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Which Makes/Models Offer Free Scheduled Maintenance?

26 messages,  Last post on Aug 05, 2009 at 11:50 AM

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#1 of 26 Which Makes/Models Offer Free Scheduled Maintenance? by kirstie_h HOST

Nov 08, 2004 (6:35 am)

Which manufacturers make your life easier in the first few years of ownership? Share your experiences here.
 
kirstie_h

#2 of 26 by bluedevils

Nov 08, 2004 (7:37 am)

Looking for info on which makes/models provide free scheduled maintenance, and for what time/mileage interval.
 
I am trying to research potential vehicles for my mother-in-law. She always pays for all the regular service intervals, even the overpriced 'checks' and 'inspections.' She feels the need to have a new vehicle and therefore leases rather than buys. She also pays very little attention to her vehicle, rarely checking oil or tire pressure etc.
 
Becuase of all that, she'd be a great candidate for leasing a vehicle with the scheduled maintenance included. I know some of the luxury brands offer free scheduled maintenance, but I'm not sure which ones. Some mainstream brands also have branched out into this - I'm aware of Mitsubishi offering 3 yrs / 45,000 miles free scheduled maintenance on its 2005 models.

#3 of 26 It's not "free".... by isellhondas

Nov 08, 2004 (9:03 am)

It's just built into the price of the car!
 
Sounds good, though.

#4 of 26 Well... by bluedevils

Nov 08, 2004 (1:17 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Nov 08, 2004 9:03 am)
I would have to disagree somewhat. Sure, generally speaking, luxury brand vehicles cost more than mainstream brand vehicles. But some of those expensive luxury brand vehicles include free scheduled maintenance, while others do not. The brands that do offer it are providing a tangible financial benefit to owners, and setting themselves apart from competitors. And when you start talking about companies like Mitsubishi offering 3 yrs / 45k free scheduled maintenance-- that starts to be a pretty good benefit.
 
From the standpoint of my mother-in-law, who always pays for every service the dealer tells her to do, she stands to save a lot of money by choosing a vehicle that includes free scheduled maintenance. Yes, I know the dealers sometimes recommend more services, and more often, than the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule.

#5 of 26 by kirstie_h HOST

Nov 08, 2004 (1:33 pm)

I would call it "included" scheduled maintenance, but that's just my take.
 
Here's a hot tip: While many models don't "offer" free scheduled maintenance, it's negotiable just like any other item. Neither of my vehicles had advertised free scheduled maintenance, yet I do have it. When we bought the vehicles, we weren't in a need-to-buy situation, and therefore had a payment price/monthly payment in mind, or else we didn't really want to buy at that time. When negotiating the price & trade, we couldn't quite get to the place we planned to be. The dealership offered to throw in the scheduled maintenance, and presto! We took the vehicles.
 
I guess the benefit to the dealership is that, if you're in for scheduled maintenance and your vehicle has one of many inevitable non-scheduled repair needs, you're more likely to just get that done at the dealership while you're there.

#6 of 26 Re: [kirstie_h] by bluedevils

Nov 08, 2004 (2:20 pm)

Replying to: kirstie_h (Nov 08, 2004 1:33 pm)
I guess 'included' is a more appropriate term than 'free.'
 
I knew this was a negotiable item, and in some ways it is easier for the dealer to give you $x value of maintenance than to drop the vehicle price another $x. A drop in price is actual lost revenue, while the dealer is not necessarily losing service revenue by including scheduled maintenance, since the customer may do that maintenance elsewhere if it's not free. Plus as you said, it's a chance for the dealer to sell you other products and services that aren't included, while you are at the dealership.
 
It has the possibility of a win-win.

#7 of 26 Bump by bluedevils

Nov 14, 2004 (5:27 pm)

I was really hoping someone might be able to provide some helpful information here, so I'm bumping this thread to the top.

#8 of 26 Free maintenance by dsattler

Nov 15, 2004 (9:05 am)

I believe Audi does. For awhile Subaru was offering coupons good for three years of free scheduled maintenance on 2005 Legacies as an inducement to buy. I happened to get one, and since it was a limited time offer and a limited program I doubt it was "built in" to the price of the car.

#9 of 26 No-charge maintenance by corvette

Nov 16, 2004 (1:17 pm)

Volvo, Saab, BMW, Audi, and Mitsubishi offer "free" scheduled maintenance, if memory serves. Mercedes used to but stopped in 2005, VW used to but stopped in ~2001 (I think). Scion offers the first three (5/10/15k) oil changes free (I don't think it includes the tire rotation).

#10 of 26 I Remember by jchan2

Jun 01, 2005 (11:38 am)

Daewoo offered free scheduled maintenance for the first 3/36. But then of course, Daewoo folded.

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