Ford Capped Price Manufacturer Service Review

It may come as a shock to car lovers, but Ford Australia didn't start as an offshoot of the famous brand founded by Henry Ford.

In fact, it was started by Ford Canada.

In one of those strange commercial moves, Henry Ford sold the rights to build his cars in all Commonwealth countries, to a group of Canadian investors.

It didn't take long for those investors to start making cars, with Australia's first Ford, a Model T, rolling off a Geelong production line in 1925.

By the time Ford ceased building cars in Australia in 2016, it was making Australian-designed models and already responsible for some of the country's most iconic automobiles.

From the Falcon GTHO of the early 1970s to the FG X Falcon and the Territory SUV – the last models built in Australia – Ford rolled out a range of popular vehicles.

While Ford Australia no longer manufactures cars, it is still involved in vehicle design, engineering, and of course, importing of Ford models that are sold through some 200 dealerships across the country.

Today, that model range includes the Focus small car, the medium-sized Mondeo, several SUV models, the Ranger pickup, and a line of commercial vehicles and performance cars, including the iconic Mustang.

Servicing with Ford 

When it comes to keeping those cars on the road, Ford offers a pre-paid service plan that covers the first four general services up to 4 years or 60,000km, whichever comes first.

Under this system, Ford owners will pay $329-$399 for servicing on a range of their newer vehicles. Some exceptions include the Mustang Mach E and E Transit which have a 7-year general service pricing.

Customers can also go online to use the Service Price Calculator and fill in their car's details and they will be given a price for their next service.

Alternatively, Ford Australia also offers a warranty period for all vehicles from May 1, 2018 onwards covering 5 years/unlimited kms. Any vehicles before May 2018, are covered by 3 years/100,000, whichever comes first.

Having said that, it is always good practice to check the terms and conditions attached to any service.

Ford recommends you service your car yearly or every 15,000 km.

In Ford’s case, there are a couple of things of which to take note.

Some dealerships may not participate in service programs such as the auto club offer, and Ford says on its website that ‘Ford Dealers can choose whether or not to participate in the following programs and a Dealer may choose to participate in all, none, or one but not others.’ Best to check with them.

As always, smart buyers would do well to check in with their local independent mechanics who may be able to offer the same services at a cheaper rate.

One thing to remember is that if you decide to take your Ford, or any other car, to your local qualified mechanic who works to the manufacturer’s specs using quality parts, it will not affect your warranty.

Should you choose that path, AutoGuru can help you easily find a high-quality local mechanic to service your Ford.

Better yet, we can show you which ones offer a complimentary loan car, how good is that?

Be sure to get some instant quotes, and check out how much you can save with AutoGuru!