Purchasing a new vehicle is often the second biggest single investment that families, couples or single adults will make in their working lives. The thought of losing the warranty on such a big investment is enough to stress anyone out!

It is quite a common mis-conception that once you purchase a new vehicle, you have no choice but to take your car back to the dealership for all of your servicing and repairs - or risk voiding the warranty. The truth is, this is absolutely false. Australian Consumer Law protects the rights of vehicle owners being able to choose an independent repairer, without fear of breaking warranty conditions.

If your dealership is trying to deny a warranty claim for a part failure due to the vehicle being regularly maintained by an independent repairer, you should contact the ACCC. Consumer guarantee rights cannot be excluded by contract.
Thankfully in 2020, most dealerships and their service staff are well aware of a vehicle owners rights to chose a repairer, and cases of these tactics are becoming less common. To help further avoid one of these situations, I have four main tips to help you choose the right repairer and give the dealership zero reason to deny a warranty claim.

TIPS:

REGULAR MAINTENANCE - Keep track of the kilometres you’re doing, keep an eye on your service sticker, and make a booking ahead of time when you’re within 500-1000km or 1 month of the due date. Don’t give the dealership any reason to ask questions when they look through your logbook. Even set a reminder on your phone in 6 months time or roughly when you think the service will be due. Or ask your mechanic if they send service reminders as part of their service packages.
REPUTABLE REPAIRER - The best thing for peace of mind is choosing a repairer with a good reputation. Check online reviews to see previous client experiences. Check for an RAA Approved Repairer sign (RACQ or AAAA in other states). These often mean more than just the sign they’re posted on and that the workshop has met some strict criteria and proven themselves as a workshop that can be trusted to give you the right advice, while using quality parts that meet or exceed manufacturer requirements.
FOLLOW THE LOGBOOK - Keep your logbook in the glovebox, or remember to take it with you every time you get your car serviced. Make sure you collect it when paying for the service, or ask if the mechanic has stamped it for you. Ask the mechanic to follow the service requirements according to the km’s or dates listed in the book. These might mean additional costs on top of the general oil change and inspection, but often include vital maintenance items such as transmission fluid or fuel filters to ensure unforeseen internal damage does not occur due to debris or incorrect lubrication etc.
KEEP RECORDS - Keeping records of your maintenance is important. When you get an invoice for any repairs or servicing, put them straight in your service book in the glove box. Or, ask your repairer to email them to you instead of paper copies. Save the file under a folder named “vehicle maintenance” or similar. Alternatively, check and make sure that your chosen repairer keeps digital records for all work done and ask if they can re-print old invoices months, and years down the track if required. Having this sort of thing as evidence can be very important if you ever need to prove whats been done to the vehicle later on.

I hope this helps ease any worries you may have had. Everyone deserves the right to choose who they want maintaining their vehicle.

Drive safe, and happy motoring!