Car - service schedules.

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jonherries

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#903237 26-Sep-2013 18:12

I have an app: Roadtrip

Our VW Golf in the last 12 months has done 9,992km at $0.291 per km including maintenance, fuel and insurance.

This works out to be about $2,905.28 for the year.

Hope this helps,

Jon

rayonline

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#903262 26-Sep-2013 18:52

I looking at those longer term maintenance as well like belts flushing it out the so called ought to do but additional service schedules obviously a new car won't have much stuff to do with first yr or.two. I read the Toyota service promotion today 200 bucks but it only include the engine oil and filter but will check other stuff but doesn't include other parts should u need them. i thought the comprehensive ones swap them even when the time is due. and for eg that 200 could be each 6 month's? the oil filter only last that long for the avg urban motorist. off my LG phone. ....

rayonline

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#903268 26-Sep-2013 19:05

we had enough issues, don't use dealers now. in the past we got a Ford Telstar wagon for the parent's business they used to work 7 days, little time for else. anyway - some days after bought had ignition issues so they came out and said we didn't know how to start it, then they may had came out for 2 or so times, may have swapped a new little unit which helped it. but a few months later it needed something extra which we had little option but pay another $500 or so .. for parts they may had discounted labour a bit ... they did say something like we didn't take the used car back to them for service checks - are those included or do you pay for them? anyway b/c of that and that they worked 7 days a week that kinda voided the warranty so we had to pay that.

i just thought about this b/c, Japan may use the car for 3 or 5yrs where they dealer services them or may even include them under the purchase deal. they may use it for another 3 or 5 yrs and dump and export it away ...

and with used cars in NZ, why pay for all this stuff b/c on accounting why not get a $8 or 10k car from Turners, only do the essentials like oil and filters and other stuff that the mechanic picks up and in the 8 or 10yrs we dump it to the wreckers or better yet if someone buys it with a sale sign behind the rear windscreen .... why spend that service schedule money if the vehicle is gonna just depreciate away anyway despite being looked after it's not a limited edition at all ....

jonherries

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#903280 26-Sep-2013 19:21

If you are buying a vehicle for a business, you are correct that the value often depreciates away quickly, but there is still an opportunity (and cash) cost of choosing to replace the vehicle as the cash accrued from depreciation can earn a return (interest usually) and or it contributes to the liquidity/capital of the business.

So for your situation you need to work out whether the additional income/liquidity forgone by replacing the vehicle outweighs the maintenance cost of keeping it, the maintenance costs are expenses and therefore presumably they are deductible.

If this is the case, then it would seem that there is quite a good case for running the vehicle until it dies?

I should make some sort of disclaimer about not being an accountant.

Jon

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#903300 26-Sep-2013 19:58

it needs an oil and filter change every 12 months (the lubricant dies every 12 months) .... that's about $50 from repco when on special or $100 for the best oil

and then there are wear and tear depending on how well your car's built and how rough it has been treated (look a car needs to get you places no point parking it in the garage and afraid to drive it because it's raining - on the other hand if you drive like a mad man ...)
- joints, brakes, alignment etc

and then there are stuff that need replacing when it's due
- cambelt 100000ks
- transmission oil and all the fluids every 20-60000ks
- tyres
- etc

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#903340 26-Sep-2013 20:57

can someone tell me why they charge you $300 bucks at the dealer to change the oil?

do they do anything else apart from take a look? (ie do they adjust things, lube things etc that I can do myself?)

Fred99

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#903351 26-Sep-2013 21:25

joker97: can someone tell me why they charge you $300 bucks at the dealer to change the oil?

do they do anything else apart from take a look? (ie do they adjust things, lube things etc that I can do myself?)

It depends...
Some cars these days need special grades of synthetic or semi synthetic oils which are blardy expensive. OEM filters tend to be much more expensive than aftermarket.
Then much of the other stuff they do, you can check yourself.
But in general, when you buy a new car, you're buying in to a long term relationship with them where they bleed money out of your pocket almost as efficiently as HP or Epson when they have their hooks into you for printer ink.

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pctek

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#903666 27-Sep-2013 12:35

I think it's a pretty good guide and we follow it more or less to schedule.
Pays to change your oil, grease and so on rather than leaving it,.
But then we also do most of it ourselves....so no big expense.

Fred99

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#903704 27-Sep-2013 13:18

jonherries: I have an app: Roadtrip

Our VW Golf in the last 12 months has done 9,992km at $0.291 per km including maintenance, fuel and insurance.

This works out to be about $2,905.28 for the year.

Hope this helps,

Jon

Here's the VW "pre-pay" service plan deal:
http://www.volkswagen.co.nz/nz/en/sales/0/Passenger_Schedule_Service_Plans.html

So $1200/year for a golf.
Note that it expires after 3 years / 45,000km, whatever comes first.
at 60,000km, there's a major service, including the DSG.

You should also factor depreciation in to overall costs, which tends to be high for Euro vehicles from new.

VAG hasn't extended the warranty duration in NZ for their DSG gearboxes, as they have done in other countries. After 3 years, regardless of km, you're on your own.
Nice cars - but there's no such thing as a free lunch.

alasta

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#903734 27-Sep-2013 13:48

Fred99: Here's the VW "pre-pay" service plan deal:
http://www.volkswagen.co.nz/nz/en/sales/0/Passenger_Schedule_Service_Plans.html

So $1200/year for a golf.

My interpretation was $1200 over the entire 3 year term - I.e. $400 per year.

Fred99

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#903745 27-Sep-2013 14:27

alasta:
Fred99: Here's the VW "pre-pay" service plan deal:
http://www.volkswagen.co.nz/nz/en/sales/0/Passenger_Schedule_Service_Plans.html

So $1200/year for a golf.

My interpretation was $1200 over the entire 3 year term - I.e. $400 per year.

Hey - it looks like you're right.
I had a quick look only, and assumed that was a PA cost. I bet I'm not the only one to have done that.

dickytim

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#904843 30-Sep-2013 07:03

I mostly service my own cars, but I am lucky and have mechanics in the family, I am also competent to do anything from an oil change to rebuilding an engine.

For oil changes I let the car tell me when it needs to be done, having Mitsubishi's usually the tick will start and that gives me 1,000km to get the oil, filter and time together for an oil change.

For other issues I also let the car tell me, I religiously keep track of my l/100km figures, if they change something is amiss.

BTW my calculations suggest that you are better off, economy wise to change your oil more regularly, 8-10,000km as the better fuel economy more than pays for a good semi-synthetic oil and filter for most cars.

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