Operating out of NMI Ford N1 City, appointments clerk Layla Harris took my details and scheduled a date and time that best suited my calendar. A week later the two-man Mobile service crew arrived — master technician Nico Delport and service manager Gert Engelbrecht — at the Arena Holdings office on Bree Street, Cape Town, in a fully customised Ranger single cab equipped with all the necessary tools of the trade.
After parking next to the Territory on the deserted rooftop (ample working space and a view to boot), I took a quick gander at the bakkie’s custom canopy; a bespoke set-up home to everything from sliding tool drawers, an air-compressor, hydraulic jack, axle stands, various service consumables and a groundsheet for catching unwanted drips. Fortunately the latter wasn’t needed as Delport drained the Territory’s spent oil using a suction pump.
After all the dirty lubricant was sucked from the vehicle’s sump, a fresh oil filter cartridge was installed along with a new fuel filter — curiously, the air filter is left unchecked until the 30,000km mark. Delport then funnelled in some clean 5w30 synthetic engine oil and once levelled off at 5.2l carried out a few other tasks. These included adjusting the handbrake, lubricating the door strikers and steering stoppers, topping up the windscreen washer fluid and checking the suspension, lights and braking system. Followed by a minor software update, the Territory was signed off and ready for another 15,000km.
LONG-TERM UPDATE 6 | Our Territory gets the Ford Mobile Service treatment
Image: Thomas Falkiner
In the last couple of months I have racked up some serious kilometres in our long-term Ford Territory Titanium. From zipping around the Cape Town city bowl to enjoying longer treks out into the wine lands, small Karoo and beyond, the Blue Oval’s family-sized SUV has been working hard. Hard enough to usher in its first 15,000km service.
Getting this sorted usually means taking your vehicle to the nearest authorised dealership; something that can often be a bit of schlep. An extra early start. Arriving at said dealership at a predetermined time. Drinking (usually bad) complementary coffee as you wait for a shuttle to take you back home or to the office.
Honestly, it’s an inconvenience I could do without — especially in a city such as Cape Town where traffic congestion can simply add more fuel to the logistical dumpster fire. So when Ford said I could book a date with its new Mobile Service division, I didn’t hesitate.
Operating out of NMI Ford N1 City, appointments clerk Layla Harris took my details and scheduled a date and time that best suited my calendar. A week later the two-man Mobile service crew arrived — master technician Nico Delport and service manager Gert Engelbrecht — at the Arena Holdings office on Bree Street, Cape Town, in a fully customised Ranger single cab equipped with all the necessary tools of the trade.
After parking next to the Territory on the deserted rooftop (ample working space and a view to boot), I took a quick gander at the bakkie’s custom canopy; a bespoke set-up home to everything from sliding tool drawers, an air-compressor, hydraulic jack, axle stands, various service consumables and a groundsheet for catching unwanted drips. Fortunately the latter wasn’t needed as Delport drained the Territory’s spent oil using a suction pump.
After all the dirty lubricant was sucked from the vehicle’s sump, a fresh oil filter cartridge was installed along with a new fuel filter — curiously, the air filter is left unchecked until the 30,000km mark. Delport then funnelled in some clean 5w30 synthetic engine oil and once levelled off at 5.2l carried out a few other tasks. These included adjusting the handbrake, lubricating the door strikers and steering stoppers, topping up the windscreen washer fluid and checking the suspension, lights and braking system. Followed by a minor software update, the Territory was signed off and ready for another 15,000km.
This all took just under an hour; considerably less time than it would take me driving to a dealership, dropping off the car, shuttling to my chosen destination and then repeating the entire exercise at the end of the day. What a pleasure. What’s more, I didn’t have to pay a cent extra for the convenience of the crew coming to meet me at my preferred location as there’s no premium attached to Ford’s mobile servicing. In the end the bill amounted to R2,113.16, which is reasonable considering the Territory’s size and status.
The only downside here is that unlike at a dealership the mobile service experience excludes, for obvious logistical and practical reasons, a complimentary car wash. But considering how much hassle it saves you, it’s something I and no doubt many other time-strapped motorists — especially those in Cape Town — are more than happy to sacrifice.
To find out more about Ford Mobile Service visit ford.co.za.
Image: Thomas Falkiner
2024 Ford Territory 1.8 Titanium | Update 6
ODOMETER ON DELIVERY: 5,654km
CURRENT ODOMETER: 14,870km
AVERAGE CONSUMPTION: 8.5l/100km
PRICE AS TESTED: R721,000
PRAISES: Ford Mobile Service makes proper routine maintenance easier than ever
GRIPES: Cape Town holiday traffic has pushed up average fuel consumption
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