Kia announces five-year capped-price servicing scheme | CarAdvice

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Kia announces five-year capped-price servicing scheme

By Alborz Fallah
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Kia Australia is introducing capped priced servicing starting today (August 1) to further enhance the Korean company’s appeal to value conscious Australian buyers.

Although the announcement of Kia Connect capped priced servicing follows similar moves by sister-company Hyundai last week, Kia has been working on the scheme for over a year with the intention of providing the best of its kind in the business.

For a start, Kia’s system covers its cars for the entire five-year unlimited kilometre warranty duration (regardless of ownership changes), which is superior to market leaders Toyota and Hyundai, which limit their capped price servicing strategy to a certain number of kilometres.Kia Soul

The capped-price servicing strategy is a win-win for both consumers and Kia. On the one hand Kia buyers are assured of the maximum possible cost for a service across all Kia Australia dealerships prior to servicing and on the other, dealers are more likely to retain customers.

Kia is also providing a complimentary three-month/3000km vehicle check service which it says is designed to start the buyer’s relationship with the dealer service department.

Currently only 50 per cent of new Kia buyers return to an authorised Kia dealership for servicing by the end of the first 12 months of ownership, that figure drops down to 35 percent by the third year.

The capped-price servicing strategy will entice customers to come back to dealerships at least once a year (or every 15,000km), which not only certifies a by-the-book service (securing the warranty), but also helps maintain the value of the vehicle by having authorised services. Nonetheless, as a further reward, Kia will offer free roadside assistance for the five-year warranty period so long as the vehicle is serviced at a Kia dealership.

One of the highlights of the Kia Connect capped-price servicing system is that it also applies to a great deal of already sold Kia vehicles, which is unlike that of Hyundai’s which excluded owners who bought a vehicle before August 1.

The system will apply to current-generation Kia Rio (sold after August, 2011), Soul (after April, 2009), Cerato (after January, 2009), Optima (after January, 2011), Rondo (after April, 2008), Carnival (after August, 2008), Sportage (after August, 2010) and Sorento (sold after August, 2009) starting from September.

Comparing Hyundai to Kia, we note that the cost of a 15,000km service for a 1.4-litre Hyundai i20 and Kia Rio (which use the same engine and transmission systems) differs by $40 in favour of the Hyundai. Kia points out that the difference is due to its technicians replacing the pollen filter in the Rio, something that an i20 doesn’t get as part of its regular service. On the other hand, it’s $50 cheaper ($349) to service a Kia Sportage diesel than the equivalent Hyundai ix35 diesel.

Holden and Ford were recent subscribers to the new system, joining the servicing revolution behind the early adopters of Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Full servicing costs for Kia vehicles are listed in the table below.


 

  • F1MotoGP

    Good move but Hyundai prices are cheaper up to 3 years. Accent total cost up to 3 year is $567, Kia Rio 1.6 $935. We do not know Hyundai prices after 3 years. 

    • Phil

      Yeah, they probably did this so that there was at least some point of difference between the two brands. Probably rounds out at about the same at the end. Not bad value. :)

  • Bas_69

    Still more expensive that my local mechanic who does a much more thorough services for less. My 2011 Cerato hatch needs new tyres after 30,000 kms due to the Kia dealer not checking the front end alignment properly causing uneven wear due to excessive toe in. Fixed price servicing will only result in the dealer skipping on things which might eat into their profits!

    • John

       You’re probably right. I have a Lancer, which has fixed price servicing. Took it in for its 24 month service, in which the service manual says they should drain/replace the brake fluid. I asked about that and was told that they replace the brake fluid at the 36 month service.

      Guess what, that means that they avoid one brake fluid flush/replace over the course of the 4 years fixed price servicing. What else aren’t they doing, I wonder.

      • John West

        Not to question your reading ability (or my spelling) but I’ve had a few Mitsi’s and the brake flush has always been done every 45,000km or 36 months as that is the major service.

        • John

           I have been known to make mistakes, so I just checked the service schedule again, to make sure I wasn’t talking complete bollocks.

          The 24 month/30,000 km service is a B service, which lists things to done in addition to the routine A service (which covers oil/filter, all that sort of stuff). One of the things to be done is to replace the brake fluid.

          In short, I checked, and according to the Service & Warranty booklet that came with my car the brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years.

  • Bazza

    I wouldn’t trust the Dealers to do the correct service. It is better to use a local garage who needs the work and will want you to return. I run a diesel mondeo company car. The mechanic who does all our company cars only charges slightly more for the diesel service ( mainly oil costs )
    He cannot see why they are so expensive over a petrol engine.
    Support your local guyand build up a freindship

  • Guest12

    How does this work? I drive 30,000 kms per year. Does that mean both services per year ( every 15,000 are covered ) for the 5 yrs mark ? Or only one service per year is covered ?

    • http://www.caradvice.com.au/ Alborz Fallah

      Both services are covered.

  • Sumpguard

     For anyone considering buying an SUV these are the service costs over 3 years. Bare in mind the Korean twins are diesel  which shatters the myth that they are dearer to service. Meanwhile the Mazda CX-5 ,Nissan X-Trail and Subaru XV (all petrol) are totally ridiculous. 

           For the record KIA are the first brand in Australia to show their hand on a 5 year service plan which the others manage to hide for cost of their MAJOR service.

       Quote from News.com

       ” Kia’s program is the only one in Australia to combine capped-price servicing with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and annual service intervals. Manufacturers steer away from extending any capped program beyond three years because the major service is generally at four years.”

    COMPACT SUVs
    Toyota RAV-4 (6/10,000) $1020
    Kia Sportage diesel (12/15,000) $1175
    Hyundai ix35 diesel (12/15,000) $1197
    VW Tiguan 132 (12/15,000) $1250
    Nissan X-Trail petrol (6/10,000) $1725
    Mazda CX-5 (6months/10,000km) – $1806
    Subaru XV (6months/12,500km) – $1914

  • Tenthy

    This would make me buy a KIA product as my next buy.  I’ve just bought a iX35 Hyundai, but
    the FPS would have clinched the deal in KIA’s favour fro sure

  • Andrew_diablo

    I don’t understand why servicing for Sportage’s 2.0 CRDI Diesel is more expensive than Sorento’s 2.2 CRDI Diesel ? 

  • Apple_r

    Good to know that servicing cost of my 2.2L Sorento is not much more expensive than petrol ones.

  • slade330

    I know this is about fixed price servicing, but are Kia selling many optima’s
    My wife has had her car for a month now and we have not seen any other Optima’s on the road.
    It seems people are not aware of the product. Everyone raves over the  car when they see it, usually either don’t know what it is, or can’t believe what it is.
    Is KIA keeping this car a secret, or is it poor marketing or are the other products on the road so much better – they didn’t seem so when I test drove a couple ( Subaru XV, Honda Civic, Toy Cam )

  • Firingup

    Supply has been an issue for Kia with these cars since launch last year but they appear now to be able to get a few more. They are the best looking, best value mid-sized car in the market but don’t shout it out because everyone _ barring the badge-snob fools that don’t realize their Cruise is built in Korea _ will want one :)