Mazda dealer’s unsolicited booking of next service

[whynot]

I am curious whether this is practice is widespread or not. Our CX-5 was last serviced in Feb 19 (due to doing 10K). The dealer affixed a sticker stating that it for its next 12 month service in Feb 20. Last week, I received a reminder notice that the vehicle was due to service, which coincided with 12 months since a service in Aug 18. Since the CX-5 has not done the km, I ignored the email. Today, I received an email stating that the dealer had pre-booked the CX-5 in for a service in for a few weeks, giving a date and time to turn up.

While I appreciate the reminder notice, the unsolicited action by the dealer to pre-book a date and time just seems a little bit rich to me. Getting the CX-5 down to the dealer involves some logistics, and I would like to be in control of my schedule.

Are other dealers/manufacturers doing this?

[LG17]

Vets do it!

[Captain Stubing]

I received an email in January this year from Mazda Australia, letting me know that our CX-5 was due for a service at the end of February, and then at the end of May to remind me it was overdue.

However, my wife works for the company who sells Mazda and Hyundai at different locations, and she has got the services done on time at the Hyundai Dealership where she works.

Obviously Hyundai isn't alerting the parent company that the car has been serviced by them, but at the same time, there hasn't been any unsolicited service bookings

[jaydee]

Yep my wifes Mazda, they do the same and for for my Mums Mazda.
But I just ring and tell them the low kays and they just say "No worries, let us know when you're ready".

[ratter]

it's not uncommon and some people like it

[Smoke Pursuit]

Pretty normal now... Its annoying and turns me off. Same as everytime I get a service they ring me to see if I'm happy. I feel like saying if I wasn't happy you would be hearing from me...

[vztrt]

I've gotten email and SMS reminders. Then a phonecall from the dealer. I know when it's due and I don't need the influx of reminders. But I guess it's worth it to from a sales point of view.

[jpd80]

Most service bays are booked up weeks in advance, you'd struggle to
get a booking when required so,I'd take it as the dealer acting proactive
but not compelling you to service then.

As other have said just contact them and say, no thanks or not yet.
Our CX-7 has only done 90,000 km in the past eight years and that
drives the service guys nuts with reminders...

[Adamz Ghia]

Would you not have to adhere to the intervals to avoid voiding your warranty? (If you have one)

[Dr Smith]

My Ford dealer does it and I like it. To be honest it reminds me to call the service department, often needing to change the booking as I need to organise loan vehicles which would not have been automatically provided had I stuck to the original dealer instigated booking. Plus I can often drop off the vehicle late before they close the day prior, grab the loan car and save the rush the next morning.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by whynot

I am curious whether this is practice is widespread or not. Our CX-5 was last serviced in Feb 19 (due to doing 10K). The dealer affixed a sticker stating that it for its next 12 month service in Feb 20. Last week, I received a reminder notice that the vehicle was due to service, which coincided with 12 months since a service in Aug 18. Since the CX-5 has not done the km, I ignored the email. Today, I received an email stating that the dealer had pre-booked the CX-5 in for a service in for a few weeks, giving a date and time to turn up.

While I appreciate the reminder notice, the unsolicited action by the dealer to pre-book a date and time just seems a little bit rich to me. Getting the CX-5 down to the dealer involves some logistics, and I would like to be in control of my schedule.

Are other dealers/manufacturers doing this?

10k or 12 months which ever is first..
time to get it serviced..

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by burnz

10k or 12 months which ever is first..
time to get it serviced..

I believe he said it was just serviced in Feb? So Feb '20 would be the time interval assuming 12 months.

[prydey]

I believe it's just a pre booking. You still have to give the approval to lock it in.
Saves you the disappointment of ringing up when you want it serviced, only to be told 'sorry, can't fit you in until....'
Can't please everyone, but it probably pleases more customers than it annoys.
It takes two seconds to reply. Hardly a big deal.

[Itsme]

Reminder is ok but pre-booking can be deemed a bit cheeky, I'm sure a polite phone call will sort them out of your service intention.



Cheers.

[Ben73]

I can't believe how many people are ok with this.
I bought a new car few weeks ago and they tried to book me in for the 6 month service before I had even saw my car. Yeah, that's a no from me.

Early this year a dentist booked me in for a check up without asking. I got the text the day before, so I rang up cancelled and went to another dentist.
I'm ok for reminders, but don't book me in for things I didn't ask for. How is that even legal.

[Citroënbender]

I’m not big on (effectively) unsolicited contact that’s all about extracting money.

There’s a lot of real estate between a polite reminder and grubbing for a quid.

[ebv8]

if it was a company car they will take take it and just pay
and then pay for any extras as well like $50 wiper blades, even pay $350 a tyre for a base mazda 3... and they don't even stamp the book!

i had to take our company car in as rear brakes were metal to metal and that was 1 month after a service.
what do they do there?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by LG17

Vets do it!

Dentists too

[Big_Daz]

Getting a call from dealers re: servicing is pretty standard... Booking you in without speaking to you first is a different story.

Jeep used to call us about wifey's GC servicing to let us know it was getting close to due to try to book us in. That stopped when we started to hit the KM limit well before the time..
Holden do it for my Redline as well... The selling dealer (who also services it) gives me a call a month or so before its due (I hit the time before KM) to see if i want to book it in and to tell me how long I have to service it under Capped Price...

Neither have just booked me in without speaking to us first...

OP - just advise the dealer you want it noted not to make these call's to you and they will probably stop...

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Maybe it's a country thing, but I've never had someone book me in for an appointment that I haven't asked for (be it car, vet, dentist etc). Reminders, yes, but not a booking.

Wouldn't worry me too much, but the company might be disappointed when I just didn't turn up. If they then tried to charge a non-attendance fee, I'd simply point them back to their own booking system.

Kind of reminds me of when I purchased the XR8 (g'day Craig ) from an interstate dealer. They kept on sending me reminders that the car was due for a service. Rang them up and told them that if they were happy to pay for my accommodation, I'd bring the car to them for a service. For some reason, they didn't come at that idea. Still took them a number of service cycles before they got the message and took me off their contact list.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I can't believe how many people are ok with this.
I bought a new car few weeks ago and they tried to book me in for the 6 month service before I had even saw my car. Yeah, that's a no from me.

Early this year a dentist booked me in for a check up without asking. I got the text the day before, so I rang up cancelled and went to another dentist.
I'm ok for reminders, but don't book me in for things I didn't ask for. How is that even legal.

It would seriously annoy me too. I'll book it in when i'm damn ready to, not when they determine I will want to.

[prydey]

it is nothing more than an offer of a place in the queue. its normally a week or three in advance for their benefit as much as the customer. If the customer doesn't respond within a time frame, the 'booking' is cleared. Its very simple.

[Wretched]

Ford used to do it to me too, the local dealer would call, send letters and text about my Focus. I just replied and said i take it to a local mechanic and that was that.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by prydey

it is nothing more than an offer of a place in the queue. its normally a week or three in advance for their benefit as much as the customer. If the customer doesn't respond within a time frame, the 'booking' is cleared. Its very simple.

Logic, nice, doesn't fit well with the need to feel offended and the associated outrage though which is a shame...

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by whynot

I am curious whether this is practice is widespread or not. Our CX-5 was last serviced in Feb 19 (due to doing 10K). The dealer affixed a sticker stating that it for its next 12 month service in Feb 20. Last week, I received a reminder notice that the vehicle was due to service, which coincided with 12 months since a service in Aug 18. Since the CX-5 has not done the km, I ignored the email. Today, I received an email stating that the dealer had pre-booked the CX-5 in for a service in for a few weeks, giving a date and time to turn up.

While I appreciate the reminder notice, the unsolicited action by the dealer to pre-book a date and time just seems a little bit rich to me. Getting the CX-5 down to the dealer involves some logistics, and I would like to be in control of my schedule.

Are other dealers/manufacturers doing this?

Did they stamp your book at the Feb service, I ask this because it was only 6 months after the previous service so they may have considered it a 'C' service which is for cars that do more k's regularly or harsh conditions, the August 19 service they may think is the next routine 12 monthly service 'A' or 'B' depending on the requirements.

Either way I don't see the problem Dealer service depts. are renowned for over booking so if you failed to turn up the hoist wont be empty and your absence will barely be noticed....until you need warranty

[PG2]

I used to sell cars for many years.

About 2005(???) we started booking in their first services 12 months in advance. We did make it clear to them though it was a tentative booking and could be changed at any time. The reactions were;

• about 88% thought it was a great idea and were really appreciative,
• about 10% admitted to not servicing with the dealer and asked for it to be cancelled,
• about 1% appreciated the thought but wished to book in their own time and date and,
• less than 1% took offence to it and drove off in a fit of rage.

[Sabantien]

Most i got from Ford was a reminder, and I suspect a phone call, because I remember being asked what they could do to convince me to come back to them, and I said nothing, too expensive.

Repairs that were needed cost less than half what Ford charged elsewhere, and given their service department suggested I needed new wipers, and I had put new wipers on the week before, I doubted their competency.

I haven't heard from Ford since, and the local mechanic doesn't send reminders, just puts a sticker on the windscreen.

[whynot]

I should add that the CX-5 is not due for a service for another 5,400km or six months (according to both the car’s log books and the dealer affixed service sticker). It appears at the last service, the dealer forgot to update their reminder system with the service details and the next due appointment.

I am curious about the extent of this practice. Interesting, the email reminder only gave two “click here” options; to confirm the appointment or to reschedule the appointment. Missing was a “no thanks” option in the email. And also missing was the “unsubscribe” option.

In my mind, it is starting to creep towards the unsolicited consumer agreements [Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Schedule 2 s 69].

I think it what marketers call a “forced engagement” as opposed to a “natural engagement” for a product or service. The only way to “politely” decline was to ring the dealer directly. Which is a “forced engagement” and gives the service department an opportunity to try to change your mind.

Obviously, the system must generates more work for the shop than it does annoy customers.

Unsolicited consumer agreements

Protections that previously existed for ‘door to door’ and telephone sales are now covered by the Australian Consumer Law as unsolicited sales, or “unsolicited consumer agreements”.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, an unsolicited consumer agreement has the following characteristics:

• It is an agreement for the supply of goods or services;
• made as a result of negotiations between a dealer and the consumer;
• it does not take place in a retail context i.e. negotiations occur either at a place other than the supplier’s business or trade premises (e.g. consumer’s home, a display booth in a shopping centre), or by telephone; and
• the consumer did not invite the dealer to attend or make a telephone call for the purpose of entering into negotiations relating to the supply of those goods or services; and
• the total price under the agreement is not determined at the time the agreement is made or, if it is determined, is more than $100.

[Sabantien]

I wonder, did you read every detail in the fine print when purchasing the car, or even when you had a service? It's possible you did agree to it without realising.

But honestly, why do you even need to decline?
When I get sent cards in the mail i'm supposed to purchase after they've sent them raising funds for some charity, I don't have to purchase them, and I most certainly don't send them back, they go in the bin.

What happens if you don't turn up and don't reschedule?

Absolutely nothing.

Ignore it.


As for when the service is due, as I understand it certain things are serviced based on kms and other things on time. So it may be worth looking into what wasn't serviced at 10k, but might need to be at 12 months.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by PG2

I used to sell cars for many years.

About 2005(???) we started booking in their first services 12 months in advance. We did make it clear to them though it was a tentative booking and could be changed at any time. The reactions were;

• about 88% thought it was a great idea and were really appreciative,
• about 10% admitted to not servicing with the dealer and asked for it to be cancelled,
• about 1% appreciated the thought but wished to book in their own time and date and,
• less than 1% took offence to it and drove off in a fit of rage.

Your anecdotal evidence isn't supported by the anecdotal evidence is this thread.

I find it hard to believe that 9 in 10 people think it's great to be booked in for a service they didn't ask for.
I bet dealers do it because forgetful people will get the message and think "Oh I must have forgot I made that booking, I better not cancel it now" then they just go and pay for a service with absolutely zero thought put into the situation.

I guess the real estate agency that rings me every year or so asking if I want to sell my house can instead now just send a message saying "We will list your house for sale next week, please call xxxxxx to cancel"