Does it Really Matter Where You Get Your Car Serviced From

1. Does it Really Matter Where You Get Your Car Serviced From It is a simple but critical question. At first, you might think that it does not matter where you service your car because you might believe that you get the same service quality in all service stations. So, let us examine the underlying facts to arrive at a concrete decision. Car servicing can pose some challenges, such as difficulty to figure out the mechanic or service station to trust. For example, say you have purchased a new car, you might see the dealer indirectly insist you get your car serviced at their service centre. And, to attain their objective, they might say that servicing your car outside will void the factory warranty. However, that will be against the existing laws. According to the ACCC's Competition and Consumer Act 2010, sellers cannot restrict consumers' freedom to deal with whom they choose. And that means a company cannot force you to service your car in-house for fear of losing the warranty coverage. It also implies that it is your right as a customer to get your car serviced elsewhere. But, is that the right decision? It is what you should be clear about before taking the final call. You can Google car repair near you to find service stations near your location. But, ask yourself the following questions to help yourself to determine the right car service centre to get your car serviced. Is the Workshop Reliable? As servicing your car through a manufacturer-dealer is not mandatory to retain your warranty due to the ACCC's rule, you can get your car serviced through a qualified mechanic. But, ensure that the mechanic conforms to the manufacturer's standards and uses genuine parts. Also, ensure he uses good quality parts if genuine parts are unavailable.

2. Therefore, you can search online for car services near you to find car service stations to service your car. But, first, ensure the service station has qualified mechanics who follow the prescribed servicing rules and quality parts. Do You Want to Save Money? Figure out if you want to save money. And, if you do so, you can get your car serviced at independent service centres as their servicing charges are lower than factory servicing centres. Moreover, the former can use non-genuine parts that brings down the servicing costs. Therefore, make a car service estimateto figure out the servicing cost for your car. And, go for either an independent or manufacturer service centre. Do You Want to Avail the Manufacturer's Servicing Incentives? Even though getting your car serviced from a manufacturer service centre is not the only good option, it can also enable you to lower the servicing cost over a certain period. Moreover, car companies are empowered by the existing rules to ask you to get your car serviced through the servicing centres to get the benefits of the capped-price servicing, including roadside assistance and extended warranties. Also, your warranty will remain intact. It is good to do a car servicing comparisonbetween different servicing centres to determine the difference in the cost of servicing at an independent service centre and manufacturer service centre. What is the Type of Your Car? Usually, manufacturers provide their dealers with the necessary technical information, software updates and fixes for known faults. However, independent service centres do not possess those elements. As such, a dealer is more competent to better diagnose and address faults with your car. But, it also does not mean that you should avoid independent servicing centres.

3. The fact is, such information gets dispersed among the car servicing industry, so independent service centres also become acquainted with the information eventually. Moreover, cars of different makes get serviced in various service stations, so the corresponding solutions become well known among car mechanics. However, the knowledge of niche cars is lesser among independent car mechanics. As such, an autonomous car service centre is not likely to have any trouble servicing your car. But, if your car is a big-dollar sports car, luxury limo, a car from a relatively uncommon brand, a manufacturer-backed service centre will have the correct information and tools to service the car properly. What About Servicing Your Car During Warranty Period? It is better to get your car serviced through a dealer during the warranty period because independent service stations cannot serve warranty claims. Conclusion It certainly matters from where you service your car. The servicing costs are different across various service centres while you can get some incentives, at times, if you opt for a manufacturer's service centre. Moreover, every servicing centre may not have the right tools. So, it will help if you choose a service centre wisely.