Is servicing your Kia expensive or is it you?

When we spoke with Dana Motors client, we asked how much they were spending to service their cars. They gave us figures for their current Cerato which is N10,000 – N15,000 and N15,000- N20,000 for the previous models. As it turned out, the unit head has also had experiences in other companies. He has been […]

When we spoke with Dana Motors client, we asked how much they were spending to service their cars. They gave us figures for their current Cerato which is N10,000 – N15,000 and N15,000- N20,000 for the previous models. As it turned out, the unit head has also had experiences in other companies. He has been involved in the servicing of Toyotas such as the Yaris and Corolla whose servicing cost goes up to N25,000 – N35,000. But even at that, Toyotas still sell more easily for some few reasons. Most Toyota cars can be handled by most local mechanics. Somehow, the manufacturing company has played little on technology so as to accommodate the concerns of the kinds of buyers they have within Africa, Asia and other third world countries. Toyotaengines have only had a few major adjustments on the cam heads and manifold but their chassis have always remained the same. So, the old knowledge about Toyota is still usable for their modern cars except for the Hybrid. Whereas, Dana Motors have reserved the expertise with their dealership, it turns out private owners of Kia product can rarely afford the servicing cost. Let’s face it. Any one buying a Kia Rio would expect to spend not more than N5,000 on servicing cost- if not less. The problem is many of the local mechanics have little knowledge on development in the auto industry and some of the new products. Then there is the other problem with the local mechanics which is theft. Its sad to say some of our local repairers are sometime noted for stealing a part from their client and making them pay for what was stolen from them. That is why going to your dealer still has more advantage for Kia users, BMW and more.

Particularly with Dana Motors, the knowledge of engine management is kept with them- so you still have to pay them a visit unlike the Toyota which you can sometimes gamble with. The advantage for Dana Motors is that it preserves the quality if patronage is high but kills the second hand value here in Nigeria.

So, it is not a matter of high cost of maintenance- because it’s not. Rather it is a question of ‘can you live with it’.