There have been news articles or reports published recently that Perodua Bezza service costs are estimated at being 32% higher than those of the Proton Persona. So Perodua has now issued a press release where they wish to clarify that the information used by certain online portals on their service details is inaccurate and misleading. The media reports, posted on 11 March 2019, had illustrated the difference between the five-year service costs of the Proton Persona and two other car models, purportedly the Perodua Bezza and Honda City.
This was most likely garnered from the presentation that PROTON made during the media preview of the facelifted Proton Persona held on the 11th of March. There were some media who assumed that it was the City and the Bezza which were compared to the Persona. The photo below shows the presentation image and somehow, it was construed as the cars mentioned above - 'competitor B & competitor C'.
Perodua states that there is an inaccuracy in cost difference because there are differences in the method used to calculate service costs. According to Perodua, the Proton Persona’s service costs were calculated as scheduled in its service booklet or owner’s manual whilst for the Perodua Bezza, the calculation was based on its Preventive Maintenance costs (which are optional) instead of scheduled costs as recommended in the service booklet.
This is as follows for Bezza according to Perodua -
Years of Service Perodua Bezza 1.3L (basic service cost) / RM
1st year service cost 391.02
2nd year service cost 796.57
3rd year service cost 464.19
4th year service cost 759.02
5th year service cost 684.59
Total 5 years’ service cost 3,095.38
So according to the table above, the Perodua Bezza’s total maintenance cost difference at the 5-year mark is only RM44 or 1.4% and not 32% as reported. Perodua has further stated that the difference is attributed to the cost of 0W-20 grade for lubricant used in the Bezza instead of the 10W-30 for the Proton Persona.The lower viscosity oil is more premium in nature which is reflected on the price. But note that it is only a slight increase.
Perodua adds that the Perodua Bezza uses iridium spark plugs for maximum fuel efficiency and a smoother engine performance. These are long lasting plugs and may actually be more cost effective in the long run even though they may be priced slightly more expensive than normal plugs.
According to Perodua, Bezza owners pay RM239.55 less than Persona owners on maintenance at the end of the third year.
One more item Perodua would like to add is that the Bezza is an Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV) and that it is among the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the country. We don't doubt this as it is powered by small capacity engines. The Bezza 1.0L manual (MT) does 22.8 km/l for its published fuel consumption figures. The 1.0L auto can do 21.3 km/l. The 1.3 MT does 21.7 km/l and 21 km/l for the 1.3 auto. The 1.3 Bezza Advance auto with its Eco Idle function has a fuel consumption of 22 km/l in the ECE mode. Perodua would also like to state that the fuel saving costs reflect huge savings in overall ownership costs for the Bezza owner, while the competitor’s fuel efficiency figures have not been made public for this new facelifted model (according to PROTON, it should be around 3-4% less than the pre-facelift model when asked during the media briefing).
For those who are willing to spend a bit more than what is recommended in our owner’s service manual, Perodua also offers an optional preventive package known as Pro-Care. This package includes tyre alignment and balancing; air conditioning maintenance; and replacement of components to ensure smooth driving and peace of mind.
The Pro-Care package is our way of providing a complete service package at our service outlets for the convenience of our customers. Flyers and banners are placed at our service outlets to create awareness of this service and it is entirely voluntary.
It looks like Perodua is very concerned by the disruptive reporting approach taken by certain brands as they regard this as misleading and can lead to confusion. Perodua would also like to advise the public to verify content and not take them at face value.
So it would seem that sometimes, it would not be wise to simply assume that 'competitor B' or 'competitor C' as Brand H or Brand P in some articles. Brand P has basically answered. Furthermore, it would be quite strange to compare the Bezza to the Persona as the Bezza is an A-Segment sedan and the Persona is a B-Segment sedan. This is a case of comparing apples to oranges in a sense. Regardless of what costs are put up.
Personally, I rather not assume unless I am sure.
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