Re:Have Gen4 service costs rocketed!?

Seems crazy. Just had a 'major' 20K mile service on a Land Cruiser. Engine oil, both diffs oil, brake fluid, ad blue. £438. And Toyota do the same thing where they extend the warranty up to 100k miles / 10 years if you use the dealer.

They have a more or less captive market during the warranty period.  Suzuki sometimes offer the first two services free, though (my mother bought a new Ignis in May), so that's one way to beat the system.

The pricing for older cars is bonkers - £160 for an oil and filter change, not even a full "oil service".  Cost me £45 with big brand 5W30 oil and a genuine Suzuki filter.  And I didn't just suck it out through the dipstick tube and leave sludge in the sump.

It may be worth considering the current 'make hay whilst the sun shines' servicing costs strategy. The dealers service departments and their techs are facing oblivion as the electric car revolution rolls on. Soon the guy who changes your oil may be standing in the dole queue behind the steam locomotive fitters, the cartwrights, the caulkers and the thousands of other trades who woke up one morning to find themselves redundant and or obsolete. Be honest - how many folk do you know that can be bothered changing their own oils or brake pads to save a few quid or boost their sense of self worth?

Electric cars still (at the moment) have normal brakes and suspension. You're only saving on engine oil, coolant, a couple of filters, and possibly spark plugs, although they can last half the life of the car these days.

The servicing requirements for a modern car are not onerous compared to older cars - but the prices charged are!

I believe some Tesla models need a "small drive" oil change, in old money that would be called a reduction gearbox. So plenty of scope to keep taking money off people going forward.
Most get into DIY not to save a few quid, they simply can't afford. Do it yourself or it doesn't get done is the choice some are given in life. 

I did a bit of research and it turns out most newer EVs use glycol coolant for the batteries, like combustion-engined cars.  Obviously it doesn't get heated to 90 deg C on every trip as it does in a Jimny, but the anti-corrosive properties will still diminish over time.  Tesla say theirs lasts the life of the vehicle but, given that Mazda FL22 and similar already last 11 years from new, that might be for a particular definition of "life".  They may expect the car to be scrapped when the battery warranty expires.

wrote:

Mine has just been serviced today for £320 with a main dealer. Also got my transfer box sorted with the 2nd fix done under the extended warranty Suzuki are now doing. 

Curious, but what is the extended warranty?

wrote:

wrote:

Mine has just been serviced today for £320 with a main dealer. Also got my transfer box sorted with the 2nd fix done under the extended warranty Suzuki are now doing. 

Curious, but what is the extended warranty?

Sorry to add to 300phpton warranty question, but I am also curious on what the 2nd fix is on the transfer box, didn't the first fix work? I assume this is the "rattle" problem fix?

wrote:

Sorry should have said Service activiated warranty which is what suzuki are promoting at the moment. Basically if your car is serviced with a main dealer then its now covered for up to 7 years or reaches 100,000miles.

Interesting. Is there any other info on this? I've herd zip from Suzuki since buying the car. I chased and spoke to them earlier in the year about extended warranties, but all it was a 3rd part covered one, with huge exclusions and a massive price. My local dealer is also completely and utterly rubbish, despite it being serviced there.