BYD responds to warranty, servicing backlash

BYD Automotive Australia has lowered its service pricing for the new BYD Atto 3 electric SUV and offered the annual check-up for free to early buyers as a sweetener following its controversial cut to the promised warranty.

Many participants in Australian BYD social media chat groups were understandably outraged when the local importer reduced its long-advertised seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on the Atto 3 to six years and 150,000km last week.

At the time, BYD confirmed that the 4500 Aussies it said had had already ordered or taken delivery of their cars – in the belief they would receive a seven-year warranty – would be offered the shorter warranty.

And while the battery warranty was improved – from seven years to eight years and 160,000km, matching the unofficial industry standard – there are still a raft of components covered by a much shorter warranty, including the multimedia system and suspension.

Social media users have also pointed out that BYD owners in New Zealand get a six-year warranty covering all components of the car except the battery and electric motor (each with eight years of coverage).

In an attempt to appease the online backlash, BYD is now offering buyers a $189 ‘service certificate’ to cover the cost of the first service at 12 months and 20,000km.

In a letter titled ‘How we’ve changed servicing to benefit you’ and sent to those who ordered an Atto 3, BYD conceded it had received “some negative feedback” following the unexpected reduction of its factory-backed warranty, to which it “listened very carefully and reviewed”.

Capped price servicing for the new EV has also been reduced after some buyers and potential customers fumed at annual costs of up to $661, which some said suggested BYD was taking advantage of consumers.

Service pricing for the first eight years and 160,000km is now capped between $189 and $447 per year.

The total cost of servicing over those first eight years has been reduced by about $700 to $2390. Factor in the free $189 first service and the total service saving is more like $900 – for those who have already ordered a car (anyone purchasing an Atto 3 from now on does not get the $189 service certificate).

BYD is also allowing owners who travel less than 10,000km per year to pay $189 per service for the first five years and 60,000km.

For five years and 100,000km of regular servicing (up to 20,000km per year) the price is now $1384 versus $1736.68 previously.

As well as the immeasurable reputational damage inflicted by lowering the service price of the first model it has sold in Australia, BYD Automotive Australia will also need to fund about $850,000 worth of ‘service certificates’ for its circa-4500 order holders.

The service price reductions make the Atto 3 cheaper to service than many similarly-priced EVs.

However, whereas many EVs only require servicing every two years, BYD insists on annual check-ups.

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