Service Plan value

Birka

Are service plans worth it in general?

The Skoda service plan for three services on a Superb diesel is €467 whereas the individual services are €537 (€159 + €219 + €159) so there's a saving of €70 for the customer.

Who picks up the shortfall, the dealer or the importer? If its the dealer, are they likely to have a lighter touch when servicing the car or are they more likely to upsell to make up for the lost margin?

kdevitt

Think it depends on the service intervals and how likely you are to need them. I bought a brand new 1 series a few years back with the service inclusive pack, and never had a single service covered in the 3 years we had it because we weren't doing the mileage.

kirving

Main dealer in my experience aren't too interested taking the piss on the servicing, they have bigger fish to fry than to be annoying a customer.

There's not "shortfall" to make up, and in reality they're getting money up front rather than wait two years for it. You could in theory go elsewhere, but offering you a service pack gives them three guaranteed opportunities to have you on site, to offer you a coffee, build up a relationship and have you sit in a lovely new car while you're waiting.

Birka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118925695#Comment_118925695

Thanks - when I was talking to the salesman about it he said "sure it'd be easier to go to your local Skoda dealer to use it" which I was surprised at because I thought that he'd try to drum up business for his own service department. That got me wondering then if he was happy to make some sort of commission on the sale of the pack but that the service dept wouldn't be that keen to see it.

Stallingrad

Could be an ever a bigger savings if the brake fluid change is covered after two years which it should be. If you plan to hold onto the car it is well worth it.

Birka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118926545#Comment_118926545

Thanks - brake fluid is at 45,000 km with this pack - that'd be a little over two years on my mileage: