New Car Warranty – Do I have to have my car serviced by a dealership?
“Do you have to have your car serviced by a dealership to keep your new car warranty?” Asked by Dave Thompson, September 2012.
There is considerable confusion among car owners about their servicing requirements, especially regarding what is required for them to maintain their new car warranty.
Dave says: “I just bought a new BMW and the salesman told me I have to have it serviced by a BMW dealership to maintain the new car warranty. Is this correct? I have seen businesses claiming they can service my car without affecting the warranty”
Assuming the above is an accurate portrayal of what was said, the BMW salesman has been very naughty here. EU legislation requires all car manufacturers to offer at least a 2-year unlimited mileage new car warranty on all their new cars (from date of registration), regardless of any change of ownership. Every car salesperson knows this, or at least they should. Cars outside their original new car warranty are a different kettle of fish altogether, and not covered here.
Under EU Block Exemption legislation which has been around for many years now, a manufacturer cannot force a buyer to have their car serviced by their official dealership network, and cannot refuse to honour a new car warranty simply because a car has been serviced elsewhere. However, a manufacturer does have the right to set a servicing schedule which must be adhered to.
New Car Warranty and servicing – your rights and responsibilities
As a car owner, you have the right to take your car to any licenced garage or mechanic for servicing, but you must ensure that the servicing is carried out exactly as per the manufacturer’s servicing schedule. This means servicing must be undertaken on time and must use any genuine parts or lubricants specified by the manufacturer.
If you choose to have your car serviced by an independent garage or mechanic, make sure they are reputable. For some suggestions, check out The Good Garage Scheme. Keep detailed invoices and receipts for all work done so you have proof that the car has been serviced according to schedule.
If your car requires repair work under its new car warranty, the manufacturer has the right to insist that this work is undertaken by its official dealerships. This is entirely fair, since the manufacturer – rather than you – is paying for this work.
Basically, a good rule to remember is that if you’re paying for the work, you have the right to choose who does the work.
What if it’s not a manufacturer’s New Car Warranty?
Not all warranties are provided by the vehicle manufacturer, and here you need to be careful. Many dealers will offer you extended warranties for a new car, or a used car warranty of some description, but these are usually not provided by the manufacturer. As such. the requirements may be different, and may tie you to a particular dealer or franchise for servicing.
It may be advantageous for you to take your car to a franchised dealer for servicing, depending on your car and your circumstances. I will be writing a more detailed blog on warranties shortly which will explore the topic in more depth – so stay tuned!
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http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2004/85-04#.UTjFsxyeMVg
OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING ANNOUNCEMENT – Take your car to any garage as long as it is as per the manufacturers schedule and parts are to same standard.
Good Garage Scheme is owned by lubricant company and you have to use and push their products in order to stay part of their “Scheme”. It is not an independent scheme that looks out for good garages. AND you have to pay to be a part of it. Who would really be profiting then: the Customer,? I think NOT!
If the system requires servicing as part of the car’s service schedule, then you are obliged to have it serviced to keep your warranty valid. If the air-conditioning service is not part of the car’s service schedule as set out in the service book, then you are not obliged to do so.
Thank you for the prompt reply.
Yes , the system was working fine but they asked me whether i want it servive if i don’t then i will have to pay for the repair when it fail, knowing that my car is still in the waranty (only 7000 miles on the clock). As you have mentioned that if it fail the dealer have to fix it under the waranty therefore they should never asked me to have it service in the first place, unless it’s outside the waranty and needed servicing. This is a BMW in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK,
Hi Lee. From what I understand, you are talking about servicing and not a failure. If the air-conditioning system was not working, you would be entitled to ask for BMW to fix it under warranty, but a service (presumably filter and flushing the coolant) is not a repair. As such, they are entitled to charge you for servicing the system.
Hope this helps, stuart.
Is the air conditioning system fall under manufacture waranty?
I have a two years old BMW bought from new but when i took it in for service, i was asked whether i also wanted the Airconditioning unit servicing which i have to pay for £106 plus VAT. I did egree forit to be serviced but i’m still have some doubt about what part is under this manufature waranty and what is not. to put it simply, i don’t trust the dealer.
Spot on with this write-up, I am seriously fed up with main dealers trying to scare customers into paying their heinous service rates when any reputable can do the job just as well. Finally the EU did something good for a change.
Ah, now that’s a different point, Connor. I deliberately didn’t say that you shouldn’t have your car serviced by an authorised dealership, merely that you are not obliged to. As a car owner, you need to make your own judgment as to who you trust to service your vehicle. As a rule, a franchised service centre will charge more than an independent garage, but the mechanics will have been specifically trained to work on your model of car and you will also have more options for dispute resolution if there are any problems.
It might not affect your warranty, but surely it is better to have a mechanic who has actually been trained on your car working on your car? I don’t see how a mechanic at an independent garage can be an expert on a Ford, a Vauxhall and a Mercedes as well.