Lifetime capped-price servicing for Hyundai

EVERY Hyundai sold in Australia since the brand first arrived in 1986 will be eligible for capped-price servicing for the vehicle’s lifetime, the South Korean car-maker announced today.

The new program will come into effect on Monday, September 1, with Hyundai also extending its roadside assistance service from seven years to 10.

GoAuto understands the program will cost $12 million a year and that Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA), rather than individual retailers, will subsidise the cost of the first five services in a bid to bring customers back to the dealership on a long-term basis.

In a statement, HMCA chief operating officer John Elsworth said customer feedback led to the company developing a new scheme with clearer costs.

“Pricing transparency for all scheduled services is something our customers say they want,” Mr Elsworth said.

“We hope our lifetime capped-price servicing program will give customers even more peace of mind and confidence in our aftersales service going forward.” All Hyundais, from cars and SUVs to light commercials will be eligible regardless of the age of the vehicle or the number of kilometres travelled.

A maximum servicing cost for the vehicle will be set nationally and customers will be able to look up the price before taking the car in for a service, Hyundai said.

Any owner with a vehicle that is already part of Hyundai’s three-year capped-price servicing agreement can continue with the arrangement and take advantage of the lifetime program once the three years is over.

A new online system has also been put in place by Hyundai allowing customers to book a time to have their car serviced and book a replacement car.

“We’re proud of our new booking system and it is a key step toward making Hyundai Australia’s best-loved car company,” Mr Elsworth said.

“We want to make Hyundai and Hyundai dealerships as easy as possible to do business with, and make vehicle servicing a straightforward and simple process.”“Ultimately, servicing any car is an inconvenience – there’s no getting away from that.

“But with capped service prices for life, which are transparent and easy to see, and a new online service booking system, we hope to reduce that inconvenience as much as possible,” he said.

In January, Mazda announced lifetime capped-price servicing for all its new models, while Subaru went further in July by applying the lifetime cap to any car sold from 2006 onwards.

Hyundai is yet to reveal the pricing breakdown for each model, but there is expected to be a slight increase compared with the current three-year capped servicing plan which ranges from $189 for an i20 light hatch to $379 for a Santa Fe CRDi family-sized SUV.