New vehicle warranty

Denis_UK

I bought a nearly new Rover with a 3 year warranty, and was told it was subject to being serviced at a Rover dealership. After spending over £600 on two services I found this was false information. A friend who has his own car service business told me the under an EU law the warranty was still good providing the car was serviced at a garage that had the licence to carry out MOTs, he showed me the paperwork referring to this. It seems dealerships can only recommend they carry out the service they cant use it as a threat to invalidate the warranty.

Dee123_2

I just bought a two and a half year old car from an independent garage and wasnt best pleased when they stamped the service log. The owner tried to tell me it didnt matter but I really thought they had invalidated my warranty. Guess he was right.

Thank you!

Dee

jjames_3

It's true that you don't need to get the car serviced at a dealership.

However, look at the back of your manual, which gives details of exactly what needs servicing and when. An independent may not stick to these recommendations, and if the dealership has reason to believe that something has not been done, bang goes your warranty.

Plus, I'm not sure what the current situation is re Rover cars. They don't have manufacturer's warranties any more, so the EU regs don't apply to the remaining dealer warranties IIRC.

Altarf

There are two sorts of warranties -

Manufacturer warranties, for example as done by Ford. The car is covered for three years provided that you get the car serviced to the Ford service schedule, but it does not have to be done at a Ford garage.

Manufacturer and Dealer warranties. The car is covered for one or two years, by the manufacturer (possibly requiring it being serviced to the manufacturers service schedule). The second and/or third year cover *may* require you to have had it serviced by a main dealer, as they are covering the warranty.

To know which sort your warranty is you need to read the warranty document. It is a bit late to find out when you have invalidated the warranty by having it serviced elsewhere.

gord115

I'm having my 2 year old Skoda serviced in a couple of weeks and Skoda have told me if I use genuine Skoda parts I can have the car serviced at my local independent garage without voiding the warranty.Saved myself £100

jawa1

I think Martin should create a main article on this subject. There can be a massive price differences of hundereds of pounds between dealership servicing and independent services.

I have just bought a new car which has 3 years free servicing and warranty. I wonder if they charge me a fortune for the parts when they do the ‘free service’ ?

I guess I could get the free service and then get any parts needed fitted by my local independent dealer?

Servicing ties removed from new car warranties.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2004/85-04.htm

jjames_3

It's not a new car warranty though. The Rover warranties are now the responsibility of dealers and have the same status as used car warranties, therefore probably tying the customer to the dealer for servicing.

As for dealers charging a fortune for parts under a free service deal, well the car will only be free servicing for 3 years or 30/36000 miles in most cases, in other words three services.

If a car needs new non-service parts in this time-frame there is something wrong somewhere.

smeghead1

If you take your car under its manufacturer warranty to a non franchised dealer for seriving and some thing needs to be done under the warranty you have to take it back to a franchised dealer wasting time and money it is cheaper just to take your car to the franchised dealer in the first place and have the job done properly

Jim