Just been checking things online to do with car servicing, We own a 2007 Toyota Corolla, The service interval is 10000km, The same car in the UK is 10000m (16000km) That means for 3 Australian services I would only need 2!!!! Does that mean the Australian cars are not built as good as UK ones.
Is this happening with every other make???
Gary

Different weather or driving conditions in Oz compared to the UK?

I see what you're saying but it's more likely the quality of engine oil they put in at the service or the type of VVTi system your car uses, there a few different types and Australia tends to lag behind Europe with the lastest engine designs.

This does not add up as the 2000-2002 UK model had a 20000 mile service interval,
http://www.visitcars.co.uk/car-revie...rolla+(2000-02) Tells you about this. Also the weather argument is just rubbish, As I live in Tasmania and our climate is very similar to the uk but we don't have salt on our roads. Also it would be interesting to find out what the service schedule is for other countries Eg USA and Europe. vJust found the one for the USA and they are getting ripped off aswell, As their service interaval is 5000 miles(Aprrox 8000 kms) or 6 monthly.
Just seems like car companies ripping people off.

My Ford has 15,000km service intervals which would be on par with the UKs 10,000 mile intervals.

A friend who was a car dealer told me that car companies make very little on selling a car. They make their profits on servicing.

You have to really check it out before buying. One bike we looked at had service intervals of 4000 klm, I mean in oz distances - commute to brisvegas, we can do that ( in a car ) in 4 weeks.

Found a good deal recently, the old ute required $4000 of work you would think second hand parts for a ford ute would be plentiful, but good old oz, 1300 for a reconditioned gearbox, rip off as usual.

Anyway the good deal, mitsubishi ute, servicing every 15,000 klm and fixed service fee of 235 for petrol and 575 for diesel, but that always costs a fortune here for servicing IME. They also had some deal where we have a 6 year warranty.

The ozzie consumer just gets the piss taken out of them constantly and they dont seem to realise

Yes indeed all these long dry sunny days we get must really take its toll on our vehicles. Better they were in a nice condusive Uk winter with road salt and freezing temperatures, rusting

Seriously - its purely opportunistic and nothing at all to do with the actual servicing needs of a vehicle.

The last service I went to I asked the service manager why my vehicle needed servicing so much more than any other vehicle of the same model worldwide. He replied with "Australian driving conditions". I nearly died laughing on the spot and asked if he actually had ever left Australia because if he was suggesting that my vehicle needed more attention than vehicles in Alaska I love to hear the explanation. A shrug of the shoulders was all that was given.

So I personally think it is indeed Australian Drivers Conditioning as opposed to driving conditions.

Some prices and full details of the Major and Minor services for FALCON FG 4.0 Litre Auto 2009, local to me.

Service Costs
15,000km / 12mth Fixed Price: $205.20
Service Details
http://www.fixedpricecarservice.com....rviceID=459039

30,000km / 24mth Fixed Price: $270.00
Service Details
http://www.fixedpricecarservice.com....rviceID=459040

45,000km / 36mth Fixed Price $421.95
http://www.fixedpricecarservice.com....rviceID=459041

Annoys me too, as soon as my car is out of warranty its not going for a service for a while. I even tried looking at European cars but they have the same short 6 month service interval here compared to the 2 year interval for the same model/year in the UK

Mine has just had its 24 month service and was due a major and it cost $270 with the RAC, that included my $30 discount as we have membership with them.

But the prices did vary an awful lot, I was quoted $470 by one place and the dealer that I bought the car from wanted $400, so I just shopped around and found someone that did logbook servicing.

It's a simple scam. Exactly the same for my Nissan Murano

US servicing intervals are typically much more frequent than in Europe too - 3000 miles for oil changes etc.

Which is, moreorless, what I do in my cars 'worldwide' too - guidelines or no guidelines. I often do the change myself.

BMW's use service indicators. My X5 is only now due another service after 14500KM's - almost 2 years. This is about the same as other BMW's I had in other countries. So I agree the service intervals here are shorter than they should be.