Does a Vehicle Maintenance Service by My Local Mechanic Void The Warranty?
When you buy a new vehicle, the dealer will most probably recommend that you have all of your auto services performed by their dealership. This is because car dealerships make a lot of money from their vehicle maintenance services and repairs.
The problem is that in most cases, items like pre purchase inspections and vehicle maintenance services will cost you much more in a dealership than at an independent mechanical shop. Dealerships however, allow you to think that you will void your warranty if you do not use their services.
In part this is true, but only if you don’t go to a reputable mechanic and follow certain conditions laid down by the Federal Government. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have clearly stated that your warranty will not be voided if you go to an independent mechanic for your vehicle maintenance services – if the following three conditions are met:
- The person who performs the service on your car must be a qualified mechanic. Unless you are also a mechanic, if you perform your own services, then you will void your warranty. Otherwise, a qualified mechanic is legally allowed to perform vehicle maintenance services on your car without voiding the warranty.
- You need to have all of the services performed to the manufacturer’s specifications. This means that all of your vehicle maintenance services must be performed at the stated times and intervals or else your warranty will be void.
- You need to use the appropriate parts for your vehicle. This is simply common sense, but some people are under the belief that you have to use genuine parts, but this is not a condition of the warranty. The parts must just be fit for the purpose – they must be designed to do the job and meet or exceed the manufacture’s standards.
So next time you buy a new car, make sure that you have a pre purchase inspection and then if you decide to buy, don’t be hoodwinked into paying out much more than you need to the dealership. Check out your local auto mechanic shops and find a reliable mechanic to perform all your services and save yourself a lot of your hard earned money.
