Capped-price servicing: Mid-size luxury cars

The medium $60K-plus segment is a mixed bag when it comes to CPS. Some cars ask you to pay up front, some make you pay as you go and others leave it to dealers

Money might not buy you happiness, but when it comes to routine servicing of medium cars costing more than $60,000, it can buy you peace of mind.

Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen all offer a capped price for their respective models in this class, leaving only Lexus and Volvo to let dealers charge whatever price they want to.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all offer pre-paid service plans for their cars, purchased up front up to 12 months after the purchase of the new vehicle, provided that no dealer scheduled servicing has already been done. Infiniti and Volkswagen offer a more catholic CPS where you pay each CPS fee at the time of the service.

The advantage of the pre-paid model is that the up-front cost can be bundled into a finance package if desired and provides certainty about the cost of servicing for the period — up to five years in the case of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Naturally, conventional CPS fees are subject to change over time — what the plan says a service will cost in five years' time might fall way short of what it will actually cost you by then.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz charge the same price for their respective models in this size/price class, while Infiniti and Volkswagen charge different prices according to specific model.

While the others offer a set distance/time interval for servicing, BMW does something different. Its Condition Based Service System (CBS System) relies on sensors within the car — analysing engine oil condition, for example — to alert the driver when a service is next due.

If you do a lot of kilometres you might benefit more from this (depending on what the CBS System decides), as BMW does not cap the number of services in its plans, excluding of course the plan cap at 80,000km. The maximum service interval is 12 months though, regardless of kilometres.

While most of the service schedules are by the book — that is, not including routine wear items such as wiper rubbers, brake pads and so on — both BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer a service plan that includes some of these items for a premium over the standard pre-paid service schedule.

While Lexus does not provide CPS for its cars, in this class owners of the IS and ES models are given the first scheduled 12-month/15,000km service free of charge.

CPS table: Mid-size cars $60K-plus:

Model	CPS period	Service interval	$ per service	$/CPS period	$/3 yrs
Audi A4	3yr/45k km	12m/15k km	$540	$1620	$1620
Audi A5 Sportback	3yr/45k km	12m/15k km	$557	$1670	$1670
BMW 3 Series	5yr/80k km	12m/15k km	$248	$1240	$744
BMW 3 Series GT	5yr/80k km	12m/15k km	$248	$1240	$744
BMW 4 Series GC	5yr/80k km	12m/15k km	$248	$1240	$744
Infiniti Q50	5yr/125k km	12m/10k km	$538	$3732	$2030
M-Benz C-Class	3yr/75k km	12m/25k km	$660	$1980	$1980
M-Benz CLA-Class	3yr/75k km	12m/25k km	$660	$1980	$1980
Volkswagen CC	6yr/90k km	12m/15k km	$404	$3821	$1483

Notes:

Audi A4 and Audi A5 Sportback:

Audi Service Plans are available to buy at participating Audi dealers either at vehicle purchase or up to 12 months from the date of first registration of the vehicle, provided that the first scheduled service has not already been done. The plans are not refundable. Includes two oil change services including oil, parts and labour as per the Audi Service Schedule, and one inspection service including (top-up) oil, parts and labour as per the Audi Service Schedule; brake fluid replacement at two years (regardless of kilometres); service indicators reset; any service enhancements (for example software updates, not including sat-nav); screen wash additive renewal; vehicle external washing and vacuum.

Service plans can be bought for BMW vehicles up to 12 months from the first date of vehicle registration (or, in the case of an unregistered vehicle, up to 12 months from the date of delivery to the first purchaser). The plans are offered for a five-year/80,000km period only.

BMW Service Inclusive – Basic

: The cost of parts and labour for all recommended oil services and inspections as indicated by the Vehicle’s Condition Based Service System (CBS System) are covered. Items included in BMW Service Inclusive – Basic are engine oil change with oil filter; service/replacement air cleaner, fuel filter, micro filter; spark plugs; brake fluid; and Vehicle Check in accordance with the BMW service booklet.

BMW Service Inclusive – Plus

(two plans are offered: $1796 for three years/60,000km or $3229 for five years/80,000km) adds to the above BMW Service Inclusive – Basic with replacement brake pads front and rear; brake discs front and rear; clutch (when worn); and windshield wiper rubbers (as part of the engine oil change service, if required).

Infiniti Q50:

Prices listed above are for the Q50 2.0t. The Q50 2.2d costs $2151 over three years ($3927 over five years). The Q50 3.5h is $1231 over three years (but with only 10,000km intervals) and $3976 over 80,000km/eight years.

Silver Service prices
above are for the three-year Silver Service Plan, which includes oil and
oil filter changes, brake fluid replacement recommended at two years,
air filter and fuel filter replacement recommended at three years,
sunroof guide lubrication recommended at three years and transmission
filter and fluid replacement recommended at three years. The Platinum
Service plan ($3780) adds to the Silver Service Plan with replacement
wiper rubbers, replacement brake pads and replacement brake rotors.

Volkswagen CC:

Prices above are for the 2.0 125kW TDI. For the 130kW TDI, prices are $3784 for the CPS period and $1483 for three years. For the 3.6, prices are $4721 for the CPS period and $1857 for three years. Prices quoted include pollen filter and brake fluid replacements every two years (for 3.6: Haldex fluid change every two years also included), which Volkswagen prices separately in its CPS schedule.

Non-CPS cars (service price estimates given by manufacturer):

Model	Service interval	Cost per service	Cost/3 years
Lexus ES	12m/15k km	$581	$1239
Lexus IS	12m/15k km	$649	$1357
Volvo S60	12m/15k km	$522	$1567
Volvo V60	12m/15k km	$522	$1567

Notes:
Lexus IS

price above is for the IS 250 and IS 350. The IS 300h is $1295 over three years. The Lexus ES price above is for the ES 350. The ES 300h is $1327 over three years. All Lexus IS and ES models’ first scheduled service at 12 months or 15,000km is free of charge.

Capped-price servicing: Mid-size luxury cars

Tags