Disgusting experience On their Service Plan. Never take it

NEVER EVER take their Service Plan. Their salespeople lie a lot and do not deliver as promised. I took a 120,000 km and 135,000 km plan. The sales guy said I could pay for 2 years for the 120,000–135,000 km plan. He also told me that I could cancel the contract if I reached the 135,000 km limit before the 2 years were up, whichever comes first. I specifically told him I did not want to be locked into a 2-year contract and asked him if he was sure that I could cancel once I reached the 135,000 km limit before the 2 years. I just got out of a 2 year cellphone plan and did not want another contract hence I was weary. He said yes, but that I would have to call them after reaching 135,000 km because the debit orders wouldn't stop automatically.

The first service at 120,000 km went smoothly with no issues. Nine months later, I wanted to do the 135,000 km service and asked them about the cancellation agreement after the service. The consultant then told me I would have to pay for the whole 2 years, contradicting what I had been told earlier. I was clearly told that I could cancel after the second service, as it would come first.

The consultant still said no, so I lodged a complaint (REQ-544208) to review the recorded calls, which they said would take seven days. Meanwhile, I asked if I should cancel my 135,000 km service while the dispute was being resolved. The consultant, Joy Mncela, told me I could go ahead with the booking despite the dispute.

So, I proceeded, but Bosch Claremont called me and said they were refusing to pay because I had a dispute with them. I called Innovation and told them their consultant said it was fine to go ahead despite the dispute. They told me no, I had to wait for the dispute to be resolved, and I should cancel the booking.

I called Bosch Claremont to cancel the service, and they informed me that I had to pay for a diagnostic (almost R900) to get my car back. I didn’t have that money, and now I’m stuck in this situation.

For Innovation to pay for the service, they said I would have to cancel the complaint and pay the remainder of the 2-year plan. With no other choice, I canceled the complaint and went ahead with the service.

The total service cost was R1600, but Bosch called me again to say they were refusing to pay the full labor costs because it only takes 30 minutes to do an oil change, while Bosch charges for a full hour. Now I had to pay 50% of the labor costs of R380. I pay Innovation R517 a month, and yet they couldn’t even cover the full R1500 service. They told me I should have gone to VW instead—how shocking!

I ended up paying R380 out of pocket for labor, and Innovation only covered R1200—basically just two months of plan payments.

The way they treat their customers is disgusting. The lies, the refusal to pay—it's so *********. I warn South Africans: Never ever take their service plan. I was paying for my own services before they called me, and now my heart aches. I hate that company with all my heart.