3 Year Service Plan - Worth It?

[YarisHybrid2016]

Hi,

When I purchased my car, I was offered a 3 year service plan. It was presented as freezing the cost of servicing, included certain consumables for "free" (e.g. Headlight bulbs), and discount on parts (e.g. Accessories, tyres).

Looking at the per-service cost, over three years the service plan is more expensive! I've also never replaced such items as headlight bulbs on any car I've owned.

It seems an obvious choice to me, but am I missing anything by NOT taking it?

[FROSTYBALLS]

One can negotiate both the price of a service plan and also what is covered by the service plan.

For example did it include the brake fluid change which is due at two years but is not included as part of the full service. With my current service plan, I got the dealer to base the service costs on Toyota's fixed price servicing, and I get 10% discount on accessories and parts & labour on any additional work I have done during the period of the service plan.

Incidentally on my last Toyota, I had a main beam bulb go just before third service, and had it replaced as part of the service.

Only you can decide whether or not either what you're offered or what you can negotiate, makes financial sense for you.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

As above. They can work out good if you know your use age pattern and requirements. Ultimatly though if only keeping the car for 3 years and doing average mileage then not having a service plan may work out better, or not too much worse off.

[YarisHybrid2016]

Hmm... Didn't think about doing that...

I saw brake fluid was additional! Any idea what they charge for this?

[FROSTYBALLS]

£39.

When I took my present service plan out, the dealer included the brake fluid change free as an incentive

[YarisHybrid2016]

Hmm! Thanks!

[offashead]

This is of interest to me too. My Auris hybrid will be used as a taxi, it has 4 years left on the warranty or 95000 miles.

The mechanic who deals with my other taxi ( now sold) is very competent indeed but has no software for the hybrid and so forth. The ex Toyota tech knows them inside out but never gets much time because he's always up to his elbows with broken Audi's ( he wishes he was still at Toyota and so do I) So it would more than likely be the one who looked after my previous car who would do the work. The work being general work such as servicing, minor repairs like changing discs, pads and so on.

Being a taxi the Auris is going to cover many miles (one hopes) without to much hassle? I do wonder whether it would be best to stick with Toyota for servicing but take it to my mech for other work that may cost a considerable sum at Toyota during the warranty period. My pal who has a 2010 ( used with a starting mileage of 20K) Prius has it serviced at a pretty average garage and it's never been near Toyota since he's had it and it's now covered 130k

Any views most welcome.

[YarisHybrid2016]

Due to the braking system being different compared to conventional cars, your garage needs to be able to access the ECU in order to service them. I'm not sure what else electronic they need access to (ability to reset service and read fault codes I guess would be the major items).

If you're worried about reliability, I see no reason why an Auris would be less reliable than a Prius as a taxi. The reliability comes from the relative simplicity of the hybrid system. Even the Yaris should be as reliable, as it is also built on the same technology.

I'd be interested to hear how your independent gets on with servicing. I prefer to use them rather than main dealers. I would still take the car to a main dealer however to have the hybrid Battery checked, not least to ensure the Battery warranty gets extended (it gets extended by 1 year at each check, maximum of 10 years from new).

[Joseph D]

The tech should invest in the Global Techstream software plus a generic J2534 compliant VIM (or the genuine one if he is flush-about €500). The Toyota master tech can provide him with training.

In order to offset the cost of his investment, he could offer independent Hybrid servicing.

He can obtain the genuine Global TS hardware and software here

Hope that helps.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

Also worth factoring in the free hybrid health check worth £40 a pop with each main dealer service, which extends the Traction Battery warrenty by 12 months / 10k miles each time up until the cars 10th birthday from 1st registration.

Obviously it may be something you're not too fussed about, but worth considering depending upon price savings with indie servicing over main dealer.

[FROSTYBALLS]

I would still take the car to a main dealer however to have the hybrid battery checked, not least to ensure the battery warranty gets extended (it gets extended by 1 year at each check, maximum of 10 years from new).

Also worth factoring in the free hybrid health check worth £40 a pop with each main dealer service, which extends the Traction battery warrenty by 12 months / 10k miles each time up until the cars 10th birthday from 1st registration.

If one has a hybrid health check just before the car's 10th birthday, cover can be extended for almost 11 years.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

I would still take the car to a main dealer however to have the hybrid battery checked, not least to ensure the battery warranty gets extended (it gets extended by 1 year at each check, maximum of 10 years from new).

Also worth factoring in the free hybrid health check worth £40 a pop with each main dealer service, which extends the Traction battery warrenty by 12 months / 10k miles each time up until the cars 10th birthday from 1st registration.

If one has a hybrid health check just before the car's 10th birthday, cover can be extended for almost 11 years.

Indeed, assuming you don't do more than 10k miles in that year. Still amazing none the less in my opinion.