Car Servicing

I have a Hyundai i30 Tourer purchased new in 2014 (but paperwork shows it to be a 2013 model). I have met every service milestone with the dealer through which I purchased the car. However, without any warning lights appearing on the dashboard, the car went into ‘limp home mode' and, after having it towed back to the dealership, I was advised the engine needs to be replaced. When I queried why no warning engine lights came on, one of the service team members advised me that by the time the engine light comes on "it's too late".

The car has travelled 136,000 kms. The dealership is not interested in assisting with costs as it is out of warranty; instead they simply advised I should sell it and wanted to discuss what car I would like to purchase to replace it. Given this vehicle has been meticulously maintained with regular services, it seems unreasonable for this to have occurred. Am I just unlucky or are there systemic issue with Hyundai vehicles?

Toyota has updated its capped-price servicing costs compared to late last year, according to the local brand's website.Pricing for every Toyota model has gone up by between $15 and $50 per service.New cars sold by Toyota can be had with a three- or five-y

I'm considering the purchase of a one-previous-owner 2014 LTZ Holden Colorado with 143,000km, apparently used mainly for touring and towing a caravan. Is there any history showing engine life or major issue occurring in this model Colorado? It has had regular interval servicing.

​You might think that when a brand offers a capped-price servicing plan, you, as the customer, will get a good deal when it comes to maintenance costs. Thankfully, that's now the case for Volvo Cars Australia.In short, Volvo had one of the most expensive service setups in the Australian market, capped pricing or no, but that's pleasingly changed - significantly so.The company now offers two levels of capped-price service plans, as buyers can opt for a three-year/45,000km or five-year/75,000km plan.See the table below to see how each of the different models stacks up. You'll find that they're consistently priced.As is the standard for the premium brands, Volvo offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Volkswagen offers a capped-price servicing program for all of its current models, with the company's Australian arm labelling it the Service Pricing Guide.The Volkswagen Service Pricing Guide covers all new models sold by the brand, from the pint-sized Polo city car to the Crafter large van. According to Volkswagen, "when servicing your Volkswagen at an authorised service centre, you can have the confidence your Volkswagen is in the most capable of hands".The vast majority of Volkswagen vehicles - including the Golf, Tiguan and Amarok - have a service schedule that requires maintenance every 12 months or 15,000km. That's pretty good - lots of brands suggest servicing requirements in smaller increments.The Crafter large van requires servicing every 12 months or 20,000km - clearly the brand thinks people who own a big box on wheels will do more distance per annum, and that's absolutely correct. If you have heard that Volkswagens are expensive to own, that’s mostly true. The majority of models in the range are more expensive to maintain than competitor vehicles, although it's great that the German company offers a five-year capped-price plan, which is longer than a few of its biggest competitors.The capped price service costs are on the high side. But if you refer to our tables below, you’ll see VW also offers Volkswagen Care Plans for either three years or five years. Those Care Plans offer peace of mind to customers in being able to bundle their maintenance costs in to their finance package, and VW Australia stipulates that if you sign up for a five-year plan, you get a discounted rate and your first service (12 months and either 15,000km or 20,000km) free. That equates to savings of between $619 for a Passat, to as much as $2,302 for a California Beach/Multivan van!And in good resale value news, VW’s Care Plans are fully transferable if you decide to sell, too. Check out the table below for all the cost details.VW Australia’s warranty is five years/unlimited kilometres, but complementary roadside assist is only included for the first year.See the table below for the average cost per service for each of the models in the Volkswagen range, plus the service intervals applicable to each of the different variants listed. 

Subaru offers a capped-price servicing plan for all of its current models, and it falls under the company’s ownership program known as the Subaru Capped Price Servicing Program.

Mazda offers a capped-price servicing program for all of its current models, and it falls under the company’s ownership program known as Mazda Service Select.

Mitsubishi offers a capped-price servicing program for all of its current models, and it falls under the company’s ownership program known as Diamond Advantage.

In early 2020, Japanese luxury brand Lexus joined the rest of the developed automotive world by finally announcing a form of capped-price servicing for its model range.When the brand’s Encore ownership program was updated, Lexus finally added a level of assured price servicing to its ownership program for all models sold from January 1, 2020.The Lexus Capped Price Servicing plan spans a three-year duration for all models in the range, bar electric versions of the UX SUV.Most models in the range require servicing every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first - except for the Toyota LandCruiser-based Lexus LX SUV, which needs maintenance every six months/10,000km. It is considerably more expensive to own than the other vehicles in the range as a result.Aside from one model, prices are set at between $495 and $595 per maintenance visit - see the table below for more detailed information model-by-model.The company offers owners a loan car, and in some instances even offers a pick-up and delivery service of your car when it comes time for maintenance.Lexus still betters some of its competitors with a slightly longer duration for its warranty plan, which spans five years with unlimited kilometres. 

Kia offers a capped-price servicing program for all of its current models, which it inventively calls Kia Capped Price Service.Kia Australia says it believes "that when you purchase a vehicle, you should have a clear understanding of what it will cost to maintain", and true to form, the company's service offering is very impressive.Along with a strong seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, Kia backs its models with a seven-year servicing plan - no matter what model you own. The plan has been in play since October 2014, meaning that the brand's customers from way back then still have new-car warranty and capped-price servicing - where many competitors would have already done their dash.The Kia ownership plan is fully transferrable between owners, which helps with resale value; selling a four-year-old car with an ongoing ownership plan is a pretty enticing offer.Most Kia models require maintenance every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, making for a maximum service cover of seven years/105,000km, but turbocharged petrol (T-GDI) models require maintenance every 12 months/10,000km. Some earlier turbo models required visits every six months/10,000km, meaning an annoying 14 scheduled services over the coverage period.Kia also backs its cars with a roadside-assistance plan. Every time you service your vehicle at an authorised dealership, you will receive a 12-month extension, up to a maximum of eight years.As with many other brands, you can enter your VIN (vehicle identification number) online to get quotes specific to your exact car.While seven years isn't as lengthy as some competitors that offer lifetime capped-price service plans, the fact it includes a seven-year warranty makes it rather tempting. You can check out the table below for the average cost per service for each of the models in the Kia range, plus the service intervals applicable to each of the different variants listed.