Not all capped-price servicing schemes are created equal

The older among us may remember that 1980s Castrol commercial with the tagline "oils ain't oils". Similar sentiments could apply to today's capped price servicing.

The move to published prices for scheduled services has given most new car buyers a level of certainty and transparency on one of the biggest costs of ownership.

But not all schemes are created equal — and the differences can add up to hundreds, even thousands of dollars over the life of a car.

Take the Chrysler 300 SRT (pictured), a rear-drive V8 sedan in the mould of the Ford Falcon XR8 and Holden SS Commodore. You'll pay thousands more than the homegrown V8s to service the Chrysler over five years.

It requires servicing every six months/12,000km while the Falcon's intervals are 12 months/15,000km and the Holden's are nine months/ 15,000km. The five-year cost for the SRT is an eye-watering $6470 (including one in the fourth year at $1785). For the Ford it's $2370 and the Holden $1853. Chrysler does six-monthly engine oil changes at $224.

Why is Ford prepared to cover your car under warranty with just three services, while Chrysler insists on six

Over three years, the SRT gets six services versus three for the XR8, four for the SS. Still, you have to ask: why is Ford prepared to cover your car under warranty with just three services, while Chrysler insists on six — and why is there the cost discrepancy between very similar cars?

Check the fine print for other inconsistencies. Some brands charge extra for the likes of brake fluid and coolant, which need changing every two or three years, while others have stretched service intervals to make their costs seem more reasonable. There are some that don't have capped servicing on fleet or rental cars.

And it's not just new car buyers who have been caught short. One Carsguide reader bought a 2013 Hyundai i20 ex-rental and was quoted $300 for a service. For a privately owned car, the bill would have been just $189.

Hyundai later covered rental and fleet cars in its capped price plan, though its website quotes the dearer servicing figure. Some owners will be pleasantly surprised when the dealer charges less than the figure quoted online.