Mazda launches range-wide lifetime servicing cap

MAZDA has announced a lifetime capped-price servicing offer covering its entire passenger vehicle range – a move that the Japanese manufacturer says is a first for Australia.

The Service Select deal was initially introduced exclusively for Mazda3 models when the mid-sized sedan and hatch launched earlier this year, but now every vehicle from the Mazda2 light hatch to BT-50 ute is covered by the offer.

An increasing number of Australia's car brands offer capped-price servicing deals, but in almost all cases the price guarantee expires between three to five years after purchase.

Capped-price servicing guarantees that the cost of scheduled maintenance of any Mazda is standardised across authorised service centres, with no expiry date on the new offer.

As part of the deal, the Japanese car-maker's local arm has also increased the length of time between services, which it says aligns actual usage more accurately with servicing schedules, offering better value for money.

Previously, Mazda vehicles required scheduled servicing every 10,000 or six months, depending on which came first, but the latter has now been doubled to 12 months, potentially reducing the frequency of service centre visits.

The plan does not require vehicles to be in the custody of original owners and applies retroactively, passing on to new owners no matter how many times the vehicle changes hands.

Prices for a first service (or 10,000km) range from $258 for a Mazda2 and rise to $392 for a BT-50 diesel 4x4, while fourth year services (or 40,000km) cost from $382 to $613 for the same vehicles respectively.

Last month, fellow Japanese manufacturer Subaru introduced a similar range-wide lifetime deal, but took the extra step of back-dating the offer to cover 2006 model year vehicles or newer.