As far as I am aware all Kia Care service plans stay with the car and there is no facility to refund for "unused" services.

 

Thanks for that pointer. I phoned EMAC who confirmed that if I no longer had the car I would be unable to get a refund for any money in the plan that hadn't been used for services. A nice rip off.

That's why their prices are cheaper than the dealership plan. Persumably subsidised by those who don't continue with their plans.


Even more confusing is that the plan via the dealership is also an EMAC plan. I am just paying more for the security of money back if I no longer have the car.

 

As the Kia plan transfers with the car it might get the seller a slightly better price or speed the deal through, so all the benefit might not be lost. Of course, if the car gets written off or something similar then you do lose the benefit.

Have you asked the dealer for his current prices for the 5th, 6th and 7th services, as his quote of £849 seems high if hew is quoting £260 for the 7th service alone, unless that is also the cost of the 5th service and the 6th costs about £330. I do not know what the service regime is for a diesel Venga, but something seems wrong with those figures. My petrol Sportage (normal mileage up to 10k annually) has only inspection services in the odd years with more major services in years 2, 4 and 6 with year 4 being even more extensive with the inspection services coming in at around £60, the majors at around £220 and the year 4 at around £330. Obviously, if you are on the higher mileage regime those increase to years 1, 3 etc, at £220 (no longer inspection only) and years 2, 4 etc at £330, which is getting closer to the figures you quote,but still about £80 less.

EMAC seem to run service plans for many marques and dealerships. They are not always good value, but if you can pay monthly (as you probably can with the dealer's one but not with the Kia one (either a lump sum or possibly 4 payments over a year or something along those lines)) they can be attractive. Another thing to be careful of with the dealer's plan is whether it restricts you to only one garage or to the dealership group (assuming the dealer is in a group)

 

As the Kia plan transfers with the car it might get the seller a slightly better price or speed the deal through, so all the benefit might not be lost. Of course, if the car gets written off or something similar then you do lose the benefit.

Have you asked the dealer for his current prices for the 5th, 6th and 7th services, as his quote of £849 seems high if hew is quoting £260 for the 7th service alone, unless that is also the cost of the 5th service and the 6th costs about £330. I do not know what the service regime is for a diesel Venga, but something seems wrong with those figures. My petrol Sportage (normal mileage up to 10k annually) has only inspection services in the odd years with more major services in years 2, 4 and 6 with year 4 being even more extensive with the inspection services coming in at around £60, the majors at around £220 and the year 4 at around £330. Obviously, if you are on the higher mileage regime those increase to years 1, 3 etc, at £220 (no longer inspection only) and years 2, 4 etc at £330, which is getting closer to the figures you quote,but still about £80 less.

EMAC seem to run service plans for many marques and dealerships. They are not always good value, but if you can pay monthly (as you probably can with the dealer's one but not with the Kia one (either a lump sum or possibly 4 payments over a year or something along those lines)) they can be attractive. Another thing to be careful of with the dealer's plan is whether it restricts you to only one garage or to the dealership group (assuming the dealer is in a group)

It does seem diesel services cost more even if you don't do the high mileage which the servicing assumes. Unfortunately at the time I needed a diesel for possible towing but don't now. The dealer has quoted me the next 3 services at current costs are 5th service £258.10, 6th service £416.95, 7th service £258.10, which totals £933.15.


If I take the dealership plan I will save about £80, over 3 years and I can pay monthly. As it is the easiest dealership to get to I don't mind not being able to go elsewhere as it would be a longer journey.

 

Firstly I have had a couple of Service Plans with EMAC and found them to be really excellent, especially at refunding any excess payments once all servicing has been paid. So if you sell your car half way between services there is bound to be a surplus. My current Venga is now in its fourth year and the service plan that came with the car has now ended and I have joined a scheme via my dealer (MKKia) called PlanMyService. Because year four is a big service as I understand it I am paying £34 a month until the next service and after that it will go down to about £22 a month.

David

 

Went on to my Kia dealers web site to book the service. It assumed I didn't have a service plan, which I don't currently have, and when I selected the service and MOT the total cost was £206.50. I am now wondering why I was told that the 5th service cost was £258.10 when I can get it £50 cheaper without the service plan.

I will have to ask what is included in the plan that is not in the normal service. There is an option for a Air Conditioning service (R134A) for £49 but I assume the service plan does not include this. Oh the mysteries of service plans

 

Oh the mysteries of service plans

I don't think there is any mystery with the KIA Care 3 or Care 5, if they still use those names. When I last looked, they were specific about what was included - see owner's handbook for particular model details.

In the case of my Optima model, the only additional payable item not included in the plan is the cabin filter for which I happily paid £32. However, when that becomes due again, I shall fit a new one myself for much less as it's only a 5-minute job. That payable item was clearly identified in the agreement so no surprises there.

The real mystery concerns the price differences between KIA dealers for the same service although partly understandable as labour rates vary across the country as with all marques. Strangely, it seems that using the central booking line attracts a lower price than a visit to, or a phone call with, the dealership would attract…….and the dealer is bound by that price!

I believe some dealers operate their own pre-paid package, distinct from the KIA offering but I have never researched one of those to compare with the manufacturer's own one. For the record, in November 2016, I paid £609 for 5 services and the only additional costs I have met since, besides the cabin filter, are new wiper blades all round and the first MOT, performed by my local Kwik-Fit workshop earlier this afternoon for £30.00.

At this 3-year point in my ownership of the car, I have to say it has been quite possibly the best car, all told, that I have ever owned. I'm very pleased with it.

 

I agree with Indalo. I think Kia's 3 or 5 year service plans are excellent value for money. I have some work colleagues who own BMW's and Mercedes's and they inform me that London main dealers are charging up to a £180 per hour for labour alone.

Although I could get genuine Kia service parts from eBay or other online companies and carry out the work myself, the loss of the warranty is not worth the money saving of DIY. However, changing minor items yourself such as wipers and filters etc is fine as long as you use genuine parts.

When our previous Picanto had it's last service, a charming young lady rang to say the rear wiper blade needed replacing. It would only cost £17 + VAT. I politely declined and bought a genuine one from a Kia main dealer on eBay for £6.98 with free postage.

 

I have a quote from my Kia dealer for a service plan to cover the 5th, 6th and 7th year services for my nearly 6 year old car. The quote is £849.48. On the Kia web site they will sell me a plan for 5th and 6th services for £469. My dealership say that currently the 7th service cost is about £260.

What is the difference between the two plans apart from cost. Is the dealership trying to inflate the price.

As far as I can see taking the next two years via the web site and paying the last one direct, even allowing for price rises is the cheapest option. I have been informed that if I cease owning the car the dealship plan will refund me money. Does anyone know about the plan on the Kia web site?

Manufacturer plan every time for me.

Simple reason.

Work colleague had a dealer plan, very expensive and paid up front.

3 months in the dealer went bust and the plan went with him.

Colleague had to pay for the services again at another dealer who strangely enough charged him quite a bit less than the plan cost.

When plans are not available or a sensible price we put enough money into an account monthly to cover the cost.

 

Just out of curiosity, now the 3 services have been done since I posted my question about servicing costs, I added up what I paid. Individually the 3 services costed £844 which included MOTs which I don't think are included in a service plan and are always an extra which is less than the cost quoted by the dealer in 2019.

 

Interesting to read the feedback 2 years down the line. Just noticed the dates hence why Indalo might be a tad surprised to get a "like" on a comment he posted 2 years ago.

Funnily enough, I've just signed up to a 3 year plan with dealer for 4/5/6 year service plan which I consider to be affordable and good value for money. Didn't get a quote from EMAC but value the dealership "goodwill" and very transparent way in which I was supplied with the relevant contractual terms etc.

There is an additional potential bonus with the ability to set up a monthly direct debit which opens up the possibilities of getting a "cashback" contribution from the UK banking system which in my latest case was a £130 "bung" by switching from one little used bank account to a new provider.

 

Interesting reading. My Subaru had three free services, which was nice. Not so nice was the fourth service, the cost of which would probably have covered the three free ones!! I purchased two services for the Skoda (it was originally on a three year PCP, so would be returned just as third service due). As I bought the car, I had to have the third service, but used a different dealer. It cost about the same as the two paid for ones, but took ages, as there were a number of items that “do not appear to have been done previously, sir”. When I said I had a service plan for the first two, he asked if I had the service schedules for the plan, which I had. Compared to their pay as you go schedule, there were a number of items missing from the services carried out already. Needless to say, it was a dealer service plan, not a Skoda plan. Doubt I would buy another service plan, without a few hours of checking what I was getting for my money..