Confused and concerned about revised Chrysler service intervals

[dpaterso]

As the title says: I am confused and even more concerned about information which has just been sent to me by my dealer which details changes to the service intervals for, amongst other vehicles, the 300C.

Apparantely the service interval for vehicles purchased prior to 1 January 2007 is every 15 000km but for vehicles purchased after 1 January 2007 the service interval has been changed to every 12 000km.

What is confusing and concerning me is this: I bought and took delivery of my 300C in December 2006. My car had been dealer stocked for about 4 months or so prior to my taking delivery. Why then would my car have to have a service only every 15 000km but had I taken delivery of the car one month later it would have had to have a service every 12 000km?

In addition an extended warranty / service plan i.e. 5 years or 120 000km cost me quite a bit of extra cash but I wanted to be covered.

My logic tells me that just because I took delivery of the vehicle one month too soon I loose out on additional services covered under the warranty / service plan.

This just does not make sense to me. I mean if I bought my car in December 2006 and somebody else bought their car in January 2007 we are both driving the identical spec. vehicle i.e. both cars were manufactured in 2006 (and mine has the new bumper with the additional vent in it and the other 2007 updates).

Could this have anything to do with the fact that Chrylser here in South Africa has extended the standard warranty from 3 years or 60 000km to 3 years or 100 000km? In other words - because they have extended the standard warranty they need to be very sure that the vehicle is serviced more often to avoid additional costs to themselves and have worked out that a vehicle that is serviced every 12 000km is less likely to give problems in the long run than a vehicle that is serviced every 15 000km?

What gives with this?

Any ideas?

Also - I read in the manual that your oil should be changed every 5 000km or 3 months if certain conditions apply to you and at least 2 or 3 of those conditions apply to me i.e. short trips under 16km, stop / start driving, etc. etc. and the dealer does not seem to be able to tell me whether or not these additional oil changes will be covered under the warranty / service plan (extended or not).

I don't want my 300C to develop any problems and if servicing the vehicle every 12 000km as opposed to every 15 000km is going to make a difference then why should my car not be serviced every 12 000km?

Your input and / or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Dale.

[GEN XER]

Originally Posted by dpaterso

As the title says: I am confused and even more concerned about information which has just been sent to me by my dealer which details changes to the service intervals for, amongst other vehicles, the 300C.

Apparantely the service interval for vehicles purchased prior to 1 January 2007 is every 15 000km but for vehicles purchased after 1 January 2007 the service interval has been changed to every 12 000km.

What is confusing and concerning me is this: I bought and took delivery of my 300C in December 2006. My car had been dealer stocked for about 4 months or so prior to my taking delivery. Why then would my car have to have a service only every 15 000km but had I taken delivery of the car one month later it would have had to have a service every 12 000km?

In addition an extended warranty / service plan i.e. 5 years or 120 000km cost me quite a bit of extra cash but I wanted to be covered.

My logic tells me that just because I took delivery of the vehicle one month too soon I loose out on additional services covered under the warranty / service plan.

This just does not make sense to me. I mean if I bought my car in December 2006 and somebody else bought their car in January 2007 we are both driving the identical spec. vehicle i.e. both cars were manufactured in 2006 (and mine has the new bumper with the additional vent in it and the other 2007 updates).

Could this have anything to do with the fact that Chrylser here in South Africa has extended the standard warranty from 3 years or 60 000km to 3 years or 100 000km? In other words - because they have extended the standard warranty they need to be very sure that the vehicle is serviced more often to avoid additional costs to themselves and have worked out that a vehicle that is serviced every 12 000km is less likely to give problems in the long run than a vehicle that is serviced every 15 000km?

What gives with this?

Any ideas?

Also - I read in the manual that your oil should be changed every 5 000km or 3 months if certain conditions apply to you and at least 2 or 3 of those conditions apply to me i.e. short trips under 16km, stop / start driving, etc. etc. and the dealer does not seem to be able to tell me whether or not these additional oil changes will be covered under the warranty / service plan (extended or not).

I don't want my 300C to develop any problems and if servicing the vehicle every 12 000km as opposed to every 15 000km is going to make a difference then why should my car not be serviced every 12 000km?

Your input and / or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Dale.

Its a way of getting some of the warranty money back over the long run. If you come in more often for service then you spend more money sooner. My fiancee has a Scion Xb, she had 6 or so free oil changes and as long as they were free she was told to bring the car in every 5K miles for oil changes, the little maint light even came on at 5k miles. Now that they are no longer free she is told to bring it in every 3K miles and guess what, the little maint light comes on every 3k miles. Now you tell me if this is a scam or what? I chage the oil for her now every 5K miles. My proof that the dealer was doing this interval is the receipts.

[dpaterso]

Thanks GEN XER for the reply.

I'm not sure that I understand your post totally though.

Are you saying that there are a maximum number of oil changes or services covered under warranty i.e. irrespective of distance travelled or period of ownership? If so then my dealer has some explaining to do as I was never told of this.

I'm still concerned that Chrysler has done some or the other survey or has gathered statistics or something like that and have found that these cars develop less problems (or avoid certain things going wrong) if they are serviced every 12 000km instead of every 15 000km and if this is the case I for sure want my car serviced every 12 000km.

It still just does not make sense to me. I mean I could understand if they said that 'from this VIN number onwards the 300C must be serviced every 12 000km'. My logic would then tell me that maybe certain changes or adjustments have been made to the newer vehicles that require a shorter service interval. But to say that the service interval has changed based on the date on which the vehicle was purchased just does not make sense to me as most of these vehicles are dealer stocked for quite while before being sold (they are not cheap here by any stretch of the imagination mainly because of the exchange rate so they really are kind of 'exclusive' and hopefully will remain so).

As a matter of fact the information contained something even more interesting: the dealers were instructed to remove the service books from any vehicles in stock that specified service intervals of 15 000km and these would be replaced as soon as possible with service books that had the 'correct' service interval of 12 000km and they were instructed to apologize to the customer for any inconvenience caused. What's up with this? Did someone here in South Africa screw up or, once again, has Chrysler figured out that servicing the vehicles every 12 000km is more cost effective in the long run as this avoids certain potential problems?

I am going to move heaven and earth today to try and uncover this mystery and will post my findings (if any) here.

In the meantime - more input would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Dale.

[OoTLink]

When I checked my book, except for what, the 30k maintenance? All they do is check the air filters and lube various things.

Stuff that for the most part, is done whenever I get an oil change anyway *shrug*

[srt8danno]

I had not heard of this Dale, but as Gen Xer pointed out it smells of a scam. I look forward to hear your findings once you’ve "moved heaven and earth"…don’t strain your back! Seriously it does sound fishy.

[NotYet]

I think was Gen_Xer was trying to say is that his Scion dealer had given them 6 free oil changes as a 'courtesy' The oil change interval was originally 5k miles. After all free oil changes had been performed, the dealership changed something in the Scion's computer (or by some other method) to make the oil change service indicator light come on every 3k miles instead of every 5k miles. I don't think he was talking about extended warranty coverage.

Are you sure they're changing the service intervals by the date of sale and not the build date? That would make more sense. Going off of the sale date makes absolutely no sense - to me anyways. G'luck!!!

[dpaterso]

Thanks for the reply.

Yup - 100% sure - service intervals changed from 15 000km to 12 000km for all vehicles SOLD after 1 January 2007 (checked and re-checked).

That was my point as well - if they had referred to build date or VIN number it would make sense to me (I think).

Regards,

Dale.

[NotYet]

By chance is there a different Chrysler dealership in Johannesburg that you can call and ask so as to triple check?

If you have the extended warranty, will this really affect you - other than the inconveinence of having to bring your car in for service 2k miles sooner? B/c won't all the servicing be free w/ the warranty?

[GEN XER]

Originally Posted by dpaterso

Thanks GEN XER for the reply.

I'm not sure that I understand your post totally though.

Are you saying that there are a maximum number of oil changes or services covered under warranty i.e. irrespective of distance travelled or period of ownership? If so then my dealer has some explaining to do as I was never told of this.

What I was trying to get you to see is that anytime a dealer or the manufacturer has to cover something, then it is always at the longer interval, but when it becomes our responsibility to pay, then the interval changes so that you visit the dealer more often. I was making an attempt to try and tie the warranty length with the maint interval. Its a game like congress plays take money from one area to pay for another. If DCX gives you an exceptionally long warranty then turns around and changes the maint interval from 15,000km to 12,000km services, then by default you will visit the dealer more often to pay for there services hence over the life of the warranty they recover part or most of the cost for the extended coverage on your warranty. This is my opinion of course, but I expect any biz to recover as many dollars as it can over the long term, all the while making the customer happy up front. Its just biz.

I'm still concerned that Chrysler has done some or the other survey or has gathered statistics or something like that and have found that these cars develop less problems (or avoid certain things going wrong) if they are serviced every 12 000km instead of every 15 000km and if this is the case I for sure want my car serviced every 12 000km.

I doubt they have found anything different than what some members here have found with oil analysis and that is that the oil can/ will last past 3K miles. They just use the fact that you trust there knowledge and experience against you. That way you dont ask any questions when they change something.

It still just does not make sense to me. I mean I could understand if they said that 'from this VIN number onwards the 300C must be serviced every 12 000km'. My logic would then tell me that maybe certain changes or adjustments have been made to the newer vehicles that require a shorter service interval. But to say that the service interval has changed based on the date on which the vehicle was purchased just does not make sense to me as most of these vehicles are dealer stocked for quite while before being sold (they are not cheap here by any stretch of the imagination mainly because of the exchange rate so they really are kind of 'exclusive' and hopefully will remain so).

This further boast my confidence in my initial response, by making the change in conjunction with the purchase date, you are covering all the vehicles purchased under a certain basic/ extended warrant program.

As a matter of fact the information contained something even more interesting: the dealers were instructed to remove the service books from any vehicles in stock that specified service intervals of 15 000km and these would be replaced as soon as possible with service books that had the 'correct' service interval of 12 000km and they were instructed to apologize to the customer for any inconvenience caused. What's up with this? Did someone here in South Africa screw up or, once again, has Chrysler figured out that servicing the vehicles every 12 000km is more cost effective in the long run as this avoids certain potential problems?

Get rid of all evidence of any other service interval and you have less customer concern like yours. If the only book you read is the new one then you wont question what it says.

I am going to move heaven and earth today to try and uncover this mystery and will post my findings (if any) here.

All they will do is tell you that through exstensive researh and countless hours of work they have found that the shorter interval is better for there cars and therefore they made the change as a way to better serve there customers.

In the meantime - more input would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Dale.

Originally Posted by srt8danno

I had not heard of this Dale, but as Gen Xer pointed out it smells of a scam. I look forward to hear your findings once you’ve "moved heaven and earth"…don’t strain your back! Seriously it does sound fishy.

Its the way big biz'ness does biz'ness. Give you a good deal in one hand only to recover it in the other without you being the wiser.

Originally Posted by NotYeta300cOwner

I think was Gen_Xer was trying to say is that his Scion dealer had given them 6 free oil changes as a 'courtesy' The oil change interval was originally 5k miles. After all free oil changes had been performed, the dealership changed something in the Scion's computer (or by some other method) to make the oil change service indicator light come on every 3k miles instead of every 5k miles. I don't think he was talking about extended warranty coverage.

Yes you are right I just did not do a good job of tying the warranty to the maint interval. I hope I did a better job above.

Are you sure they're changing the service intervals by the date of sale and not the build date? That would make more sense. Going off of the sale date makes absolutely no sense - to me anyways. G'luck!!!

I think he got it right and it makes perfect since if you want to cover every car that is sold under a certain period where you were offering a certain warranty. It makes it easier for the bean counters to know which cars are in that net. If you say all cars sold from this date to that date are all 12000km and not 15000km then it alleviates trying to figure out which cars are affected.

Originally Posted by dpaterso

Thanks for the reply.


Yup - 100% sure - service intervals changed from 15 000km to 12 000km for all vehicles SOLD after 1 January 2007 (checked and re-checked).

That was my point as well - if they had referred to build date or VIN number it would make sense to me (I think).

Regards,

Dale.

HMMMMMMMM!!!!!

[dpaterso]

Thanks for all the lengthy input and replies - very much appreciated.

To NotYeta300cOwner:

I don't think that I need to check with another dealer - the email that my dealer forwarded to me was sent to a gazillion other people as well (I checked the properties of the message) and this 'gazillion other people' included a dealership in every city in the country that I know of!

Your are quite correct - having the extended warranty / service plan and given the amount of kilometers that this car will do over a 5 year period it will not affect me UNLESS I insist on having the car serviced evey 12 000km which is my sole purpose in life now!

I may be coming across as being extremely pedantic about this but I love this car (it is the first time in 41 years that I have been able to buy a new car that is 'top of the range' so it means a lot to me and I really want to look after it as best I can).

Anyway - I called Chrysler (Head Office) yesterday and explained my 'dilemma' to a consultant at the call centre and they promised to get back to me today (I'm not holding my breath) but whatever the outcome I will post the details here.

Regards,

Dale.