Loyalty-style maintenance programs

pmac10000

I just bought a new Mazda from a dealership with a "loyalty" program for future servicing. Among other things, it promises free oil changes, free loaner cars, free towing, and free wipers for the life of the car. Supposedly, every other routine maintenance is "free". And a 50% rebate on all accumulated labor costs, if you trade-in the car at some future date.

Sounds great, right? Maybe too good to be true? It's kind of an obvious reveal that dealerships make most profits from servicing, not car sales. As a cynical consumer, I assume there's some hidden costs here that tip the playing field in their favor.

Anybody have experience, positive or negative, with these "loyalty" style service plans?

thecardoc3

Quite often the technicians assigned to do the services take a hit on the basic routine as well. They are expected to have upsells to make up for the discounts not only to the consumer but to their own compensation plans for doing the work. If they don't recommend enough additional services they won't keep their jobs to start with because they won't be productive enough and then when someone complains about unneeded up-sales, they get sent down the road just the same. Meanwhile the upsells are anything but reasonably priced so you really end up paying for everything you get anyway. Just remember, the house always wins....