Ford SA has made the decision to unbundle its standard service plan on its entire product in a response to the Right to Repair act that came into effect as of July this year. The local arm of the American manufacturer says that all service plans, like its current maintenance plans and extended warranties, will be available for its products as an added-cost option.
Ford SA says that, in line with the guidelines of the Right to Repair act, customers that purchase a new vehicle from this month are able to purchase a Ford Protect Service Plan separately, should they wish to do so, as has been the case with the optional comprehensive Ford Protect maintenance plans and extended warranties.
Furthermore, customers that choose not to purchase a Ford Protect service or maintenance plan have the option of servicing at a Ford franchised dealer. Ford South Africa argues that servicing at one of its dealers guarantees quality workmanship using factory-trained and certified technicians, genuine Ford parts and lubricants and access to the latest diagnostic equipment.
“We are committed to delivering the very best products, services and customer experiences, and are focused on treating each customer as part of the Ford family,” says Neale Hill, President, Ford Motor Company Africa. “Ford is acutely aware of consumers’ growing desire and right to choose where they wish to service, maintain or repair their vehicles.
“As a result, we have been working to implement the systems and processes necessary to unbundle the Ford Protect service plans,” Hill says. “It has taken some time to deal with the complexities of unbundling the service plans from the price of the vehicle, but we have now implemented the changes and customers can choose to purchase these separately when buying a new Ford.
“Customers have the option of selecting where to service their vehicle, but it’s important that they familiarise themselves with the guidelines,” Hill explains. “For example, if you choose to service your vehicle outside of the Ford dealer network while you have a Ford Protect Service Plan in place, Ford is not obliged to pay the Independent Service Providers (ISP) for any services rendered. The ISP cost will be for your own account – and although the Ford warranty remains in place, should there be a failure as a result of the parts used or the workmanship of the ISP, that portion of the repair may not be covered by the Ford warranty.”
While the Service Plan is now an added-cost option, the vehicle’s standard original equipment manufacturer warranty remains in place.
