Having your new car serviced at an independent workshop is often the preferred choice to some vehicle owners as they value the relationship or customer service they previously had with their mechanic or technician; however they feel worried about losing their warranty, and as such reluctantly return their vehicle back to the dealership to be serviced.
We are still very surprised with the amount of times each week we are asked, “Do I have to have my new car serviced at the dealership to keep my warranty?” or “If I have my car serviced elsewhere will it void my warranty?” It seems to be one of the most common myths circulating the automotive repair industry.
The short answer is no, you will not void or forfeit your Manufacturers New Car Warranty by having your vehicle serviced by an independent workshop. However if you have purchased an aftermarket Extended Warranty through a dealer (commonly referred to as a Mechanical Protection Plan), there may be guidelines in place which will require you to have the vehicle serviced at the dealer from which the warranty was purchased.
The AAAA (Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association) have done a great job with helping to unmask this myth with their ‘Choice of Repairer’ campaign. They have created a series of informative brochures which can be viewed online and help to explain the truth about new car servicing, and capped pricing.
To find these brochures or other information visit: https://choiceofrepairer.com.au/
Hopefully this can help to clear up any confusion or misunderstanding with new car servicing. If you still feel you would like to know more about having your new car serviced with an independent, free to call or drop by and we’ll be happy to guide you in the direction that benefits both your vehicle and your hip pocket best.