Holden introduces capped-price servicing

By Jez Spinks | April 03rd, 2012

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Holden has introduced capped-price servicing, becoming the last of the local car makers to offer improved peace of mind and clarity on running costs for car buyers.

The new scheme, called HoldenWise, is applicable to all new Holdens purchased from the start of April, fixing costs for a vehicle’s first four scheduled services for the first three years or up to 60,000km.

The costs start at $185 for models such as the Barina Spark, Barina city car and the majority of Commodore models, rising to $395 for the Captiva diesel SUV and upcoming Colorado diesel ute.

Diesel variants are consistently more expensive than their petrol equivalents. The Cruze diesel, for example, has a capped price of $335 compared with $185 for petrol versions of the locally built small car.

In the Captiva range, there’s a $150 difference between the petrol and diesel models – $245 versus $395.

LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) variants of the Commodore sedan, wagon and ute also reveal that alternative fuels to petrol can have high running costs despite being cheaper to fill up.

All LPG Holdens cost $265 per scheduled service – $80 more than petrol counterparts.

Holden says the diesel service pricing is a result of the higher associated costs with the compression-ignition engines. Diesel engines essentially need more TLC from servicing departments because of the need for more stringent filtration for the fuel and engine oil in response to their tendency to produce significantly more soot and oil contaminants than petrol engines.

“[Holdenwise will] provided greater consistency, certainty and transparency of servicing costs throughout the first three years of ownership,” Holden said in its media release.

Toyota was the first manufacturer locally to introduce capped-price servicing in Australia, with Ford introducing its own scheme in July 2011.

Some of Ford’s pricing is more expensive than Holden’s – a Falcon six-cylinder model, for example, costs $255 compared with $185 for the equivalent Commodore – though Ford adds 12 months roadside assistance, while its scheme also covers models dating back to 2007 and for up to six years or 105,000km.

Other manufacturers offering capped-price servicing in Australia include Mitsubishi and Nissan.

Mitsubishi also offers longer warranties – five years or 130,000 for vehicles and 10 years or 160,000 for the engines.

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Leanne5

yeah capped price servicing ………plus the cost to fix all the other problems they find and wont fix under warranty……..
- Bachman Turner Overdrive
  
  I was about to say the same thing!
- Goodjjp
  
  Parking globe $25 dollars each… 55 dollars for wiper rubbers (not complete blade)
  Blah Blah Blah…
  I will never go holden dealer for service…
Dave S

And that’s why we love our local cars. Cheaps servicing costs. Spark and Commodore almost the same price to service. Diesels significantly more expensive to service, negating much of the fuel savings.

Good work on Holden for their fixed pricing.
Goodfa

This is Holden Marketing pulling the wool over the consumers eyes again.

Even though the service is discounted the majority of people will now have to complete 4 services in three years rather than 3. So basically over three years there will be no saving.

How can the same car purchased in March only require services every 12 months and when purchased in April requires servicing every 9 months.
- Guest
  
  What’s the price of the non fixed 3 services vs the fixed 4?
- ??????????
  
  umm sorry i must have misread that story (twice) as I can see nowhere in it that state servicing is 9 months? If you don’t do 60K then you only get the services required.
  otta chuckle at the continued backhanded compliments to Ford by the editorial staff though,
  “Some of Ford’s pricing is more expensive than Holden’s – a Falcon six-cylinder model, for example, costs $255 compared with $185 for the equivalent Commodore –”
  Considering Ford has been doing it for over twelve months, offering on a larger range of vehicles for a longer period with Roadside assist renewed every service the slight increase in cost over that 60k period would be well and truly nullified in the life of the average Falcon, Commodore, Aurion/Camry for the small business / Fleet vehicle lease.
  - Biffwellington
    
    Re the Ford sledge, see who the author is! One Jez Spinks! This person has a continued gripe against Ford for some reason! Must have got a dodgy lunch at a Ford new car release once! Very un-professional!
    - Golfschwein
      
      It’s not even remotely a sledge. He describes that it is dearer and then goes onto detail the added benefits and differences. Can’t get fairer than that, in my book.
      - ??????????
        
        That is why I called it a back handed compliment… Start your compliment (or finish it in spoken terms) with a negative.
        In spoken word you praise then finish with a negative, even as simple as “Drives well, but!”
        In print (particularly on webpages where 70%+ of readers skim) you start with a negative and finish with a minor positive.
        It is a very clever art that can be put to great use to get your point across without being viewed as openly bias.. I can run you through plenty of stories in this website alone where there are prime examples of this art at work, and watch all the COTY awards where it is used to excuse their final choice.
  - Dave S
    
    The article just points out for those comparing. One is more expensive, but you get m ore in return. – no bias.
    
    ‘Some of Ford’s pricing is more expensive than Holden’s – a Falcon six-cylinder model, for example, costs $255 compared with $185 for the equivalent Commodore – though Ford adds 12 months roadside assistance, while its scheme also covers models dating back to 2007 and for up to six years or 105,000km.’
  - Goodfa
    
    If you go to Holdens website it tells you that it is 9 months/15000 Kms.
    
    When you consider that over 3 years the Commodore will need four services to the Falcons three you would have to say that Ford has the better deal when you take into account the free roadside assistance.
    - Andrew M
      
      So is the Commodore now 9 months/15,000????
      
      Well if thats the case, then yeah I dont get that either.
      
      And on the other side of the argument F Vs H, you can buy a 2nd hand Falcon and still get the capped service costs, with Holden it only counts from this month bought new.
      
      Its good in a way that ford has back dated their scheme to give a saving to those that cant afford new cause honestly, what are they trying to promote, sales or the service department??
      
      And like already mentioned Ford throws in roadside assist which is easily the $70 difference.
      - AAA
        
        The roadside is only for the first 12 months though. But I think its a better set up than the Holden one. As you’ve mentioned, the back dating is also very handy.
      - ??????????
        
        however every service gives renews that 12 month assist.
    - Andrew M
      
      So is the Commodore now 9 months/15,000????
      
      Well if thats the case, then yeah I dont get that either.
      
      And on the other side of the argument F Vs H, you can buy a 2nd hand Falcon and still get the capped service costs, with Holden it only counts from this month bought new.
      
      Its good in a way that ford has back dated their scheme to give a saving to those that cant afford new cause honestly, what are they trying to promote, sales or the service department??
      
      And like already mentioned Ford throws in roadside assist which is easily the $70 difference.
  - Phil
    
    @????????, the article says this program is for the first four scheduled services in the first three years.
    It’s in the second paragraph of the article.
    Four services in 3 years = 9 months between services.
Leanne5

Maybe they should also offer a free FIRE EXTINGUISHER at each Cruze service…….
- Kd
  
  Except the problems on 2 Cruzes were in America, on American built Cruzes.
  So your comment means nothing
Edn

In Toyota case , under the capped price regime, Toyota mandated 6 monthly service instead of usual one year service. This means the car will get into service centres more regularly. I wonder if it is the case with Holden.
- Phil
  
  Toyotas have always had 6 months services (9 for Crapry and ewwrion) even before they introduced their fixed priced scheme.
ryan bane

perhaps they should all instigate Mazda and Peugeot NZ’s servicing policy – Free scheduled servicing whilst under warranty (i.e.first 3 years, and transferable to any owner).

They didnt even jack up the price when it was introduced, and although it may have been originally a marketing ploy to help flaging sales, Its still std with new CX5′s and the very popular 3 (even the RX8).

Probably still a ploy for Peugeot though :0)
- Andrew M
  
  Ford did that with AU11.
  I think it cost them more dough than it was worth so they dropped it.
- Andrew M
  
  Ford did that with AU11.
  I think it cost them more dough than it was worth so they dropped it.
horsie

@Robyn. ill save you the trouble. ‘Daewoo, crummydore, korea’ nowplease don’t bother
- Robin_Graves
  
  Thanks – although for the record, I quite like Hyundai/Kia vehicles in general so I dont have a problem with ‘Korea’ – just have a problem with things being made there then flogged off as being ‘made in Australia’
CS

Mitsubishi capped price servicing once a year or 15000km, plus much longer warranty
- ??????????
  
  lol read the detail on Mitsubishi’s capped price servicing, most expensive of the lot. And their warranty is 3years/ 100,000km. It is only lengthened if you continue to get your vehicle serviced by MMAL service agents. (It is explained in full on their website)
  - CS
    
    Incorrect – can be serviced by whoever as long as they are a registered mechanic - but why would you if you had fixed price servicing. Original owner gets 10 year warranty (5+5), any second owner gets balance of 5 year warranty. Mitsubishi want to service it at minimum around 3 year mark to get the balance of 5 year warranty. They figure not too many people will qualify for the 10 year warranty as vehicle will be traded during the first 5 years. My wifes Mazda only has a 3 year warranty and no capped price servicing, however on her previous Mazda 3 the service cost were very reasonable, and no warranty claims needed during 5 years of ownership.
http://www.caradvice.com.au Jez Spinks

Motoring journalists are well accustomed to the old chestnut of being accused of bias, but it’s certainly strange when you’re clearly stating a positive about a brand – in this case Ford. So thanks to Golfschwein, Dave S and co for correctly interpreting the story.
Springvale Boi

Good move. But a $70 oil change for $185 is still way too much.
- Eric
  
  They do more than an oil change.
Barry

Good move by Holden,piece of mind for current and new GMH customers,
Diamante1981

Would be great to get an article explaining all the details of the different Capped Price Services. Seems to be some confusion over the Mitsi one and I believe the Nissan Capped Price is just not for new vehicle owners but covers all vehicles as long as they are not older than 6 years or done more than 120,000kms
- Diamante1981
  
  and that with Toyota if you miss one service they dump you from the program
- Papousek
  
  Yes, Nissan’s capped servicing is for 6 years (or 120,000 km). That’s pretty good. Unlike Toyota – only first four services for Aurion are included for $130 (every 9 months) and then when the first really major one comes along it is no longer capped price… In Nissan’s case the fixed price varies from service to service, but for the next six years the pricing is capped and clearly posted on their website. You know what to expect.
  - Phil
    
    Yea….you’ll be spending A LOT more initially with the Nissan. For the V6 Maxima:
    
    6 months: $252
    12 months: $372
    18 months: $252
    24 months: $550
    36 months: $372
    Total $1798
    
    So that’s “pretty good” compared to:
    
    9 months: $130
    18 months: $130
    24 months $130
    36 months $130
    Total $550 (For Ewwrion)
    
    ……………
    
    Toyota would really have to hike their prices to catch up to the Nissan’s “Pretty good” prices – and at that point most people would stop getting their car services at the dealer anyway.
    - Phil
      
      Actually I forgot the Nissan needs a 30 month service as well for another $249, so 36 month cost of servicing actually costs a whopping $2047.
      [and the ewwrions 3rd services is at 27 months but costs are still the same].
Eric

So there will less dicounting on the Holdens now.

The RRP may not change but the promtion pricing/discounting will suffer.

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