Service Reminder

[fishingfalcon]

Hi just had a massive shock. Went to trade in 18month old mg4 and was told warranty void as had not had yearly service and so value greatly reduced

Bought car august 2013 8 months old. Had an early service when we got it. Then had 2 months in Oct/Nov 2013 in MG garage having warranty repairs. Since then no notification from dealer or car that service due.

So warning to you all. You are responsible for car getting serviced and to maintain the warranty. Do not get stung like we did.

 

[tsedge]

Yes, always best to set a reminder for this and tax/insurance. Have you tried asking MG if you can get it re-adopted for warranty purposes, since this is an honest mistake? Even if there is an inspection charge, might be worth it.

 

[Everest]

Hi just had a massive shock. Went to trade in 18month old mg4 and was told warranty void as had not had yearly service and so value greatly reduced

Bought car august 2013 8 months old. Had an early service when we got it.

I assume you meant 2023.

But if you bought it when it was 8 months old and it had a service then, and now it is only 18 months old, then surely it has only gone 10 months since the last service

 

[fishingfalcon]

You would have though so .. but because serviced at 10month in August 2023 that restarted the clock so apparentky should have been serviced aftef 1year eg august 2024

 

[siteguru]

Even if you'd had it serviced in October 2023 (at 12 months) it would still have been due in October 2024, so now in December 2024 it is 2 months overdue anyway.

But yes - the owner/keeper is always responsible for remembering to get the car serviced ... and taxed ... and MOTd (when that time comes due) ... and insured etc.

 

[ReintjeWA]

It’s a joke really, in Australia the service interval is 2 years or 40.000 km, so how does a couple of months void a UK warranty? Just rubbish from MG UK if you ask me.

 

[Everest]

You would have though so .. but because serviced at 10month in August 2023 that restarted the clock so apparentky should have been serviced aftef 1year eg august 2024

Even if you'd had it serviced in October 2023 (at 12 months) it would still have been due in October 2024, so now in December 2024 it is 2 months overdue anyway.

Hmmm, but now I'm really confused. I don't see how an "18 month old mg4" could be serviced at 10 months in August 2023. An 18 month old car would have been newly registered in June 2023

Edited to add: Ah, just spotted you said it was "18 months old" but also said "bought it in August 2023 at 8 months old". So looks like it's actually a Jan 2023 registration, so is now 23 months old?

 

[Tuareg]

Maybe

It’s a joke really, in Australia the service interval is 2 years or 40.000 km, so how does a couple of months void a UK warranty? Just rubbish from MG UK if you ask me.

Different climates, driving conditions, traffic levels, consumer laws, etc

 

[ReintjeWA]

Maybe

Different climates, driving conditions, traffic levels, consumer laws, etc

Sure, but you can’t say a car breaks down twice as fast in UK weather, but not in Tasmanian weather, or in the Australian Alps. Apart from the software it should all be the same car right?

 

[Everest]

Did I read on here somewhere that the MY2025 versions (in the UK) - the ones without the auto-dimming rear view mirror - will also come with a 2 year service interval?

Edited to add... Nope, searched and can't find it anyway - must have been a (wishful) dream!

 

[Tuareg]

Sure, but you can’t say a car breaks down twice as fast in UK weather, but not in Tasmanian weather, or in the Australian Alps. Apart from the software it should all be the same car right?

For example, some motorcycles that get a 2 year warranty in EU only get 1 year in the US.

 

[ReintjeWA]

For example, some motorcycles that get a 2 year warranty in EU only get 1 year in the US.

I understand that, but I’m saying it’s rubbish, because it’s the same motorcycle and they’re in similar climates. So why the difference in warranty?

Legislation may be a reason but if one country gets twice the warranty another country does, then the country with less warranty is being scr*wd over.

 

[stevegus]

Virtually any car ive owned requires the service at whatever intervals with a leeway of 1 month and 1000 miles.

You didnt make yourself aware of the schedule


Plus regardless, EV prices in the UK on trade in will already give you a massive shock with my 29k car at 21 months old being approx 16k trade.

 

[Tuareg]

I understand that, but I’m saying it’s rubbish, because it’s the same motorcycle and they’re in similar climates. So why the difference in warranty?

Legislation may be a reason but if one country gets twice the warranty another country does, then the country with less warranty is being scr*wd over.

No one is getting screwed at all. Countries have different tax rates also, simply different tax regulations. The EU has a minumum 2 hear warranty on virtually everything, many countries don't. Many more examples of mational differences in sorts of regulations that apply to the same products.

In Thailand, the MG4 apparently has a 10 year warranty, everyone else gets 7 years.

 

[ReintjeWA]

So when you buy the same car I buy, but you have to service it twice as often as I do, you don't think that's weird? You don't feel like maybe somebody is just trying to make money of you?

Australia also gets 10 year warranty. Which is again odd, because apparently MG is saying the same car won't last as long in a different country. And keep in mind that in Australia, we have basically every climate you'll find elsewhere, it's not just a hot sandy island.

 

[tsedge]

Warranty and service practices have always been locally determined. What has changed is how easily we are now aware of these discrepancies, making them less sustainable in the long term.

In the UK, MG is trying to balance keeping a dealer network viable on their existing financial model. Most dealers make most of their money on servicing and repair, so changing the service intervals can have a big impact.

Annual servicing was always the traditional model in the UK, so continuing that with the switch to EVs made sense to them - even if technologically speaking it isn't needed.

My own view is we need a switch to manufacturer-owned dealers and optional mobile servicing/repair, like Tesla do.

Having the dealer as another independent business and between the customer and MG just makes the whole ownership experience much harder than it should be.

 

[Anon70]

I think one of the problems is the cars built in service indicator is only milage based (and in a hidden display), so you don't get a time based reminder like you would in a Mini or BMW for example that tells you when the next service is due every time you power it up.

 

[Slipstream]

I think one of the problems is the cars built in service indicator is only milage based (and in a hidden display), so you don't get a time based reminder like you would in a Mini or BMW for example that tells you when the next service is due every time you power it up.

If you look in the menus it tells you when the next service is due.

 

[siteguru]

It's only a mileage indicator ... and relies on the service agent having reset it at the service. (Mine forgot at the first service, but remembered last time). It's also a 15k miles counter, so if you're a low mileage user then you'll probably not trip the counter before the 12 months is up. In which case the car won't remind you anyway.

 

[Tuareg]

Sure but you can always put the reminder in a smartphone calender, outlook, etc