Agent001
Agent001
I like to go top shelf, where Mama hides the cookies
View My AgentSpace

Print this Page | Digg It | del.icio.us

EXCLUSIVE: First Mercedes, now another premium manufacturer to cancel this great customer benefit?
One of the great features you used to get when you bought a Mercedes was the free maintenence program.

It was terminated because of the high cost (estimated at over $100 million per year).

It's still available from BMW and Audi.

BMW goes so far as to position it as a competitive advantage and their executives always refer to it in their speeches saying 'It's the PREMIUM thing to do'.

And we TOTALLY agree with them.

Well, we're about to lose another soldier in this battle as Audi will terminate their free maintenance on all 2007 models.

Look for the official announcement soon...

In the words of Arnold the Governator...'BIG MISTAKE!'



Comments:

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters):
[img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent004.myautospies.com/users/150/Sample-Gallery/sample1.JPG[/img]
vwmbfanvwmbfan - 2/17/2006 5:35:07 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
It does cost a tremendous amount of money to include the maintenance with the car and I wouldn't be suprised to see BMW drop it soon.

001 you have said it was a mistake for Benz to drop it, but they have had year over year sales gains without it. Lexus has never had it. I don't think it will hurt Audi when they stop.

reply to this comment
blackswanblackswan - 2/17/2006 7:11:51 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
I hope I get my new BMW soon, before they stop free maintenace. I put my deposit down for the new M3... please come out soon!

reply to this comment
labexeclabexec - 2/18/2006 7:21:33 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
By stopping free maintenance, you are telling consumers that you don't have faith in your brand and its quality.

reply to this comment
zsz1zsz1 - 2/19/2006 12:37:23 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
YugoRocks - while your assertion is valid, these companies can absorb the cost much more easily than individuals, just like insurance companies don't set premiums based on the maximum damage that each customer might cause in a year but rather based on averages for the group that the customer is in. Similarly, not all cars break down all the time; so increasing the price of the car somewhat to include maintenance is the smart thing to do, because the increase is averaged over all cars in a class and not individual ones (so the lemon is canceled out by the problem-free car).

reply to this comment
japoprjapopr - 2/19/2006 3:20:13 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost

I am not sure about it... if they sell around 1M cars per year, concurrently they are providing maintenance to 4M a year (assuming a 4 yrs/50 mi maintenance plan)... so if the cost is $100M a year, they are paying $25 per car per year... so I guess they can rebate $100 for any new cars without maintenance... (so everyone can afford a mighty german... ;-))

I do not think the lemon idea applies to maintenance... it is just regular oil, brakes, so on... the rest goes through warranty...

BTW... my last 3 series, I just need to change the oil three times... and brakes once before running out of the maintenance plan... I am sure that BMW can afford that... (And it is really nice to know they will! ).

J


reply to this comment
zsz1zsz1 - 2/19/2006 6:19:23 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
I don't know how BMW and MB define "maintenance," but I got full coverage with my 2001 Audi A4 - meaning that if anything broke, it was replaced free of charge (up to 50k miles/5 years).

reply to this comment
rackrack - 2/20/2006 9:15:07 AM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
"
BTW... my last 3 series, I just need to change the oil three times... and brakes once before running out of the maintenance plan... I am sure that BMW can afford that... (And it is really nice to know they will! )."

I'll bet you paid for more than that. You should ask for a refund. Had you not had the maintenance plan, the price of the car should have been lower, you would have paid less for the same service.


reply to this comment
japoprjapopr - 2/20/2006 10:45:42 AM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
At least by BMW specs, full coverage is divided in two:

Warranty: covers if anything breaks

Maintenance: covers items affected by regular use (oil, brakes, wipers, fluids, etc.)

Actually, you can be buy both separately (specially when you are extending them).

reply to this comment
japoprjapopr - 2/20/2006 10:47:45 AM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
I will be interesting to know how much MB reduced prices when cancelled the free maintenance program... I bet nothing...

reply to this comment
SohoSoho - 2/24/2006 1:00:59 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
"Those who can buy a MB, those who require less expensive vehicles buy a BMW..." Yeah.. those who know nothing about cars and buy status, buy MB. C'mon man overcharging rich people for inferior cars should be illegal. :)

reply to this comment
forsale_fc2004forsale_fc2004 - 3/9/2006 5:43:16 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
Looks like this isn't a rumor anymore....Got a sales letter from AoA regarding the Q7...Read the "offer" about dealer maintainence... Dealer maintanence will be $550 for 4 years moving forward. It use to be included with the vehicle purchase...If you pre-order the Q7, however, you get it for free.<br><br><br>
---------<br><br><br>
<br><br><br>
<br><br><br>
Dear XXXXX,<br><br><br>
<br><br><br>
If you count yourself among the first thousand people to call the all-new 2007 Audi Q7 4.2 your own, you can count on four years of regularly scheduled maintenance visits being covered because the Audi Care new vehicle maintenance package � a retail value of $550 � will be on us. Audi Care covers regularly scheduled maintenance appointments at 15K, 25K, 35K and 45K service intervals, or four years, whichever comes first. In order to qualify for this special offer, the first thing you need to do is � hurry. You'll need to be one of the first 1,000 to order your Audi Q7 4.2 before May 15th and take delivery before December 31st, 2006. Find out more about this offer, Audi Care, and, of course, this groundbreaking vehicle, at your Audi dealer.

reply to this comment
jghilljghill - 8/16/2006 5:38:32 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
Some Lexus dealers include scheduled maintenance for their customers – mine covers all manufacturer recommended stuff for 25,000 miles – that’s the 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25K services. Plus I get loaner cars for any service and free pickup and delivery service. Now THAT’S luxury service.

reply to this comment
To post a comment for this story, you must first Login.

If you do not have an account, you will need to Register (It's Free!).

Most Recent Stories
BMW 3 Series Sedan and Wagon Facelift show up at German dealershipsMercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series Billboard AdvertisementsA Driver's Paradise - A Country Club For RacingIt's Getting Deep: Auto Maker's Propaganda Machines Continue To Pump Out Bull Crap In An Effort To Bolster Sales!Camping with the new Volkswagen TiguanNissan GT-R pricing increased for 2009Video: Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR's record Nurburgring runFiat to manufacture world’s cheapest car by 2010VW hints that the Microbus might be coming back after allMysterious "Project B" Mustang concept to debut at SEMAMercedes GL Class facelift spied almost undisguised2009 Honda Civic Sedan and Hybrid Facelift Released in JapanDiesel variants of the Subaru Impreza & Forester heading for Paris2010 Ford Mustang photographed driving around2009 Toyota HiLux Facelift - Official details & PicturesFord decides to reveal the 2009 Ford Focus RS again, this time in ParisHyundai will show the i20 i-blue concept in ParisAgent 00J's $100,000 Challenge: Whose Car Collection Will Reign Supreme?AUDI AG Records Significant Growth in European Export Markets During AugustWhich is Faster, The RS6 Or The R8? The Answer May Surprise YouToyota Remains Unconvinced That US Auto Sales Have Hit Bottom YetLexus Outlines 2009 Model Year ChangesGM Facts and Fiction: GM Tells It Like It Is. Tuning: Brabus B63 S breaks cover BMW worldwide August sales up 2 percentDo You Agree? LA Times Blame Big 3 Problems On Unfair Foreign Competiton!Paris Motor Show: Subaru Debuts Diesel Forester And ImprezaBMW's Newest Baby SUV The X2 Breaks Cover - Is BMW On The Right Track?Renntec Mercedes C63 AMGFerrari Enzo Replacement SpiedNew Jaguar XF-R Spy Shots from California DesertSarah Palin Opens A Can Of Alaskan Whoop-Ass On Obama And Democrats-But What Does She Drive?Recall Issued for 2009 Jaguar XFCONFIRMED: Chevrolet Volt to be revealed this monthStudy: Women get ’turned on by engine sounds of MaseratisLamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 gets diamond wheels and pink brakesWill Buyers Be Willing To Settle For A 4 Cylinder BMW, Or It That Just Too Far Of A StretchUpcoming Beetle Design Will Inject More TestostoroneRumor: Ferrari working on a 430 Scuderia Spider2010 Chevrolet Camaro orders start next monthHyundai to show Santa Fe hybrid concept in ParisIs Imitation The Sincerest Form Of Flattery? Honda Releases Their Own Prius Look Alike!2009 Mazda MX-5 FaceliftCitroen reveals new hybrid conceptEarly look at America-bound Ford C-MaxSpies Become MythBusters When It Comes To Your Options If You Think You've Bought A LemonIs BMW The Company Actually Behind The Audi A4 Driving Experience App?NHTSA Sides With Toyota On Unintended Acceleration Issues Claiming 400 Owners Had No CaseChrysler Still Sits In The Basement, Sales Down 34% For AugustHow Low Should It Go? Analysts Predict Oil To Plunge As Low As $80 A Barrel!