"Service Club" - Why I wont be doing it anymore!

[jeebowhite]

OK so the idea is this, pay a monthly amount into the Ford service Club, and at the end of the year, your basic service costs are covered? sounds simple enough doesnt it?

They even go to glamorise it, by adding "freebies" such as an MOT, Free Wash and Vac, parts discount etc etc, and I bought into it, though I have since found the true cost of the process.

OK, so my car is a a nine year old Mondeo, currently I pay the best part £20 into a pot every month, but recently I cancelled my service at ford, because they were expecting me to top up the costs, not realy happy about that for a number of reasons I wont bore you with. However, I will bore you with this.

http://www.ford.co.uk/OwnerServices/Motorcraft/Servicing

 

FORD MOTORCRAFT 4+ Service

• Complimentary UK and European Roadside Assistance
• FORD eCHECK, a 30-point visual health check
• oil and oil filter change
• Free Wash and Vac

 

FORD MOTORCRAFT 4+ Minor Service

 

for just RRP £125¹

 

 

FORD MOTORCRAFT 4+ Major Service

 

for just RRP £195¹

Type of service	Minor Service RRP £125	Major Service RRP £195
oil and filter change	✓	✓
30 point eCHECK	✓	✓
Antifreeze check and top up	✓	✓
Brake fluid check and top up	✓	✓
Windscreen washer check and top up	✓	✓
Visual brake check (wheels on)	✓	✓
Check and adjust tyre pressures	✓	✓
battery check	✓	✓
Free Roadside Assistance	✓	✓
Reset service light	✓	✓
Wash and Vac	✓	✓
Steering check	✓	✓
Visual alignment check	✓	✓
Spark plugs replaced		✓
External fuel filter change (diesel only)		✓
Brake check (wheels off)		✓
Check and advise on transmission oil level		✓
Check condition and serviceability of pollen filter		✓
Air filter change		✓

The final straw was the fact the brake fluid is additional cost, and then they wanted me to top it up. But I thought I would share with you my average breakdown, given the above, keep this in mind.

 

Ford Servicing Costs:

£261 per year paid to Ford for servicing... via monthly direct debits
£72 goes towards "management fee". - 27% of my payment goes out for the privelage of using direct debit.

£125 minor service cost by standard - Reasonable for a dealer.
£182.56 minor service cost under this plan - Apparently because they use "Ford Parts" for this service, thats 40% overcharge.

£199 major service cost by standard - Reasonable for a dealer.
£247.57 major service cost under this plan Apparently because they use "Ford Parts" for this service, thats 40% overcharge.

I have had a major service over a year ago, I didnt get my fuel filter changed, and they wanted to charge me for the brake fluid, atop the fact that when I changed the air filter, I found that hadnt been done either!

 

So, for your convenience, pay ford the fee via direct debit,  you get a free wash and vac, 10% discount on parts (and labour!) and free MOT, technically you get free breakdown cover with their 4+ service also, but technically that isnt free with the service club... which all comes to a total cost of £120+ for your freebies, of which £72 is just for the luxury of spreading the cost.

 

I feel I have been diddled, Now I know why I never got a breakdown of the service costs, or a statement from EMAC.

 

I put in a complaint and demanded a full refund of the last year of payments (£160+) so I await the refund, and I shall be taking my service elsewhere.

 

In the meantime, I will be looking to write a complaint to Ford head office, to disgrace this "plan". I have no beef with my local dealers, they have been good to me over the years, however I feel Ford and their "service club" have bent me over for too long, and if they provided a breakdown of figures at the time of signing the agreement, I would have saved myself the best part of a grand over the last 8 years of having these plans with them!

[biff55]

8 years ??? sh#t lol.

these sort of manufacturer deals never stack up from a value for money point of view , they are sold on the basis of providing peace of mind for the customer who may be useless at budgeting towards , or organising their vehicles' maintenance , and will always cost more than paying only when the car is actually worked on.

lesson learnt i suppose.

[tazzman600]

I'll throw this into the pot. My car is a 62 plate titanium x sport mondeo ecoboost. I'll be putting approx 6k miles a year on it. Lookers quote for a 4 year plan totals £740. A different Ford dealer for a 4 year plan quoted £1420.00 tho this plan includes gearbox oil change which is £350 on its own. So between the 2 dealers is a roughly £350 over 4 years (lookers charge extra for gearbox oil change ).

I'm no longer in a position to service my own cars now coz of my move and getting rid of my tools. I will do one of the service deals and probably the dearer one as it's nearer and easier to get to whilst the other is a nightmare drive away.

And biff. I can budget for my services as can most others. It's a no brainer to pay interest free monthly payments.

I found out by accident that the hourly service charge is £120 which I was gobsmacked at so in reality £1400 for 4 years serving is quite good.

[TotallyTonto]

Wow. this has opened my eyes as I've been considering these service plans. Not as straight forward as it looks.