FORD To Introduce Capped Price Servicing from July 1st..

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by csv8

What everyone is forgetting, only Ford dealers and do PCM updates. Local mechanic might be good ,but cann't do PCM updates. My WQ Fez has just had its 40k serviceand the PCM was updated...

That's a good point. Was the update an extra cost item?

[csv8]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

That's a good point. Was the update an extra cost item?

No.it was included in the service. I have a Harrier warranty and the service is $195.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Its a tough one, I was always a firm believer in using dealership, but after paying for things that weren't done, cars coming back with damage on them, and them suggesting things needed doing when they didn't was enough for me. I now use an ex Ford mechanic who went out on his own about 18 months ago, he was my old Ford service advisor and let me know he was going out on his own. He does all the work himself and has been great so far, finding things that Ford would have never brought to my attention and sending me back to claim those things under warranty.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by XESP351

Sounds great, my car is September 2007

I shouldn't get too excited yet though....

mine too

[aquahead2001]

I qualify on one vehicle, the Ranger, but miss out on the Territory as its a 2006 model. it had its 90k service yesteday and i came away fairly light in the pocket but still believing I got reasonable value.

They replaced the ball joints again (for nicks as its covered under a special warranty to 150k km.) and fitted new sway bar drop links as the bushes were gone (you could see the buggered bushes). The cost was $645 in total but they then came out and said that Ford was also providing a 12 month road side assistance program, including towing to a Ford Dealer in case of a non-repairable breakdown.

The service also included a PCM update which they have always done on both my vehicles at service. I am a firm believer in getting these PCM updates, I know with my Ranger, after each update performance and economy has improved. the Territory has also benefited as well.

[Dave R]

Capped servicing.. so you know how much they will rip you off well in advance?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Damn straight, I'll be dead in the cold, cold ground before I let those goons from Ultratune touch any car I own again.

They left a spanner under the bonnet of mum's car, when she took it back complaining about noises coming from the front of the car they told her she was hearing things.

Then I serviced the car and left my long nose pliers there. Oops.

[aquahead2001]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

They left a spanner under the bonnet of mum's car, when she took it back complaining about noises coming from the front of the car they told her she was hearing things.

Then I serviced the car and left my long nose pliers there. Oops.

Double Facepalm!

I have a mate who has a Land Cruiser and I keep telling him the only reason he bought was so he could retrieve all the tools he drops!

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by csv8

What everyone is forgetting, only Ford dealers and do PCM updates. Local mechanic might be good ,but cann't do PCM updates. My WQ Fez has just had its 40k serviceand the PCM was updated...

Maybe if they got off the computer when peoples cars had problems they might be able to fix it in the first go.

[Peterwl]

When I purchased my FG XR6 last November, I am sure part of the sales documentation stated that all my services are to be a flat cost of $175.

Only done 5,000 KLM's so far, so I will not put this to the test for a while yet.

[zetec]

Official details are now live on Ford's website.

www.ford.com.au/myfordcps

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by nt0351

,.....the only fixed price we had was rego inspections ,.....every thing else was charged by time taken to do the job properly & the parts consumed

all things being equal, all garages would charge about the same for a service on the same car, but i'm sure prices vary wildly. especially if the mechanic thinks he can get away with it. (i'm sure many women get a higher bill sometimes). capped price at least keeps them honest in this case (rare as it is ;))

[Smoke Pursuit]

THey aren't as cheap as toyotas.. Seems about the same price as we have all been paying anyways..

Ill keep using my mechanic... Least he actually finds things that need addressing without me bringing them to his attention.

[rayner22]

ok I just did the quote thingy for a 60 000k service.......

= $255 to start with for Im guessing crappy Magnatec oil and motorcraft filter

Plus $85 for brake fluid change, considering the fluid costs under $20 bucks.

PLUS $215 for coolant change. Do they spit polish every radiator fin??


So thats a total of $555 plus whatever else they can "find" ... yep I aint gonna be coughin up that.

My last service using 6 litres of Castrol Edge (like 95 bucks alone at retail price), Purolater filter, brake fluid change - Castrol watever it was, and coolant change... done by the local guy I use who is an ex-Ford Master mechanic so he knows his stuff - cost me $295 with about 3-4 hours spent on the car looking at other things for me at no charge.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by prydey

people hear 'fixed price' and think they are being looked after, whether it be building a house or getting the car serviced.

my brothers in laws recently bought a corolla and toyota have fixed price servicing @ $199. my last service on my fg (60k) was $180. if you build up a good relationship with your dealer, you will get looked after.

its a marketing catchphrase that works though so i guess you can't argue with it.

the 'fixed price' will also be a 'fixed' list of items. anything extra will incur a charge. make no mistake.

Well maybe not. But it does help customers balance their own budget.... and so customers don't get jipped. Ford need to make the decision on capped price servicing... and let the dealers moan and ***** about it.

This way Ford can advertise exactly how much... at every dealer.

[xtremerus]

The 12 mth Road Assistance might be a sweetener.

[GTpilot]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

The 12 mth Road Assistance might be a sweetener.

Not really. Std RACV is $86 per year. Which would be the equivilent to the one Ford offers.

I just quoted my 45000k svc $450.
oh and $75 if brake fluid needs changing and $190 for the coolant if that needs to be done.
450 +
75 +
190 +
$615 Total

NO Thanks ican change my own oil $70 including filter, coolant for about $30 and Brake fluid for less than $20...
70 +
30 +
20 +
$120 =
86 + ( RACV)
$206.... Total and half a days work.

[Silver Ghia]

My XR50 is coming up for the 15,000km service in the next week, I want to supply my own oil which I used at the 7000km oil and filter change, I dont want them to use the magnatec nor the engine flush that they do. So do I get the cost of those items taken off from the fixed price?

Will be glad when the warranty expires. Then I have full control of the maintenance of my car which I prefer.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by GTpilot

Not really. Std RACV is $86 per year. Which would be the equivilent to the one Ford offers.

I just quoted my 45000k svc $450.
oh and $75 if brake fluid needs changing and $190 for the coolant if that needs to be done.
450 +
75 +
190 +
$615 Total

NO Thanks ican change my own oil $70 including filter, coolant for about $30 and Brake fluid for less than $20...
70 +
30 +
20 +
$120 =
86 + ( RACV)
$206.... Total and half a days work.

Well I'm not sure about Ford's policy on self servicing customers... hopefully that doesn't void the warranty. But it's guaranteed to lower the resale value of your car.

But if you intend to keep this vehicle until you can't even remember your own name.... then I guess that doesn't matter.

[The G6ET Spot]

just checked mine and it is $360 for a 30,000k service.

In the handbook it states that time to complete an "A" service is 1 hour. Plus filter and oil.

Umm no thanks. Nearly $300 an hour labour, good if you can get it

[roberts]

Originally Posted by SCUD

If it's anything like Nissan's 'MyNissan' Capped Servicing it will be a load of crap.

Sure, Nissan's services are capped. At the normal price of the service that it always was, just no more than that.

Nissan capped serving is to bring back loyalty to there dealerships, something that has been lost through the popularity of car forums where every armchair mechanic has an opinion and a complaint.
It means the servicing cost are capped across every dealership across Australia so customers will call around and get the same price for the same car for the same service, sort of like your big mac, should be the same price at every Mcdonalds and I guess if its not then Im sure there is a Mcdonalds forum for these types of consumers to make there complaints about costs.

Toyota came up with the Fixed price serving when they started the express servicing (2 techs working on the one car on the one hoist at the same time they are trained by toyota to carry out these services in the least amount of time, the way this was calculated was by hooking 2 techs up to a gps tracking device and watched where they walked and what things they did in a certain order when carrying out different services on different models and a toyota brain looked at the info and worked out the fastest possible way from point A to finish)
When having a toyota fixed price service, you have nothing other then the bare minimum done to your car if its not in the book then its not touched, no washer additive, no engine oil flush, no injectors cleaner, power steering oil will never be changed, just enough to get the customer through the 3 year or 60,000 km's when the fixed price service stops, this is the hope that to driver will want a new car by this time and buy another toyota . Toyotas are hugely simple to service and the 2 techs can do these "pitstop" services in about 15mins, the serving cost still comes over the fixed price, and the rest is charged back to Toyota warranty department.

Im sure ford will be going down the same track as Nissan to bring some trust back to the dealerships, like I said earlier Chinese whispers across the internet has made this a reality.
Hope i cleared any miss conceptions.

[roberts]

Originally Posted by GTpilot

Not really. Std RACV is $86 per year. Which would be the equivilent to the one Ford offers.

I just quoted my 45000k svc $450.
oh and $75 if brake fluid needs changing and $190 for the coolant if that needs to be done.
450 +
75 +
190 +
$615 Total

NO Thanks ican change my own oil $70 including filter, coolant for about $30 and Brake fluid for less than $20...
70 +
30 +
20 +
$120 =
86 + ( RACV)
$206.... Total and half a days work.

at your job what would half a days pay cost you?
Genuine costs more than home brand, ask your wife when she does the shopping.
Do you even like fords? or are you a holden man that just wants every ford dealership to go out of business

[roberts]

Originally Posted by The G6ET Spot

just checked mine and it is $360 for a 30,000k service.

In the handbook it states that time to complete an "A" service is 1 hour. Plus filter and oil.

Umm no thanks. Nearly $300 an hour labour, good if you can get it

good luck getting a genuine oil filter, good oil, washer additive, injector cleaner, engine flush for $60. I would say the labour cost would be between $100-130 depending on your location, dealerships in poorer suburbs normally charge less labour and hour then the upmarket suburbs(makes sense you have to pay staff that can afford to live in those over priced areas also)
Mabey you just cant afford to live in you suburb?
So many snipers working for holden on this forum, how much does your ve cost to service, tell the truth.

[roberts]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

My XR50 is coming up for the 15,000km service in the next week, I want to supply my own oil which I used at the 7000km oil and filter change, I dont want them to use the magnatec nor the engine flush that they do. So do I get the cost of those items taken off from the fixed price?

Will be glad when the warranty expires. Then I have full control of the maintenance of my car which I prefer.

cant see why it wouldn't be cheaper if you supply your own oil and just want the bare minimum oil change, I would leave your service book at home to avoid the disappointment when they don't stamp it and you go back to ask why, better yet set it on fire
better yet hang out in the car park after dark ask one of the techs, after work to do it on the sly for cash.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

My XR50 is coming up for the 15,000km service in the next week, I want to supply my own oil which I used at the 7000km oil and filter change, I dont want them to use the magnatec nor the engine flush that they do. So do I get the cost of those items taken off from the fixed price?

Will be glad when the warranty expires. Then I have full control of the maintenance of my car which I prefer.

I have the full control now still under warranty... Just use a decent mechanic, give him the oil / filter and instructions.. Hes never let me down, never damages my car and is reliable, that is gets it done when he says he will.

Everytime I use Ford I **** myself worrying about what they will do to the car.

[roberts]

Originally Posted by rayner22

ok I just did the quote thingy for a 60 000k service.......

= $255 to start with for Im guessing crappy Magnatec oil and motorcraft filter

Plus $85 for brake fluid change, considering the fluid costs under $20 bucks.

PLUS $215 for coolant change. Do they spit polish every radiator fin??


So thats a total of $555 plus whatever else they can "find" ... yep I aint gonna be coughin up that.

My last service using 6 litres of Castrol Edge (like 95 bucks alone at retail price), Purolater filter, brake fluid change - Castrol watever it was, and coolant change... done by the local guy I use who is an ex-Ford Master mechanic so he knows his stuff - cost me $295 with about 3-4 hours spent on the car looking at other things for me at no charge.

How much labor, should they charge you to flush and bleed your brakes, with new fluid, remember it takes 2 technicians, to do this. Or the workshop has to buy a suction bleeder if only one is to do it. 65 labour sounds cheap when put that way? You do realise humans work in dealership workshops

The local guy wouldn't even be in business if he had not be given the opportunity to to his apprenticeship at the local ford dealership, so I guess by using him you are guaranteeing that he is the last of his breed.

seems all other tradies can charge no less than $100 and hour with no over heads usally subbies, but most want the trades man that works on the car to be on nothing hahaha. By the way when you purchase a used car that doesnt keep the lights on.

[roberts]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

I have the full control now still under warranty... Just use a decent mechanic, give him the oil / filter and instructions.. Hes never let me down, never damages my car and is reliable, that is gets it done when he says he will.

Everytime I use Ford I **** myself worrying about what they will do to the car.

Sniper working for holden?

[roberts]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

I have the full control now still under warranty... Just use a decent mechanic, give him the oil / filter and instructions.. Hes never let me down, never damages my car and is reliable, that is gets it done when he says he will.

Everytime I use Ford I **** myself worrying about what they will do to the car.

when you call for a warranty issue, poor service history back of the que.
Good service customers get looked after, and if any non gen part has caused a failure warranty VOID. Oh forget you out of warranty good will, this is only for GOOD customers, your engine has a problem at 100,001 km's best tell the tow truck to go straight past the dealership, your mate that has been using non gen parts on your car he will be rubbing his hands together thinking,Iv only had to wait 2 years now I can finally get some really money from this joker.

[WILDB]

Originally Posted by The G6ET Spot

just checked mine and it is $360 for a 30,000k service.

In the handbook it states that time to complete an "A" service is 1 hour. Plus filter and oil.

Umm no thanks. Nearly $300 an hour labour, good if you can get it

That's for a non turbo, check again.

[roberts]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

Capped servicing.. so you know how much they will rip you off well in advance?

Go buy a holden