When you lease a Volkswagen through Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), you can choose to include servicing, maintenance and, in some cases, tyres within your monthly lease payments. But what exactly does a VWFS maintenance plan cover?
A maintenance package can take much of the uncertainty out of running a leased car, as many of the routine servicing and repair costs are covered for the duration of the agreement. This means you can budget more easily, with your vehicle's servicing and maintenance costs built into your monthly lease payment.
The exact level of cover depends on the package selected. VWFS offers different levels of cover, including Service, Service & Maintenance, and Service, Maintenance & Tyres.
Looking for a Volkswagen lease with maintenance included?
At Ready2Lease, we can help you compare Volkswagen lease deals with and without maintenance, so you can choose the option that best suits your budget and expected mileage.
Whether you're looking for a Volkswagen Golf, T-Roc, Tiguan, Passat, Tayron, ID.7 tourer and saloon, or another Volkswagen model, we can explain what is included in the lease and help you understand the difference between a standard lease and one with maintenance and tyres included.
What does a VWFS Service & Maintenance plan include?
A Service & Maintenance package provides considerably more cover than a basic servicing package.
It includes all routine servicing required by the vehicle manufacturer, carried out in accordance with the vehicle's service schedule. This includes the engine oil and other oils and fluids required as part of the scheduled servicing, as well as brake-fluid changes when required by the manufacturer.
The maintenance element can also cover a range of mechanical and electrical repairs that may be required during the lease.
Mechanical repairs
Depending on the terms of the agreement, the maintenance package can cover repairs to components including:
- Brakes, including brake pads, discs, callipers and cylinders
- Cooling systems, including coolant systems, hoses, radiators, thermostats and water pumps
- Electrical systems, including the battery, alternator, starter motor, bulbs, window regulators, wiper motors and wiring
- Engine components, including items such as the exhaust, fuel pump, injectors, seals, turbo and other covered components
- Suspension components, including bushes, shock absorbers, springs, wishbones and anti-roll bars
- Transmission components, including the clutch, gearbox, differential, driveshafts, CV joints and wheel bearings
Drive belts, cambelts and tensioners are covered where applicable in accordance with the manufacturer's specified schedule.
This can be particularly valuable on a longer lease, as unexpected repair bills can otherwise be difficult to budget for.
Are MOTs included in a VWFS maintenance plan?
The VWFS Contract Hire maintenance documentation lists MOTs among the miscellaneous items that can be covered under the Service & Maintenance package, subject to the terms of the individual contract.
Other miscellaneous maintenance items can include adjustments, key batteries, wiper blades and refills and an air-conditioning service, with the latter subject to a maximum of one per contract.
It's important to check the specific maintenance package attached to your lease agreement, as cover can vary depending on the vehicle, contract and mileage.
Is roadside assistance included?
Yes. A VWFS Service & Maintenance contract includes roadside assistance cover for the full period of the fixed-cost maintenance contract.
This provides additional peace of mind if your leased vehicle suffers a breakdown during the agreement.
Does the VWFS maintenance plan include tyres?
This depends on which maintenance package you choose.
A Service & Maintenance package does not normally include replacement tyres, whereas the higher-level Service, Maintenance & Tyres package adds tyre cover.
With the Service, Maintenance & Tyres package, replacement tyres can be provided where they are required because of fair wear and tear. The package also includes access to approved tyre fitting outlets across the UK.
The tyre package can also include:
- Replacement tyres due to fair wear and tear
- Tyre valves
- Wheel balancing
- Wheel alignment and geometry checks where required due to fair wear and tear
- Repairable punctures
This makes the tyre-inclusive package particularly attractive to higher-mileage drivers or anyone who wants to minimise unexpected running costs during their lease.
What isn't covered by a VWFS maintenance plan?
It is important to remember that a maintenance package isn't the same as comprehensive vehicle insurance.
Items caused by accidental damage, misuse, negligence or circumstances outside normal fair wear and tear may not be covered.
For example, the VWFS documentation specifically excludes items such as damage to tyres caused by accidents or negligence, non-standard or upgraded tyres, winter and all-season tyres, and wheel alignment resulting from damage or negligence.
Fuel, charging costs, insurance and other normal running costs are also the driver's responsibility.
Your lease agreement and maintenance terms will always take precedence, so you should check the specific contract for the vehicle you are leasing.
What's the difference between Service, Maintenance and Tyres?
The three levels can be summarised quite simply:
Service Only covers routine servicing required under the manufacturer's service schedule.
Service & Maintenance adds cover for a wider range of mechanical and electrical repairs, together with roadside assistance and other specified maintenance items.
Service, Maintenance & Tyres provides the most comprehensive level of cover, adding replacement tyres and associated tyre services where the relevant conditions are met.
For many drivers, the choice comes down to how much certainty they want over their motoring costs. A basic service package may be sufficient for someone looking primarily to cover scheduled servicing, while a maintenance and tyre package can provide greater protection against unexpected costs.
Is a maintenance plan worth having on a lease car?
For many lease customers, adding maintenance can be a sensible way to make motoring costs more predictable.
Instead of paying separately when a service or covered repair is required, the cost is incorporated into your monthly lease payment. This can make it easier to budget over the length of the agreement.
It can be particularly useful if you are taking a longer lease, covering a higher annual mileage or simply prefer the reassurance of having your servicing and eligible maintenance costs covered.
Another advantage is that maintenance work is arranged through the manufacturer's approved network, helping ensure that the vehicle is maintained in accordance with the required servicing schedule.
Does maintenance increase my monthly lease payment?
Yes. Maintenance is an optional addition to a VWFS Contract Hire agreement, so adding it will normally increase the monthly rental compared with taking the vehicle without maintenance.
However, it's worth comparing the difference in monthly payment with the potential cost of paying for servicing and eligible maintenance separately.
VWFS confirms that service, maintenance and tyre packages can be included in Contract Hire agreements, allowing customers to spread these costs across their monthly payments.
VWFS maintenance plans can make leasing easier to budget
One of the biggest attractions of a maintenance package is simplicity.
You know what your monthly lease payment is going to be and, depending on the level of cover selected, many of the routine servicing and maintenance costs are already accounted for.
For customers who want the convenience of driving a new Volkswagen without having to worry about arranging and budgeting for every routine maintenance expense themselves, a maintenance-inclusive lease can be an attractive option.
Just remember that the precise cover depends on the package attached to your individual lease agreement, so always check the terms before assuming a particular repair, tyre or maintenance item is included.
