Toyota makes its vehicles’ service plans even more attractive
Toyota has been the sales leader in South Africa for 38 years and the pacesetter in terms of its service plans, which were first incorporated into the vehicle purchase price of the Corolla in 2002 as a margin sacrifice by the company.
This development was a significant contribution to cutting the cost of ownership of a vehicle as service costs were covered for a prescribed number of kilometres travelled in a limited time.
Now the company has gone even further, by improving the terms of the complimentary service plans which come as standard with new vehicles.
Vehicles sold from May 1 now have a specific number of services for a given distance travelled. Servicing no longer has to be undertaken in a given period as long as the vehicle is serviced at least once every 12 months. Service intervals are either every 10 000km or 15 000km, depending on the model.
For instance, a Corolla will require six services by the time it reaches 90 000km. In the past these services had to take place within a five-year period.
Now they can take place over six years, which improves the overall cost-of-ownership offering for the customer.
For a Hilux, which is serviced every 10 000km, the benefit is even greater. It will require nine services in 90 000km, which previously had a limit of five years. Now the services can be spread over nine years while still conforming with the requirement of servicing it every 12 months.
Toyota has over 200 dealerships countrywide with more than 4 000 people working in the technical servicing environment to ensure top-quality after-sales backup. Service plans cover the cost of filters, spark plugs, remote batteries, oils and fluids (brake fluid and engine coolant), as well as labour, according to the schedule for each model, but do not cover wear items such as tyres, brake pads and linings and fan belts.
There are extension options to cover services up to 200 000km or a maximum of 10 years from date of purchase.
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