Final Edit: After a very prompt call to find out ...

Final Edit: After a very prompt call to find out what had occurred, Todd (Service Manager), arranged for my vehicle to go into Essendon Fields Mazda today for a check over and service. Upon review of the drive belt , he acknowledged that it should ve been replaced earlier and has subsequently reimbursed me for my out of pocket expenses from last Friday. Todd has assured me that his staff are now fully aware of the need to check the belt during routine services and I feel confident that he will have the service department back up to standard quickly. Thank you for your assistance and quick response Todd! (Rating changed from 1 star to 4 Stars)

Edit: The Manager has been in touch very promptly to try and look into and resolve this issue. He was very courteous and professional, listening to my concerns and suggested I bring my car in so he could look at it. I will take the car in for a review of the issues to attempt to determine what led to this and update here accordingly.

I ve been coming to Mazda Essendon Fields for many, many years (on to my third Mazda), and I ve noticed the servicing has slipped over the last couple of years... Today I was driving through country Victoria (42 degree day) returning home from camping when the air con suddenly stopped, the battery light came on and the car lost power. By pure luck I was driving through a town at the time so able to get shade and phone service for RACV. The lovely RACV man found the problem in seconds - drive belt snapped in half, when taken out it was full of cracks and RACV man astonished when I mentioned the service in November - advised it has needed replacing a while ago. Battery also needed replacing as completely dead due to the lack of drive belt, and he was shocked by the amount of acid on the battery ( that should be rinsed off each service with some boiling water ) which had corroded the cover that holds the battery in place. This is not the kind of lack of servicing I expect from Mazda Essendon Fields.. Am very angry as this could ve killed the car completely, or worse - happened where I couldn t get help.