Auris Service Plan - Help!

[chrisgr]

Hi all,

I've just bought a 2011 Auris TR 1.6 with 27k miles on the clock from a local dealer. I have been offered a service plan but quite a few things seem odd to me and would really appreciate your input.

To start it's a 5 year plan inlcuding 3 full and 2 intermediate services. It also includes the following:

- 5 MOTs

- 3 pollen filter service, which for whatever reason have been planned for the first 3 years and then they stop. £39 each

- 4 fuel treatment "recommended at every service". Again this are only for the 4 first years. £15 each

- 3 engine flush (first 3 years). £15 each

- 60k brake fluid change planned for 2016 (even though with an estimate of 10k/year in 2016 I'll have 46k on the clock). £39.

- 80k brake fluid change @ 2018 (even though my estimated mileage at the time will be 65k)

- 1 AC service for 2016. £59.95.

All of the above come at a cost of £1723 and following a 17% discount it comes down to £1500 or £24.5 per month.

My questions are the following:

1. I was under the impression that with the full fixed price servicing you get the pollen filter changed. Is this not the case? Have you guys been charged separately for it and does it need to be changed annualy? Also at £39 it sounds steep given that the filter costs £15 and I can replace it myself.

2. Have you been doing the fuel treatment at every service or have you actually done it at all? I've looked at this in the past for my other car and the manufacturer recommends not to use any fuel treatment.

3. Have you been charged separately for the engine flush?

4. AC service? From what I know you don't need one unless the air is not coming out cold. Initial plan included 2 of these and I asked to be reduced to 1.

5. Are we not supposed to have the brake fluid changed every 2 years for the auris? Also initially they had included just one in 5 years and following my comments they added 2.

Any feedback would be much appreciated. I plan to request a 3 year plan instead but wanted your views as in general my impression is that they roughly put a few things down without really thinking what I would actually need (e.g. more brake fluid changes) while they made sure to add some unecessary (fuel treatment/ AC service) things to inflate the price.

Many thanks in advance!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

Fixed price servicing web-page - http://www.toyota.co.uk/service-and-maintenance/car-servicing

Answers to questions:

1. Changing the pollen filter is an additional Maintenance Option - £39 is the standard charge.

2. Fuel treatments should be down to the customer to decide whether or not to have done

3. Commonly engines flushes are an additional charge and not included within the Fixed Price Service scheme

4. We run two cars, and change cars on average every three years. We use the air conditioning several times a month in the winter - especially when demisting the windows. We have never needed an air conditioning service on either car - and this is across a variety of makes.

5. Brake fluid should be changed every 2 years/20,000 miles - whichever occurs first.

At the end of the day, service plans are negotiable. I based my current service plan on the Fixed Price Service costs, it includes the use of 0W-20 oil (Toyota's preferred grade oil for my car), and had a free brake fluid change at two years.

Presumably the car is due to have had its 3 year intermediate service, or will that be done before you collect it - included as part of the sale(?).

In which case the 2015, 2017 and 2019 services will be full services, with the 2016 and 2018 services being intermediate.

Brake fluid changes will be due 2015, 2017 and 2019, and are a £39 Maintenance Option for each change.

What I would suggest is -

1. change your pollen filter yourself - really easy to do. OE Toyota pollen filters can be bought reasonably from Toyota dealer eBay shops for example.

2. ask the dealer to base their service plan on the Fixed Price Service scheme costs

3. as your service intervals should be based on time rather than mileage, the brake fluid change should be done with every full service (ie 2015, 2017, 2019)

4. it should be down to you to decide whether or not to have the engine flush/fuel treatment

5. use your air conditioning several times a month, including during the winter (when used with heat, it helps to demist windows faster) - that way your air con system will remain lubricated and the chances of needing an air conditioning service will be reduced. If the air con stops producing cold air, get it serviced then.

This way the cost should be around £788 for a three year plan including two brake fluid changes and three MOT's.

My service plan also gives me 10% off any parts and accessories I buy, and also 10% off labour costs if I have any other work done outside the service plan. Ask whether your service plan provides any additional benefits like this.

[ToyotaAuris]

Ok i have a 2011 auris too and it had a service plan. My service plan cost me £60 for 2 intermediate and 1 full service which was fair but £1500 for all that?! I wouldn't take it. The only things out of them which are useful are the 5 MOT's and services. You wont need all that pollen filter stuff (you can do it your self, its literally a 60 second job, you open your glove compartment, unscrew the lid of and its there....) as you any only ever need to change it once in a cars life time! You will only need brake fluid change once which will probably be at around 50k miles along with 1 engine flush (which i wouldent do either) at again 50k miles and 1 pollen filter at 50k miles. If I was you, i'd ditch all this rubbish and get sat nav or something else installed or even keep your money! This is just a way to make money. If there is a way, just get the MOT's and services done with maybe just 1 brake fluid change at lets say 40k miles. Thats all! Dont go for this engine flush scheme or anything else. Save your money and dont be fooled. Also you will see some replies after me now saying how it will damage your engine or void your warranty. Just remember your car will only have 2 years left of warranty now, which if you service twice and get the brake fluid topped up by Toyota it will still remain in warranty. Ignore the advice you get after me cose most of the admins on this forum work for Toyota etc. Enjoy!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Ignore the advice you get after me cose most of the admins on this forum work for Toyota etc.

That is incorrect - Devon Aygo works for a Toyota dealership, and makes no secret of this.

The other regular moderators (Raistlin, Red Yaris and myself) have no connection with Toyota, other than being owners of Toyota vehicles.

Parts King works for Lindop Toyota, who are one of the Toyota Owners Club sponsors.

Toyota Owners Club has no connection with Toyota - see the disclaimer at the bottom of the home page.

My service plan cost me £60 for 2 intermediate and 1 full service which was fair but £1500 for all that?!

A service plan at a cost of £60 for 2 intermediate and 1 full services - that is fair, and, I would imagine, is a better price than a Toyota employee could get !!!

[Heidfirst]

It is recommended by most manufacturers to change your brake fluid every 2 years (it's not usually mileage based). This is an additional cost to a service.

Similarly, it is recommended to have an a/c service every 2 years. I had one this summer for my car which cost £39 at a Toyota dealer (would have been been dearer if not done along with a service).

If you haven't picked up your new car yet & it has not had these done yet at 3 years old I would try to get them included before you take possession (you would merely be ensuring that the car had been maintained to Toyota recommendations).

I have since taken out a 2 year service plan with that dealer which is for my next 2 annual services (I only need 1 a year for my low mileage) & 2 MOTs. This cost me iirc ~£330 - less than the suggested price for a Toyota Fixed Price 40k service (which is 1 of the 2 that my car will be getting as part of it) alone so it was a bit of a no-brainer.

Pollen filters are replaced as necessary & are an additional item. For most people they should not be required annually.

I don't get a fuel treatment or engine flush from a dealer. I have used fuel additives such as Archoil 6400-D or BG 244 (bear in mind that I have a diesel so your additives would be different) every 6 months or so & currently I have switched to running premium fuel which should hopefully keep the engine cleaner.

[chrisgr]

Many thanks for your responses guys, much appreciated.

My initial thoughts is to reduce it's duration to 3 years and remove the pollen filter services, fuel treatments and ac service. If I need any of the above I can pay there and then.

However looking at the numbers in more details I'm very angry and feel a bit dissapointed about their service. The total service price is at £1,723 pounds but they supposedly offered a discount because I bought a car bringing the total value to £1,429. Looking at the second page which details what's included (as described in my first post), when I added up the values they quote it adds up to £1,360!!! So not only they haven't offered a discount but they've charged me more than their breakdown shows! Also it is odd that each service has a different price: interims at £114.5 and £108, full at: £185, £233 & £164. Actually the 5 services are £80 cheaper than the fixed prices and MOTs are quoted at £39 so £10 cheaper than another local dealer.

Of course I will go back and complain about all these discrepancies but if I'm honest even if they offer a proper discount I'm not sure I want to do business with them. What's more they never offered a 10% discount on any mechanical repairs and associated labour that my other local states on the website.