Free Ferrari servicing

FERRARI’S seven-year free servicing offer has been extended to Australia, six months after it became available in Europe.

From this week, all new Ferraris sold and delivered in Australia and New Zealand will include scheduled servicing for the first seven years at no extra cost.

Designed to reduce the cost of Ferrari ownership and provide customers of the Prancing Horse brand with more peace of mind, the Ferrari Genuine Maintenance program applies to the new FF coupe, California convertible, 458 Italia coupe and upcoming 458 Spider – but not the discontinued 599 GTB flagship.

More attractive than the shorter-term, fixed-price routine service campaigns offered by many mainstream brands, the Ferrari’s free-service deal covers all scheduled maintenance at standard service intervals (20,000km, or once a year with no mileage restriction) and includes original spare parts, engine oil and brake fluid.

Ferrari claims the program, which was introduced in Italy in April and is fully transferable to subsequent owners, is the first of its type to be offered by any car-maker globally, demonstrating the attention it pays to its customers.

“The Ferrari Genuine Maintenance program is the latest facet in a range of customer services aimed assisting new and existing Ferrari owners with the ownership of their Ferrari,” said the general manager for Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand, Kevin Wall.

“These programs make it easier to join the Ferrari family, provide support and protection for each owner and give the peace of mind that allows Ferrari owners to fully enjoy the unique experience that comes with driving and owning a Ferrari.”Ferrari Genuine Maintenance is the latest in a host of global aftersales services that the Italian supercar brand – which celebrates its 60th anniversary next year in Australia, where the first car to be imported is still on the road – says is unmatched by any other brand.

They include the Ferrari Approved used-car program, the Ferrari Power Warranty that can cover a pre-owned Ferrari for up to nine years, Ferrari Pre-Owned Search, Ferrari Genuine spare parts, the Ferrari Classiche valuation and restoration service and Ferrari Pilota driving courses.

Ferrari sales are up more than 24 per cent so far this year in Australia, where 103 were purchased in the first three quarters of 2011 – up from 83 in the same period last year.

Aided by the new four-seater FF grand tourer, Ferrari should double the number of cars it sells in Australia this year compared to 2005 – when Neville Crichton’s European Automotive Imports assumed control of local distribution – but will fall short of the brand’s record of 163 in 2008.