internal failure and rather electrical. An altenator either works or it doesn't. There is no internal moving parts that require lubricant or fluid, therefore there is no way that abuse would have resulted in this failure. Had it have been scored cylinder sleeves due to metal shavings in the sump and working their way around the engine in the oil because the oil was low and the vehicle had never had an oil change in 90,000kms, you would be pushing excrement up hill with a rake trying to get that repaired under warranty. Get the log book servicing done when they tell you to get it done or you risk voiding your warranty and damaging your car. Simple...

[Adamsy]

Just rang and they said system is down and couldn't see my car as having the 3 yrs extended warranty. Lol, all used cars there has it so wtf!!! Anyway the service guy said it's $199 and he'll put something in writing.

If they don't honour it, i have to think if it's worth escalating or just forgo it. $200 and a fair travel distance to the dealership isn't something i'm 100% keen on.

Fixed price for our standard and premium warranties provided by "Harrier Warranty Company" is $179.00 fixed for Passenger & $204.00 from memory for Commercial. That covers vehicles for 3 years and up too 175,000kms with the premium coverage also giving you road side assist. Most Dealers also have another warranty plan for higher kilometre and or older vehicles. We use National Warranty Company for this and you can choose from 1-5 years of protection with varying levels of protection and of course you get Roadside Assist as well.