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.
