Really stressing about missed service on my leased car...

EKAN

Hello, 

First of all, I put my hand up on this one. I am at fault here. It is my first time leasing a car and first time dealing with a new car. Leased a Nissan Qashqai and so far have done around 5,100 miles and the car is in mint condition. The lease is 2 years. 

I should have serviced the car 6 months ago (I got 6 months left on the lease). I completely misunderstood the servicing internal, it's 12 months or 12,000 miles or which ever comes first. In my instance it was the 12 months. I feel like a moron as the finance agreement mentions look at the manufacture servicing intervals and this point my mind must have slipped. It would have been easier if the finance agreement spelled out the service intervals for me in the key information area of the agreement. 

I am normally so good with this sort of stuff and still in disbelief with myself. I had a lot of personal life moments at the time of when the first maintenance was due which in the end resulted in very good news but a lot of hardship. That is the only thing I can think of why this slipped by me but still no excuse on my behalf. 

I immediately booked an official Nissan service (minor service) for next week and then I will do another service (full service) just before the car is due back. 

Part that concerns me is that the car servicing centre told me to check with Nissan because I may have voided the warranty. When I called Nissan they said yes, I have indeed voided the warranty as per their warranty agreement for missing the first service. They said it also has to be serviced at a Nissan dealership. I am sure it can be done another other reputable mechanic they approve but I didn't want to take the chance so booked it for Nissan. 

Called the lease company, they said to just get it serviced twice before I need to hand it back and nothing much else to be honest. They said it happens and I am not the first. Looking at the finance agreement with Nissan, this is what is mentioned:

If you do not return the items listed in clause 11.5 of the Terms, you must pay to us the following charges (see clause 11.6 of the Terms):
- a charge of £50.00 for a valid MOT certificate;
- a charge of £30.00 for a stamped service record;
- a charge of £210.00 for each missed service;
- the actual cost of replacement of the spare wheel, tools, master key, key remote fob and all accessories as originally supplied. 

I can live with £210 charge but my mind is thinking it could be a lot more? This is the part I am stressing about. There is no other mention of charges for missed service, resell value, etc. in the agreement or at least it doesn't specify an amount beyond the £210 charge. 

I am worrying but there is nothing much I can do at this point apart from getting twice serviced with Nissan before the agreement and hopefully it is nothing more than the £210 penalty. Going forward I will remember this and will setup reminders to service the car. The car tells me service is due in 13,000 miles but obviously this is not the case. 

Sorry for the long winded post. 

Herzlos

Sounds like the contract just expects the £210 from you for missing a service. They'll just stick it through an auction anyway.

The concern would be if something failed between now and you handing it back that would have been covered by the warrant; you'd likely be on the hook for that. 

cymruchris

Yes - seems like they would just want the money for the service - but as mentioned above - if anything fails between now and handback - you'll likely have to bear the cost - so hopefully nothing major goes wrong until your contract is completed.

EKAN

Thank you for the reply guys. It looks like it is only the £210 charge. I agree I will be on the hook on anything that happens from now till the hand-back date. Fingers crossed nothing happens from now till then!! 

Alanp

I guess you can take some comfort in that, if something does go wrong before you hand it back, you don’t have to use a Nissan dealership, you might get it done cheaper at an indie, garage, hopefully you’ll have trouble free motoring until you hand it back..

ChesterDog

For heaven's sake, don't beat yourself up over it.

Life's too short, and the man who never made a mistake never made anything.

Mr.Generous

I don't think they'll charge anything, It should have 2 services, it will have. I doubt they'll be bothered - shove it to auction or sell it on a forecourt with 2 main dealer services and low mileage. Qashqai  are generally reliable, not high performance with a demanding schedule to maintain a stressed engine. If it had no oil changes it might put off more buyers, a few months over the first service but then serviced twice won't put many buyers off. Don't stress.

prettyandfluffy

A missed service is not the same as a late service.  Get it done at a Nissan dealership (I think this is possibly more important) and don't worry about it.  Mileage is low so highly unlikely to have caused any damage by the delay.

EKAN

prettyandfluffy said:

A missed service is not the same as a late service.  Get it done at a Nissan dealership (I think this is possibly more important) and don't worry about it.  Mileage is low so highly unlikely to have caused any damage by the delay.

Thank you. I will get it done. Going in on Monday to Nissan and will book another one before it needs to go back. 

EKAN

Mr.Generous said:

I don't think they'll charge anything, It should have 2 services, it will have. I doubt they'll be bothered - shove it to auction or sell it on a forecourt with 2 main dealer services and low mileage. Qashqai  are generally reliable, not high performance with a demanding schedule to maintain a stressed engine. If it had no oil changes it might put off more buyers, a few months over the first service but then serviced twice won't put many buyers off. Don't stress.

Thank you. It is PCH so I need to send it back end of agreement but yeah it should be fine either way. The car will be in great condition with 2 services by the time it goes back. I think most people will happily take a car with that low of a mileage. 

EKAN

ChesterDog said:

For heaven's sake, don't beat yourself up over it.

Life's too short, and the man who never made a mistake never made anything.

Agreed. Thank you.