Greetings from NE Essex -again!

[Barnman]

Greeting again from Ramsey in NE Essex again.

This is now our third Toyota in recent years 

1995 Gen 6 Celica - great car 

2008 Avensis D4-D - solid reliable, comfortable workhorse

2015 Yaris Hybrid - superb car which ticks our new green credentials 

We bought the latest car from Steven Eagell of Bishops Stortford.

Sadly they appear to have mis sold us a service plan from a strange company called EMac Limited

Anyone experienced this?

Thanks

Dave

[FROSTYBALLS]

Emac is the management company that administers service plans for numbers of dealers across the country across several marques including Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, etc.

The dealer/customer decide what is included within the service plan. The dealer/customer negotiate the price, and the dealer sets up the plan. Emac take the payments. Dealer invoices Emac as and when servicing is carried out under the plan.

[Barnman]

On 3/13/2017 at 8:15 AM, FROSTYBALLS said:

Emac is the management company that administers service plans for numbers of dealers across the country across several marques including Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, etc.

The dealer/customer decide what is included within the service plan. The dealer/customer negotiate the price, and the dealer sets up the plan. Emac take the payments. Dealer invoices Emac as and when servicing is carried out under the plan.

Thanks Mike for explaining this to me.

Now convinced that I have been mis sold this service plan.

Paid up front £450 for 2 years servicing thinking we could go to any Toyota dealership.

Our local one is Lancaster Toyota at Colchester 

At the time the sales man said Steven Eagell Group would be taking over all other dealers in the area including Colchester!

This hasn't happened, the Gov "Competition and Markets Authority" have blocked it....https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58bfdfebed915d60380000fe/steven-eagell-variation-order.pdf

Other problems with how they sold this to me leaves me seriously dis satisfied.

This included, no Contract with T & C supplied at point of sale, no details sent out until I complained 

Then realising that it was not really good value for money and been mis sold - asked for me money back 

Now have a long trail of emails and phone calls to the dealership and still no refund 

Really think I am being fobbed off.

What do you recommend?

Is it worth companying to Toyota UK, Emac or the Financial Ombudsman?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Presumably the services you've paid for are 1 Full service and 1 Intermediate. Toyota revised the costs of their fixed price servicing last year, and revised the service schedules (changed what the services covered) - see https://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/service-and-maintenance/car-servicing.json

An Intermediate service for the Yaris currently costs £160 and the Full service £290. So the cost of the service plan is correct at £450.

I would speak to Emac, explain that you were told your local dealer was being taken over by Steven Eagles and the takeover hasn't occurred as yet. I see there are two options - 1). transfer the plan to your local dealer with the proviso that if the takeover does get approval, your service plan will be transferred to the new company, or 2) seek a refund.

If Emac try to charge an admin fee, take this up with Toyota GB customer services.

Bear in mind that the service plan fixes the service costs for you, so if Toyota make changes, for example, this year, your costs won't increase.

[Heidfirst]

Just now, FROSTYBALLS said:

An Intermediate service for the Yaris currently costs £160 and the Full service £290. So the cost of the service plan is correct at £450.

One of the points of a service plan though is that it is supposed to be cheaper e.g. my 2 year 1 Full, 1 Intermediate plus 2 MOTs plan from my Toyota dealer was roughly the price of 1 Full only on the Fixed Price schedule & that was before considering annual price increases.

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, Heidfirst said:

One of the points of a service plan though is that it is supposed to be cheaper e.g. my 2 year 1 Full, 1 Intermediate plus 2 MOTs plan from my Toyota dealer was roughly the price of 1 Full only on the Fixed Price schedule & that was before considering annual price increases.

No.

The three main selling points of the service plan are: 

1. You fix your servicing costs for the duration of the plan

2. You can pay for the plan as a one-off or monthly - and usually there are no interest charges

3. You can tailor the plan to meet your requirements - ie include MOT's, specific maintenance or repair options, etc.

https://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/service-and-maintenance/car-servicing.json

Dealers sometimes include extra benefits - mine provides 10% off any accessories, parts and labour costs for the duration of the plan.

Your deal was exceptional.

[Heidfirst]

I have always believed that 1 of the advantages/inducements of the service plan was it being cheaper (tbh if it wasn't I wouldn't bother). This is the 2nd 2 year plan that this car is on in my ownership & both have showed similar savings over the listed  individual Toyota Fixed Price services.

Other possible  advantages of course being budgeting & inflation proofing.

You can, of course, tailor a normal maintenance regime as you want so I don't see any benefit from a service plan in that regard.

The advantage to the dealer to make it attractive is that he has got your money up front (& potentially in the bank earning interest)/ he is guaranteed your business rather than losing it to another dealer.

[Barnman]

UPDATE - so after loads of bullsh*t from Toyota Steven Eagell at Bishops Stortford I complained direct to Emac on 24/3/2017

Got my refund the same day!

It ain't difficult.

Don't like car salesmen - one to watch out for boys