Hyundai Australia has announced a Lifetime Capped Price Servicing program which caps the prices of all scheduled services for the entire life of every Hyundai vehicle in Australia. Amazingly, even Hyundais sold new in 1986, when the South Korean company first began operating in Australia, are covered by the servicing program.
All Hyundai vehicles; cars, SUVs and light commercials are eligible.
1986 Hyundai Excel
Hyundai Australia’s chief operating officer, John 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.”
Any vehicle that was previously part of Hyundai’s three-year capped price service arrangement will remain with that program, at no cost penalty to the customer. Once their three years are over they will be able to take advantage of the lifetime capped price program.
2014 Hyundai ix35
No matter what the age of the vehicle, or the number of kilometres it has covered, customers can check online the maximum price they will pay for a scheduled service at a participating dealer. That published maximum price will be the same across the country.
Hyundai advises that its Lifetime Capped Price Servicing is integrated with an online booking system that has yet to be completed. It will be rolled out in the next few months. Logging onto a dealer-specific website, customers will be able to choose a time, book a replacement car – even choose their preferred service advisor.
Hyundai’s Roadside Assist service has been extended from seven to ten years as part of the introduction of the Lifetime Capped Price Servicing.
Hyundai’s capped price program isn’t just there because they want to be nice to people. Its aim is to pull owners away from aftermarket servicing; either by individual mechanics or by companies that provide mobile servicing.
It’s also smart for Hyundai to get existing owners into the dealership once or twice a year to have a chat to them, possibly over a coffee, while their cars are being serviced. Perhaps sell them another car down the track. More and more car makers are providing capped price servicing for these reasons.
Prices of services are generally lower than in the past, often significantly so, which also attracts car owners to make return visits. The lower costs are thought to be subsidised by the car makers, importers and dealers on a roughly equal three-way split. Naturally, they won’t confirm this – which is fair enough, business is business.
Anyway, the customer is better off as a result and that’s what counts.
Will other car makers follow? The answer is likely to be yes, Hyundai has established it’s self as a major player in Australia and year to date 2014 is in a close third position behind Holden and comfortably ahead of Ford (Toyota remains miles out in front). Anyone who doesn’t keep a close eye on what the South Korean maker is doing risks being left behind in the sales race.
