Capped Price Servicing: People-movers

More than just about any other segment, the people-mover category is one of a practical nature.

You might be able to justify or gloss-over how much a sports car costs to service, but for people-mover buyers – mostly large families – the ongoing cost of maintenance can be an important purchase consideration.

The models available in this segment include the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai iMAX, Kia Carnival, Kia Rondo, LDV G10 Wagon, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Proton Exora, Toyota Tarago, Volkswagen Caddy, Volkswagen Caravelle and Volkswagen Multivan.

LDV is the only manufacturer in the category to not provide a CPS schedule. Of the rest, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz offer the most flexibility with either a pay-as-you-go CPS or pre-paid servicing.

All people-mover CPS programs except Hyundai’s and Citroen’s match the time period of the vehicles’ new-car warranty, which in this category is three years minimum (Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Toyota Tarago) and up to seven years (Kia Carnival and Rondo).

While Citroen’s warranty is five years, the CPS runs to six years/120,000km.

Hyundai provides ‘lifetime’ CPS, meaning it will cap the service price of the iMAX for as long as it’s roadworthy.

That’s a bit of a marketing ploy really, because the prices quoted today for a car’s service in 10 years’ time are of course subject to change – and without a doubt will change (Hyundai says in its terms and conditions that the online price quote for a service is valid for 30 days).

However, it is reassuring that a company will keep servicing your people-mover at a capped price, if you decide to keep the car beyond the warranty period.

Like their new-vehicle warranties, the CPS schedules for people-movers are transferrable. If the vehicle is sold, the new owner can continue to take advantage of the CPS offer while the vehicle is under warranty (or after warranty expires, in the case of the Hyundai and Citroen).

The Odyssey and Tarago have to be serviced twice as often as the others in this group, with six-month/10,000km service intervals.

All the other service schedules have 12-month/15,000km intervals (except Citroen and Mercedes-Benz, with 12-month/20,000km intervals).

While the Proton has 12-month/15,000km services, it also needs a first service at one month/1000km at a cost of $170.50. The Odyssey also needs a service at one month/1000km, but it’s free.

What do you get in a capped-price service?

The CPS offers include all the procedures nominated for each scheduled service, as appears in the service book – nothing more, nothing less.

So what that means is you’ll get the engine oil and oil filter replaced at every service, and the fuel filter, brake fluid and (for petrol engines) spark plugs periodically.

Brake fluid, for example, is usually replaced every two years. All new parts and fluids used are (or should be) manufacturer parts or fluids, or those endorsed by the manufacturer.

The scheduled services also include hooking up a proprietary scanner to the vehicle to check powertrain and other systems for any faults and conduct software updates to such systems as required.

All components (such as lights, wipers, power window operation and so on) are checked. Most will top-up the windscreen washer additive and of course all parts, labour, sundry workshop materials and oil disposal are included in the capped price.

Manufacturer CPS programs give a secondary benefit; service campaign or recall work (for which a dealer does not charge) can also be undertaken while your vehicle is being serviced. It’s also a convenient time to address any warranty issues.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/kia-rondo-0202-9d4m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-244616" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/kia-rondo-0202-9d4m.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

Deal sweeteners

Wheel balance and rotation is included for Kia Carnival and Rondo owners (for the Honda Odyssey, it’s rotation only), while Volkswagen will wash and vacuum your car after the service as part of its CPS deal with Caddy, Caravelle and Multivan.

Hyundai and Kia offer 12 months of roadside assist with new vehicles, but extend that by 12 months with each CPS. Hyundai includes roadside assist for the whole period of the three, four or five-year pre-paid service plans.

The maximum you’ll pay for a service and what is covered is pretty straight-forward for all the people-movers, but Honda is the only one to split-up its CPS costs.

The Honda Tailored Service Program has a ‘Base’ scheduled service, which includes items such as oil and oil filter replacement and ‘Additional service/adaptive items’, which includes pollen filters, engine air filters and brake fluid replacement – all still due for replacement at set intervals. The Honda Odyssey prices in the table below include those adaptive items (see notes below for breakdown).

What is not covered

The CPS (and pre-paid servicing) plans do not cover some consumable parts that don’t have a defined time or distance replacement schedule.

For example, brake parts such as discs and pads and even windscreen wiper refills are not covered; when they’re worn enough to require replacement, you have to pay over and above the CPS price and it’s up to the individual dealer how much they charge.

As you’d expect from any service centre (and is stipulated in most of the CPS terms and conditions) you’ll be advised of the need to replace any such parts and the cost involved before the work goes ahead.

The Citroen Confidence Service Price Promise program doesn’t cover the cost of AdBlue top-ups.

Want to pay by credit card? Honda’s Tailored Service Program specifies that it doesn’t cover merchant fees for such cards.

None of the service deals include repairing or replacing non-genuine parts either. The Volkswagen Assured Service also specifies that it doesn’t include the repair/servicing of genuine accessories (although those accessories are covered by a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty).

Any item that requires maintenance or repair because of vehicle misuse/abuse or driver negligence or because of other vehicle damage is also not covered in any CPS.

The service deals also don’t cover extra maintenance required for vehicles used in ‘severe conditions’.

Citroen defines severe conditions as “Continuous door-to-door use, urban use with regular slow speeds below 20 kilometres per hour, repeated short journeys (less than 10km/h) with a cold engine (following a stop of more than one hour). Extended use in hot climate above 30 degrees Celsius, cold climate below -15 degrees Celsius, dusty conditions, use with poor quality fuel”.

Honda’s severe conditions definition is similar: “Severe conditions include but are not limited to, driving mainly in temperatures in excess of 35°C and driving on dusty, muddy or de-iced roads”.

CPS or pre-paid plans are subject to change, so it’s worth giving the terms and conditions a carefully look-over before you go ahead and sign-up for a pre-paid service plan or book a CPS.

What if you miss a service?

As you might expect, you can’t just turn up well after a service is due and expect that the CPS deal will hold – these CPS/pre-paid offers are subject to you bringing in your vehicle when a service is next due, according to the time/distance service schedule.

Most of the CPS deals give you some leeway though. For example, Citroen allows one month/2000km, Honda two months/3000km, Hyundai four months/5000km, Proton 21 days/750km and Toyota three months/5000km after the scheduled service is due. Kia just says that “Extra costs may be incurred” if a service is missed.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/citroen-grand-c4-picasso-002-2ep3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-244613" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/citroen-grand-c4-picasso-002-2ep3.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

Pre-paid service plans

Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz’s pre-paid service plans involve a hefty up-front cost. Hyundai’s plans are: $1068 for three years, $1574 for four years or $1930 for five years. Mercedes-Benz charges $2138 for three years cover.

Hyundai’s iCare Pre-Paid Service Plan doesn’t save you much at today’s prices (it’s $9 cheaper over the equivalent three, four of five-year pay-as-you-go CPS). At $2138, Mercedes-Benz’s ServiceCare Plan saves $642 over the (pay-as-you-go) ServiceCare Promise.

The benefit of both programs is that you know exactly what you’re up for at the get-go and you won’t be affected by inevitable price rises.

If you happen to sell your iMAX or V-Class before the pre-paid service plan runs out, you’re adding to its resale value too.

At $704, the Proton Exora is by far the cheapest people-mover to service over three years, closely followed by the Kia Ronda at $943. These people-movers are small though; of the larger models, the Toyota Tarago is cheapest at $1080.

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class, at $2780, is the most expensive people-mover to service (although its service cost drops significantly, to $2138, if you pay for the three years’ servicing up front).

Despite not including – or at least nominating – capped additional charges for consumables such as brake parts and wiper inserts, the CPS programs do offer some peace of mind and certainty when it comes time to service your people-mover.

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso prices for diesel model. Petrol model average per service price $534 (over three years), $3582 over CPS period (five years/75,000km) and $1603 over the first three years.

Honda Odyssey prices above are for ‘Base’ items and ‘Additional service/adaptive items’ combined. Additional service/adaptive items and their intervals are: 2yr/40,000km, replace pollen filter $65; 3yr/60,000km, replace air filter $66, replace brake fluid $54, replace CVT transmission fluid $152; 4yr/80,000km, replace fuel filter $304; 5yr/100,000km, replace spark plugs $173.

*Hyundai has a Lifetime CPS but for comparison purposes we have only included the first five years of service prices in the ‘$/CPS period’ column. Hyundai iCare pre-paid servicing for iMAX is $1068 for three years, $1574 for four years and $1930 for five years.

Kia Carnival prices for diesel model. V6 petrol average per service price (over three years) $397, $3118 over CPS period (seven years/105,000km) and $1193 over the first three years/45,000km.

Proton Exora prices for CVT transmission model. Manual transmission average per service price (over three years) $234, $1716 over CPS period (five years/75,000km) and $704 over the first three years/45,000km

Volkswagen Caddy prices for 2.0 75kW diesel DSG. For 1.4 92kW petrol, average per service price (over three years) $438, $2516 over CPS period (five years/75,000km) and $1314 over the first three years/45,000km.

Volkswagen Multivan prices for 2.0 103kW DSG. For 2.0 150kW DSG, average per service price (over three years) $581, $3343 over CPS period (five years/75,000km) and $1745 over the first three years/45,000km. For 2.0 150kW DSG 4-MOTION, average per service price (over three years) $625, $3574 over CPS period (five years/75,000km) and $1876 over the first three years/45,000km.