Loan Car Admin Charge

MNMJ · February 10, 2015

I've just booked my 5 year service at a main dealer. Its on a service plan so I paid 2 years ago and is the same place I've always taken the car. As it will take 3 hours, I asked for a loan car and for the first time was asked to pay:

"If your insurance covers you to drive a loan vehicle fully comprehensively there will be no charge. If not you can be placed on our insurance for an adminstration fee of £12."

Has anyone else ever paid a fee for a loan car? My wife has a Yeti from the Skoda dealer owned by the same group on the same site and didn't pay for a loaner last month. Its only £12 so I'm not going to kick up a fuss, but it was a bit of a surprise.

wendle · February 10, 2015

I have never been charged for a loan car, or had to pay anything for insurance,

JonP · February 10, 2015

I've been asked for an insurance fee from several garages so not a surprise

sofasurfer · February 10, 2015

Never with Lexus...it's just a case of showing my driving licence. The respray company I got my front done with though made me ensure that I was covered to drive their courtesy car on my insurance. No extra fee thankfully as it was a 1 litre Fiesta. Coming from an ISF they knew I couldn't get into any trouble in that.

steve2006 · February 10, 2015

Never with Lexus...it's just a case of showing my driving licence. The respray company I got my front done with though made me ensure that I was covered to drive their courtesy car on my insurance. No extra fee thankfully as it was a 1 litre Fiesta. Coming from an ISF they knew I couldn't get into any trouble in that.

You need to be careful changing from a 400 odd BHP rear wheel drive to a 70 odd BHP front wheel drive car, the totally different handling characteristics could catch you out :)

sofasurfer · February 10, 2015

Never with Lexus...it's just a case of showing my driving licence. The respray company I got my front done with though made me ensure that I was covered to drive their courtesy car on my insurance. No extra fee thankfully as it was a 1 litre Fiesta. Coming from an ISF they knew I couldn't get into any trouble in that.

You need to be careful changing from a 400 odd BHP rear wheel drive to a 70 odd BHP front wheel drive car, the totally different handling characteristics could catch you out :)

The only thing I had to be careful with was pulling out at junctions and roundabouts. Had to drive like a proper granny.

lotusdave · February 10, 2015

I pay 15 at lotus to waive the policy xs which is I think a grand. Had to do same at Volvo recently for a test drive, which is the same main stealer in Maidstone.

AlanS · February 10, 2015

Hi MNMJ

Just wondering which dealer are you using for your 5 year service as i'm in cheshire aswell, just ringing around for my 4th year service at the moment.

stevet · February 10, 2015

Never paid at Lexus Stockport

Dave McDave · February 10, 2015

I've been asked to pay it before but when i've pointed that i'll be paying £400-£500 for the service and another £500 on tyres i dont expect to be charged for a hire car out of principle. They backed down and said on this occasion then'd waive it. Never paid one since.

mikeyv · February 10, 2015

We all pay, nothing is free, just included in the overall price.

Stuno1 · February 10, 2015

I pay 15 at lotus to waive the policy xs which is I think a grand. Had to do same at Volvo recently for a test drive, which is the same main stealer in Maidstone.

Didn't have to last year but did this year. Apparently it's a change to their terms.

Stu

rayaans · February 10, 2015

Once again - Never paid at Lexus Stockport. Im sure they'd waive it if you just say you'll go elsewhere and cancel the contract (presuming you got the one that you can cancel at any point)

MrW · February 11, 2015

I've paid £10 at one BMW dealer but not at another. Its only an admin fee, there is a cost to them so I don't mind. Didn't ever pay at Lexus Wolverhampton though.

MNMJ · February 11, 2015

Alan S; Its Lexus Chester. They have been on the whole great over the 4+ years I've been with them, though there was the time they offered to fit tyres that were not the right performance rating (see a thread from ages ago). I'm not the sort of person to keep going back somewhere if service is substandard.

Chester do nice things too, like letting my son sit in an LFA an rev the nuts off it inside the showroom. And letting me take away an IS-F for a 2 day test drive. If it had just been a normal test I wouldn't have bought one as I initially didn't get on with the gearbox. It took a trip to North Wales for me to really bond.

Thanks for all the other replies about your different experiences. Its fascinating how £12, (which is less than the cost of fuel to get there and back if I go the fun route) causes an emotional reaction far in excess of the rational consequences. If they really need the cash, I'd much prefer they hide it in the overall price, but I guess that is harder with a pre-paid service package.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to going and having a good catch up chat with some of the service guys who have petrol on their veins.

royoftherovers · February 11, 2015

Alan S; Its Lexus Chester. They have been on the whole great over the 4+ years I've been with them, though there was the time they offered to fit tyres that were not the right performance rating (see a thread from ages ago). I'm not the sort of person to keep going back somewhere if service is substandard.

Chester do nice things too, like letting my son sit in an LFA an rev the nuts off it inside the showroom. And letting me take away an IS-F for a 2 day test drive. If it had just been a normal test I wouldn't have bought one as I initially didn't get on with the gearbox. It took a trip to North Wales for me to really bond.

Thanks for all the other replies about your different experiences. Its fascinating how £12, (which is less than the cost of fuel to get there and back if I go the fun route) causes an emotional reaction far in excess of the rational consequences. If they really need the cash, I'd much prefer they hide it in the overall price, but I guess that is harder with a pre-paid service package.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to going and having a good catch up chat with some of the service guys who have petrol on their veins.

MN,

I too use Lexus Chester and have found them to be fine. I do not think that their loan car policy is unusual.

You have not said whether your own insurance covered you and I would have thought that most, if not all, comprehensive policies provide cover for a vehicle owned by, loaned to or hired by the policy holder.

Regards

John

MNMJ · February 12, 2015

More Than wanted an admin charge too so I dodn't waste any more time on it. I'll just sign on the dotted line and let Lexus Chester's insurance cover it.

Now I have the excitement of wondering what they'll give me. I think last time I had one it was a CT, which was nice and smooth, easy to drive... and that is all I can remember. I quite fancy a go in an NX or LS this time.

lotusdave · February 13, 2015

I've only ever been offered the smallest run about as a loaner. Fiat 500, fiesta that sort of thing. Guess they have to factor in the cost. Indeed my old Aygo was an ex Lexus loan car. wonder what rolls Royce or McLaren give you?

MrW · February 16, 2015

^ a BMW 3 or 5 series msport looking at the car park at the McLaren/RR dealer in Hockley heath.

Peter P18 · February 16, 2015

I reckon they've seen you on track in the Lotus Dave! ;)

Surprised they even let you have a loan car! Lol.

I paid the fee for the CT200H I got from Lexus Woodford.

Helped to convince the wife she didn't want one! Lol. The acceleration was dreadful! :(

Would be nice to get something different next time.

sofasurfer · February 16, 2015

I reckon they've seen you on track in the Lotus Dave! ;)

Surprised they even let you have a loan car! Lol.

I paid the fee for the CT200H I got from Lexus Woodford.

Helped to convince the wife she didn't want one! Lol. The acceleration was dreadful! :(

Would be nice to get something different next time.

Got to agree about the CT....so slow. My car is in for it's service tomorrow and I'm dreading a CT as a loan car. Wouldn't mind trying out an NX though.

sofasurfer · February 17, 2015

No admin fee for me...and thankfully I have an IS250 rather than a CT. Ok it's not fast but is so much faster than the CT they usually loan me.

AlanS · February 17, 2015

Mines in for a service, running around in a CT now.

I agree its slow until you give it some lol.

graham8370 · February 18, 2015

Mine in yesterday for full service (£595) and fuel pipe recall. No charge for the loan of a new IS300h FSport with bucket seats. If I was 40 years younger and 6 stone lighter I'd probably buy one of them.

MNMJ · February 20, 2015

Excellent service from Lexus Chester today. No charge for the loan car and they did the 50k service, MOT and one of the recall jobs. The other needs parts that will come in next week The loan car was an IS300h which was highly impressive. If I did 15,000+ miles a year I could see me having one of those.

Even better they had 2 RC-Fs in the showroom. Black looks exceptionally good, but the blue is even better. It sounds great when revved too. I couldn't take one as out as they will not be registered until 1 March, but will have a go when I go back for the fuel recall.

Its also the first time I've seen 3 IS-Fs together. A Blue one was for sale, there was another Blue one on a 07 plate (obviously a private plate) and mine. Nice