Can You Get Your Car Serviced Anywhere

And then you've bought or leased a new machine and, like most proud owners, yous're probably promising to proceed information technology well maintained, looked afterwards and regularly serviced.

Certainly, our advice here at The Car Good is to cheque regularly your machine's condition. It makes sense to maintain your pride and joy – it'll assistance go on its value, and it ensures your own condom also.

But regular servicing is not cheap and some owners find this extra expense more than difficult to sustain than they had originally planned. And that'due south why many owners start to look away from the supplying manufacturer's workshops and more than towards an independent garage.

But is this allowed under the terms of your car's warranty? Could it invalidate the valuable guarantee you take against costly parts and labour fees in the issue of a breakdown or failure? Are you lot permitted to look elsewhere for your servicing?

The option is yours

It'south your choice when it comes to selecting where your car is going to be serviced and past whom. Also as being required to offer at least a two-year unlimited mileage warranty on all their new cars – regardless of any change of ownership – car makers in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland cannot force a buyer to have their vehicle serviced by their official dealership network.

And that ways they also can't decline to honour a new car warranty but because a car has been serviced elsewhere. It'southward all part of an agreement called the European Union Block Exemption legislation, which has been active for many years and which, even though the Uk has now left the EU, still stands.

However, manufacturers practice have the right to set a servicing schedule for their vehicles, which must exist adhered to. And so, if you do choose to plough your back on the master dealer and get instead to an independent engineer or mechanic, make sure you accept your service book stamped, ensure you lot keep records of whatsoever work you lot accept had washed and insist that approved parts and lubricants are used in whatsoever repairs, in line with the manufacturer'southward guidelines.

"Nothing much has changed in respect of the Block Exemption regulations, even though the UK has now left the EU," says a spokesman for the Club of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). "And to be honest, nosotros don't run into annihilation changing in that respect for the foreseeable future.

"Information technology'southward of import that y'all follow the manufacturer guidelines apropos service intervals, such as one twelvemonth or 10,000 miles, and you lot must use the approved parts. But otherwise, you can't exist forced to utilise a dealer's workshop for your machine'southward service."

Servicing and your new auto warranty

Many manufacturers offering new car warranty terms that are longer than the minimum two-year menstruation, but yous need to check that the warranty provided is the same for the whole warranty menstruum.

Some importers offer a longer period, but afterwards two years the warranty is provided by the local importer rather than the vehicle manufacturer, so the terms and weather may be dissimilar. Check your paperwork or enquire the dealer if in dubiety.

If you practise desire to have your motorcar serviced by an independent garage or mechanic, make sure you choose a good, reputable organisation. It's your car at stake hither, and your safe likewise, so don't try to cut too many corners in terms of cost.

For workshop suggestions, endeavor The Expert Garage Scheme which lists local garages that perform services to a strict code of deport for quality and safety.

If your vehicle is under warranty, it tin can be serviced past a Good Garage Scheme member without invalidating the warranty conditions, merely keep detailed invoices and receipts for all work done so you lot accept proof that the motorcar has been serviced according to its schedule.

Warranty repairs

If your machine requires repair piece of work for failed parts under its new car warranty, the manufacturer has the right to insist that this piece of work is undertaken by its official dealerships. They are paying got the repair so this is entirely fair.

A good rule to remember is that if y'all're paying for the piece of work, you have the correct to cull who carries information technology out. If the manufacturer is paying, they take the choice.

Not all warranties are provided past the vehicle manufacturer. Many dealers will offering extended warranties for a new car, or a used automobile warranty of some description, only these are non usually provided by the manufacturer and are aftermarket insurance policies.

As such, the requirements may exist dissimilar and may tie you to a particular dealer or franchise for servicing.

What nearly my car finance obligations?

It is of import to understand that although your new motorcar warranty will non be afflicted if you service your machine exterior the dealer network, information technology may affect your car finance agreement.

Many PCP agreements will insist that the machine has to be serviced by an approved franchised workshop to maintain its guaranteed future value (GFV) if yous want to give the automobile back at the end of the agreement. So if you accept a charter deal y'all might also be expected to service the car with a dealership.

This isn't a warranty issue but rather a question of used car value. In theory, a car with a full manufacturer service history will be worth more than a automobile that's been serviced at an independent garage, and the GFV is based on a car with a full manufacturer service history.

"It's important to empathize that, if you are merely leasing a motorcar as opposed to ownership information technology outright, the finance company might specify which workshop yous take to use," says the SMMT.

"The difference is that rather than the automobile being yours, information technology really belongs to the finance company."

Summary

Although not a legal requirement, it may be advantageous for you to take your machine to a franchised dealer for servicing, depending on your automobile and your circumstances.

For more than data on car servicing, read more well-nigh the difference between independent garages and franchised dealers.

Here at The Machine Skillful, nosotros have some fantastic warranty offers for our readers provided by our commercial partners. If you're interested in a used car warranty, you should check these out:

ALA Insurance provides used car warranties in conjunction with the RAC
MotorEasy offers warranties and many other types of encompass for car owners
Warrantywise is a long-established and multi-award-winning warranty provider

Read more than: Motorcar warranty information, communication and offers at The Auto Expert

This article was originally published in September 2012 and nearly recently updated with additional data in Jan 2021

Tom Johnstonhttp://johnstonmedia.com/

Tom Johnston was the showtime-e'er reporter on national motoring mag Auto Express. He went on to become that magazine'southward News Editor and Banana Editor, and has too been Motoring Correspondent for the Daily Star and contributor to the Daily and Dominicus Express. Today, as a freelance writer, content creator and copy editor, Tom works with heady and interesting websites and magazines on varied projects.