The Covid-19 pandemic has severely disrupted our way of life and car manufacturers are keen to reassure customers whose vehicles were due for a service or repair. Many car companies are offering extensions to service plans and warranties, which we've detailed below. We've also attached contact details so you can get in touch. As we hear from more manufacturers regarding service plan and warranty extensions, we will update this article.
The German brand offers the standard Audi Freeway Plan which is a service and maintenance plan covering the first 5 years and/or 100 000 km.
In light of Covid-19, Audi is offering a 3 month extension period for valid contracts which are due to expire soon. This extension is based on 3 months from date of expiry within the prescribed period and not based on mileage.
For more info, contact Audi SA Customer Interaction Centreon 0860 434838 or email:[email protected]
Volkswagen SA has extended new vehicle warranties.“As the passenger-car market leader in South Africa, we want to release some of the burden that Covid-19 has placed on Volkswagen customers. As a result of this pandemic, Volkswagen dealerships were closed during the 5-week lockdown meaning that for many of our customers, it was impossible to make claims under their warranties in good time, that is why we are offering this free-of-charge benefit to our customers,” says Mike Glendinning, Sales and Marketing Director for Volkswagen Group South Africa.
If your new vehicle warranty or the EasyDrive Plan expires or has expired during the period from 27 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, Volkswagen SA will extend the warranty or maintenance/service plan periods with an additional 3 months. These periods will end 3 months after the expiry of the new vehicle warranty or the Volkswagen EasyDrive Plan. The mileage restrictions will not be extended. If your vehicle needed servicing during the lockdown period, you will receive either a grace period of 1 500 km or 1 month after the scheduled service.
Contact Volkswagen SA:0860 434 737
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has added a 2-month extension to the service plan for all vehicles where the contract expires between 1 March and 31 May 2020. This applies to you if you were not able to complete the last service due to the national lockdown.This offer isvalid on all Ford Protect Extended Products (excludes Ford Protect Extended Warranty) as well as all Ford Inclusive Service Plans, and is applicable from 1 June until 31 July 2020.
“We are committed to supporting all of our customers who are not able to service their vehicles within the prescribed Service Plan contract period as a result of the measures introduced to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and whose contracts expire during or soon after the lockdown period,” says Neale Hill, MD of FMCSA.
Ford Customer Care Centre can be contacted from 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday on 0860 011022 [email protected].
Due to the lockdown, Isuzu Motor South Africa has offered extensions of its maintenance and service plans by 2 months. This offer is for customers who have the standard service plan or have signed up for the Isuzu Mobility plan.
Chris Jonck, Isuzu Motors South Africa Executive: Aftersales, Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures, said Isuzu vehicles are designed and tested to provide owners with years of trouble-free driving. “It is mandatory to have your vehicle serviced according to the recommended service intervals. These intervals must be adhered to inside of a 2 000 km or 3-month window either side of the interval, however, during the lockdown period there is limited access to vehicle servicing therefore the two-month extension on the plans will give customers peace of mind,” said Jonck.
These maintenance plans form part of Isuzu’s Complete Care programme. “It is our personal commitment to safeguarding our customers and their vehicles at all times, built on Isuzu’s proven reputation for reliability, and ties in perfectly with our brand promise: ‘With you, for the long run’, as we strive to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Jonck.
Isuzu has close to 80 dealers around the country and you can contact its customer care line on0800 047 898.
Japanese brand Honda will be extending warranty and service plans across its entire portfolio of cars, motorbikes and power products for the entire duration of the lockdown period. Note this extension is only applicable to customers who were due to have their products services or repaired during the lockdown.
“Honda understands that some of our customers may have reached the end of the included Honda Service Plan during the lockdown and that their products were due for a service during this particular time. We are also aware, that some customers may need to have their products repaired, however their warranty would have reached the expiration dated during the lockdown period. Therefore, we have decided to assist these customers by extending their service plan and warranty for the duration of the lockdown”,says Dinesh Govender, General Manager of Automobiles and Corporate at Honda Motor Southern Africa.
You can contact Honda SA on 0800 466 321 [email protected]
Mahindra SA is offering customers who are not able to repair or service their vehicles during the lockdown period between1 March and 30 April will receive a complementary extension of 2 months.This extension not only includes service plans and the standard mechanical or powertrain warranties, but also applies to vehicles that were due for a service in this period. These vehicles may be brought in for up to 2 months after the lockdown ends for their required service, without affecting their warranty.
Contact Mahindra Customer Care on012 661 3161or [email protected]
Mitsubishi SA is offering 3-week extensions for its warranty, 5-year service/maintenance plan and parts/workmanship warranties.“We haveextended all active Manufacturer Warranties by 21 days so that owners can still have their vehicles repaired as per the policy documented and disclosed in the warranty and service book should relevant repairs be required during the lockdown,” saysNic Campbell, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA).
Contact Mitsubishi SA here: 011 552 6000 and [email protected]
Mercedes-Benz SA is offering extensions to help put customers at ease during the lockdown period.In the event ofa customer'svehicle is due for service during the lockdown and the vehicle is still within the PremiumDrive contract, Mercedes-Benz South Africa will extend the service parameter up to 120 days or 4 000 km.If a customers’ vehicle is due for a Service andthe PremiumDrive comes to an end during the lockdown period, Mercedes-Benz South Africa will cover the cost of theserviceandselected wear and tear items, provided the customer visits the dealerwithin 6 weeks of lockdown ending.Should a customers’ Premium Drive Plan end during the lockdown and the customer wishes to extend their contract, MBSA will allow this extension provided the vehicle presents no fault codes at time of quotation and contract activation. This will be allowed for a period up until6 weeks post lockdown. Contact Mercedes-Benz SA customer care on0800 133 355.
BMW Group SA (which includes Mini) has introduced some measures. There will be a6-month extension for all services due during the lockdown period due to time, up to 2 000 km negative allowance for all mileage-based services due during the lockdown period and a30-day extension for customers whose Motorplan will be coming to an end during the lockdown period.
If you would like to extend your Motorplan contract further or want more info,please contact BMW Customer Care on080 060 [email protected]
Toyota South Africa is offering warranty and service plans extensions. Essentially, any days lost due to lockdown will be credited to you, extending your service plan and warranty.
You can contact Toyota on0800 139 111.
Nissan SA is keen to reassure its customers that its new vehicle warranty does cater for service overrun. There is an early/late service allowance of 1 500 km or 1 month is allowed with the understanding that intervals between any two services will not exceed 16 500km or 13 months.
For more info, [email protected] or0800 647726
Renault owners whose new vehicle warranty has expired in the last week of March 2020 or about to expire in April 2020 will have their warranties extended until the end of May 2020. Customers who were due to service their vehicles between 27 March and30 April 2020, now have upto31 May 2020. Contact customer care on 0861 736 2858.
Opel SA has a message on its website saying, "if you have missed your required service due to lockdown restrictions, your warranty and service plan won't be affected. Includes exceeding permitted service mileage or expired warranty and service plans affected during the lockdown period."
For more info, contact 0800 422 777 or [email protected]
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