Worth staying with Kia Dealer for Maintenance

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It is annual service time for my daughters 2014 Kia Picanto.

Quotes for the Service are all around the £240/260 mark (includes biannual brake fluid)

The car has the usual 100k mile 7 Year Warranty which i believe after 3 Years requires you to use Kia Dealers to keep it valid.

Being 4 years old means it has three years left so to keep it valid at least 2 Services, maybe 3.

And a quick check online costs these out online the range of £600/800 depending on the dealer and wether it gets 2 or 3 annual services.

Small City cars are pretty good news as far as depreciation goes but I am just thinking this is poor value.

Especially considering I do a 6 monthly oil and filter change anyway.

Comment welcome.
 
Ask for a quote without a brake fluid change. I don't think a bi-annual brake fluid change is necessary...Generally brake fluid doesn't need changed that often. If you have already done a brake fluid change i don't see the point in doing it again in 2-3years time.
 
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Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Ask for a quote without a brake fluid change. I don't think a bi-annual brake fluid change is necessary...Generally brake fluid doesn't need changed that often. If you have already done a brake fluid change i don't see the point in doing it again in 2-3years time.


It is required by law in many places outside the US.
 
Originally Posted By: bigjl


The car has the usual 100k mile 7 Year Warranty which i believe after 3 Years requires you to use Kia Dealers to keep it valid.



I'd check the owner's manual or warranty booklet to verify that is the case.

From http://www.kia.com/uk/innovation/7-year-warranty/terms-and-exclusions/ : Maintenance records
You may need to show that you've maintained your Kia car properly. So you should keep your maintenance records handy, together with all your receipts. The scheduled maintenance records should be filled in whenever a Kia car goes in for service or maintenance.


I see no mention of requiring you to have maintenance done at a Kia dealer after 3 years. Of course that doesn't mean it didn't apply back in 2014.
 
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Ask for a quote without a brake fluid change. I don't think a bi-annual brake fluid change is necessary...Generally brake fluid doesn't need changed that often. If you have already done a brake fluid change i don't see the point in doing it again in 2-3years time.


Depends on the brake fluid. For regular dot 3 a longer interval is fine but dot 4 or 4+ usually requires a brake fluid flush every 2 years or so. DOT 4 absorbs more water so it needs to be flushed more often than DOT 3.

Anyways those prices seem pretty high compared to the US. Not sure if that's a Kia thing or England thing. My Mercedes only requires one service a year or every 10,000 miles. A or B service is only $300 or $500. Those are basically glorified oil changes and a brake flush every 2 years. I usually do them myself for under $50 or so.

For the US there are laws that say that you don't have to take it to the dealer to maintain a warranty. You just have to prove that the service was done. Not sure if there is the same laws in England.
 
Your daughter's car. Is the car close to 100 Kmiles? How long does she expect to have the car? When I was into 528e s, I found a forum for E 28s. Great guys, more up on the cars than any dealer. Is this a small car that nimble enough to be sporty? You could probably find a similar forum of Kia Picanto owners. I'm on a lawnmower enthusiasts forum. A Ranger site, a Jeep sight. Most can be hard on uppity noobs, a thick skin or a humble 'tude are good to have. Most the forums I hang on have a social aspect to them. I come to pick a few brains and learn what I need to know. Is there a Haynes or better manual available?
 
Follow the owners manual and you will keep your warranty valid.. You do not have services performed which the dealer suggests which are not mentioned in the manual to keep your warranty in effect.Service advisors are commissioned and will try to sell you all kinds of unnecessary services.
 
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I would keep doing what you're doing at the dealer.

England has a rep for being humid/rainy and brake fluid soaks that up, degrading it.

Look at the delta between the 250 quids from the dealer and the ~175 for an independent garage and it's a small premium to pay into their warranty racket. It could also get you/her some dealer goodwill if something pops up that's marginally out of warranty.

What is this annual service, anyway?
 
Originally Posted By: Vuflanovsky
I'm assuming the OP means biennial brake fluid changes and not twice a year...


Yes I meant biennual.

A lesson in what happens when you don't proof read when posting on your phone
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
Your daughter's car. Is the car close to 100 Kmiles? How long does she expect to have the car? When I was into 528e s, I found a forum for E 28s. Great guys, more up on the cars than any dealer. Is this a small car that nimble enough to be sporty? You could probably find a similar forum of Kia Picanto owners. I'm on a lawnmower enthusiasts forum. A Ranger site, a Jeep sight. Most can be hard on uppity noobs, a thick skin or a humble 'tude are good to have. Most the forums I hang on have a social aspect to them. I come to pick a few brains and learn what I need to know. Is there a Haynes or better manual available?


Car has less than 30k miles.

I have been doing mid interval oil and filter changes myself. Vehicle has a camchain so no belt to worry about. I did look online at some Kia Forums but they seem to attract the owner that things you can only use Main Dealer and would never work on their own car.

I tried to find a Haynes manual or workshop manual but have not been successful.

Ownership will likely be till my daughter completes University, so 3years minimum.
 
Well and what's the relationship like in the UK between the dealer and the importer? Who sets the terms of the warranty? If she's more assured of "nationwide service" as she transitions into adulthood by paying the piper I'd go for it.
 
If you need to bring it to the dealer for service in order to keep the warranty, you're basically paying for an extended warranty. The extra dealer cost you're paying over doing it yourself or taking it to an independent pay the extended warranty premiums. It's up to you if you think it's worth it. It's like insurance. You pay your money and hope you don't need to use it.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I would keep doing what you're doing at the dealer.

England has a rep for being humid/rainy and brake fluid soaks that up, degrading it.

Look at the delta between the 250 quids from the dealer and the ~175 for an independent garage and it's a small premium to pay into their warranty racket. It could also get you/her some dealer goodwill if something pops up that's marginally out of warranty.

What is this annual service, anyway?


The last two have been £130 and consisted of an oil and oil filter plus the usual "checks" which usually consist of upselling everything from wipers to Aircon sanitisation (£49:99 when it costs £10 to do it yourself)

The only reason I have stuck with Main Dealer is the Warranty.

I think this one includes an air filter and a fuel filter.
 
I have no concept of what service the car needs. 30k in 4yrs is 7500. My daughter bought a new Corolla to do a daily drive of ~150 miles. She was working and getting her MA and living at home. I changed the oil and filter with whatever oil and filter she bought me. I tore off the cover of oil filter box and recorded the date and miles Bundled them in the glove box. Lotta ST 5w20 dino and a Fram. The car was running like a watch @ 180k when T-boned by a crazoid with no injuries. Presently my Princess is driving around an XC90 with permanently affixed kiddy seats. 21st cent version of the faux wood sided Grand Wags that she was transported in.
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
Follow the owners manual and you will keep your warranty valid.. You do not have services performed which the dealer suggests which are not mentioned in the manual to keep your warranty in effect.Service advisors are commissioned and will try to sell you all kinds of unnecessary services.


Unfortunately not how it works in the UK.

There is Block Exemption meaning you can use any VAT Registered Garage that uses Kia equivalent parts and follows KIA schedule to the letter.

I can't find any confirmation that the 7 yr warranty is covered under Block Exemption regulations.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Ask for a quote without a brake fluid change. I don't think a bi-annual brake fluid change is necessary...Generally brake fluid doesn't need changed that often. If you have already done a brake fluid change i don't see the point in doing it again in 2-3years time.


Depends on the brake fluid. For regular dot 3 a longer interval is fine but dot 4 or 4+ usually requires a brake fluid flush every 2 years or so. DOT 4 absorbs more water so it needs to be flushed more often than DOT 3.

Anyways those prices seem pretty high compared to the US. Not sure if that's a Kia thing or England thing. My Mercedes only requires one service a year or every 10,000 miles. A or B service is only $300 or $500. Those are basically glorified oil changes and a brake flush every 2 years. I usually do them myself for under $50 or so.

For the US there are laws that say that you don't have to take it to the dealer to maintain a warranty. You just have to prove that the service was done. Not sure if there is the same laws in England.


No we don't have that in the UK.

My next glorified oil change in the S Class is priced between £525 and £670 depending on Dealer.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
If you need to bring it to the dealer for service in order to keep the warranty, you're basically paying for an extended warranty. The extra dealer cost you're paying over doing it yourself or taking it to an independent pay the extended warranty premiums. It's up to you if you think it's worth it. It's like insurance. You pay your money and hope you don't need to use it.


Thats how I was looking at it.

If I don't use Kia Dealers I will maintain it myself.

Kia and Hyundai are usually pretty good news for reliability.
 
WOW here in the USA any MANDATORY dealer visits makes it MANDATORY to be FREE!!!! all we need do is keep records + receipts!! over the life of a vehicle a good independent will save you 25 to 50% $$$$$$$, of corse DIY is best if you have the time, tools + talent!!!
 
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