Car service plans - worth it?

[ZenNudist]

Is it worth paying for 3 years servicing in 33 monthly instalments?

Apparently I have to decide today as ive just had my service, or the monthly payment goes up next week.

It's attractive to spread the cost, plus they give 10% off parts, puncture repairs & complementary valet with service.

That said I'm not hard up and can afford costs as they come up and wouldn't be tied into one place.

A con? Does anyone do this?

NO.
Never.
Make them justify EVERY penny

with prepayment they will make the work match the bill AND MORE

I ve had two payment plans

One with Toyota and one with Ford.

It worked out around £60 more expensive than if i went to a non dealer garage. Thats for the service and MOT

The "valet" is a very quick hoover, they dont even lift the mats up, and a quick wash outside.

No dusting, window cleaning or anything.

The parts are more expensive anyway so with the 20% discount on parts, you would pay the going rate at your local non dealership garage.

If you choose to cancel the policy for example if you sell your car and dont get the same make, then they charge you a admin fee etc so you dont get all your money back even if you havent yet had the service and MOT.

Genuine parts are not cheaper at non-dealership garages and use of non-genuine parts invalidates the warranty.

but warranties are worth diddly squat
and
independent garages use far less parts ...

put it this way
my main dealer wanted £3400 to do the welding on my lovely, rather elderly car
my independent charged me £666
and it passed the MOT that I'd booked utterly behind his back ....

The garage i go to are cheaper for genuine parts than the main dealer

Genuine parts are substantially cheaper at a non-dealership garage. Even cheaper if you order the parts yourself and give them to the non-dealership garage to install.

Do not waste your money.

welding does not use parts and i guarantee you genuine parts are the same price wherever you go

Carol

I take it you work for a main dealer garage?

No,

I was offered this but declined. Someone in the family who knows about cars was dubious about whether the garage would service the car properly.

I will stick to my local mechanic who is honest and reliable.

No, but I work in the relevant field

We wouldn't. Dh is motor trade.

New cars go out with very little, quite often zero, profit. To up-sell they get bonuses for "protective paint waxes", gap insurance & service plans.

Gap insurance was flagged recently on radio 4's consumer programme as a possible candidate for the next mis-selling saga.

You can go to any dealership/garage for a service as long as they use manufacturer parts and the right engine oil etc.

Thanks for all the replies. I was suspicious of 'buy today for cheapest installment' schtick. Sounds likes hard sell.

I decided against as I pay them £15 a month for 12 months then go back having already paid more than my next annual service. The same thing happens in 2015. By 2016 I'm straight again but with no option to shop around and tied to them for any further work.

Feel like they should do a better deal to guarantee your future custom.

i have one with ford, it's been okay but we'll see! they collected car and brought back from MOT and have given me car to use when it went in for something minor. have had such alot of bother from older cars and independent garages that i don't mind paying for it.