COVID-19 and your service plan: these brands have announced extensions

By: CAR magazine

With South Africa in lockdown thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be wondering what’s happening with your service plan, maintenance plan or warranty. Well, here’s which local brands have announced extensions thus far (we’ll update this story if more announcements are made).

Audi South Africa says it will extend any Audi Freeway Plan contracts expiring between 25 March and 30 September 2020 (both days inclusive) with a “complimentary and additional month”. In addition, any services that would have otherwise been carried out during lockdown will be granted a grace period of one month and/or 1 500 km.
UPDATE: Audi South Africa has since said it will extend any contracts expiring between 27 March and 30 June 2020 (both days inclusive) by three months. “The extension of support is based on a period of time and is not based on the mileage perimeters of the vehicle”.

BMW Group South Africa says if “you are due for a service or your motorplan is coming to an end during this time, there’s no cause for concern”. It has announced a six-month extension for all services due during the lockdown period with “up to 2000 km negative allowance for all mileage-based services” and a “30-day extension for customers whose Motorplan come to an end during the lockdown period”.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa says “should your warranty or maintenance/service plan expire or run just over the stipulated time and mileage on service intervals during the lockdown period, the plan(s) will be honoured, and you will not be penalised”. This period will last for 30 days after lockdown.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa says all vehicles requiring a service between 1 March and 31 May 2020 will receive “extended support of an additional two months”.

GWM South Africa and Haval South Africa both say should “your vehicle require routine maintenance or a periodic inspection during the national lockdown period”, they will “accommodate those affected and allow you to take your vehicle into a dealer once business returns to normal”.

Honda Motor Southern Africa says it will extend service and warranty plans across all its products for the duration of the lockdown period, although adds this extension applies “only to those Honda customers who were due to have their Honda products serviced or repaired during the lockdown period”.

Hyundai Automotive South Africa says warranties that expire during the lockdown period have been extended “until the end of May 2020”. This also applies to service and maintenance plans. In South Africa, the extension period will be revisited if the duration of the lockdown is prolonged, says the brand.

Isuzu Motors South Africa says it will “provide a grace period of one month” to those who would have otherwise serviced their vehicles under lockdown.
UPDATE: Isuzu Motors SA has since extended its service and maintenance plans by two months to “ensure customers are not negatively impacted by the lockdown”.

Jaguar Land Rover South Africa says “customers due for scheduled vehicle services will be given a grace period extended to 3 200 km or two months”.

Kia Motors South Africa says service and maintenance plans, as well as warranties, “will not be impacted by the South African government’s measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections”. If your warranty expired in March 2020 or is set to expire in April 2020, the term will be extended until the end of June 2020. In terms of service/maintenance plans, Kia says it will “relax the maximum service interval parameters so that customers are not negatively affected”.

Mahindra South Africa says customers who would have reached the end of their service plan or warranty between 1 March and 30 April 2020 will receive a “complimentary extension of two months”. This applies to vehicles that were due for a service in this period; these vehicles may be brought in for up to two months after lockdown for their required service, without impacting their warranties.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa says in the event a “customer’s vehicle is due for a service during the lockdown and the vehicle is still within the PremiumDrive contract, Mercedes-Benz South Africa will extend the service parameter by an extra 30 days or 1000 km”. If a vehicle is due for a service with its PremiumDrive plan coming to an end during the lockdown period, the company will “cover the cost of the service and selected wear and tear items, provided the customer visits the dealer prior to 8 May 2020”.

Mitsubishi Motors South Africa says it has “extended all active manufacturer warranties by 21 days”. This includes the five-year service/maintenance plan “provided that the maximum covered odometer distance has not been reached and all maintenance and services were done at accredited outlets and are up to date”.

Nissan Group of Africa says it “does cater for a 1 500 km or one-month overrun on services provided the date and mileage do not exceed 13 months or 16 500 km between services”. If there is breach due to the lockdown, customers “will be accommodated in terms of car servicing and if a related failure occurs we will manage them on a case-by-case basis”. For vehicles with an active warranty, the firm says “should a warranty concern occur and the warranty period expires during the lockdown Nissan Group of Africa will still assess the claim”.

Renault South Africa says “should you have had a service appointment scheduled, during the shutdown period and post-shutdown, and your vehicle is now outside of the service schedule parameters as per the guidelines within the vehicle’s warranty booklet, the warranty will not be adversely affected”.

Suzuki Auto South Africa says “when things are running ‘normally’,” it will grant a “21-day grace period for missed services”. Service plans will be “extended by 21 days with a one-month leniency to accommodate for this”. All warranties will remain intact as if you had serviced within the 21-day period.

Toyota South Africa Motors and Lexus South Africa both say “warranties and service/maintenance plans will not be affected by the COVID-19 lockdown”. In the event of your service plan or warranty expiring during this period, the company will “extend it to accommodate days ‘lost’ during lockdown”.

Volkswagen South Africa says “all EasyDrive Plan contracts expiring within the next six months (with dates ending after 25 March and before 30 September 2020) will receive an additional one month ‘on the house’.” In addition, for any services that are due under lockdown, a “grace period of 1 500 km or one month after the scheduled service will be granted”.
UPDATE: VW SA has since announced it will extend warranty or maintenance/service plans that would have expired between 27 March and 30 June 2020 by three months. Mileage restrictions, however, will not be extended. 

Volvo Car South Africa says it has “taken a decision that any services that are due during the lockdown period will automatically receive a two-month extension”. Managing director Greg Maruszewski added that the same would apply to warranties that expire during this period.

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