Should I Get My Car Serviced At The Dealer

11 Nov Blog

Do You Really Have To Service Your Car At The Dealership?

I of the biggest myths in the automotive industry is that your warranty will exist void if yous don't take your motorcar to the dealership. It's non true. The constabulary is that as long as a licensed repairer services your auto according to your car'southward logbook, your warranty volition not be impacted any.

Now that we have that myth out of the manner, instead of request "do I have to service my car at the dealership" you can ask whether you actually want to service your car at the dealership. Beneath nosotros've taken a deep dive into the pro's, con'southward and myths of dealership servicing and repairs so y'all can make that selection yourself.

THE PRO'S

– Dealerships are usually the experts in the make and model of your auto as they only bargain with one specific brand.
– They take access to the electronic scan tools specific to your make of vehicle.
– Commonly they will offer a loan car available while your machine is on the road. Depending on how busy your dealership is though, you might take to wait up to two months before one actually becomes bachelor.

THE CONS

– Normally the nearly expensive option.
– A basic service will still take a whole day. Typically you will have to drib your car off at 8am and pick information technology up at 5pm. That'south a whole day with your car off the road. Depending on the work required, this can often extend to two days and beyond.
– Dealerships are notorious for upsells (they aren't nicknamed 'stealerships' for zero) — more so than your local workshop. Additive companies provide the service directorate commissions for selling you lot flushes you don't need. They will present you with a job carte du jour with all of these extras pre-printed, leading you to believe your car needs information technology. Always say no.
– Most dealerships volition have ship, but they're limited to times and destinations.
– Y'all volition likely never talk to the mechanic who actually fixes your auto. All of your dealings will be with a receptionist and service adviser, so all information relayed is second hand.

THE MYTHS

- – Your warranty will be void.

As I mentioned earlier, dealerships like y'all to call back that your car must exist returned to the dealership for servicing to continue your warranty intact. The fact is this is not true. As long as a licensed repairer services your car co-ordinate to your automobile's logbook, your warranty will not exist impacted.

– 'Fixed-price' and 'free' servicing reduces your servicing cost. Not truthful. Dealerships brand the bulk of their money from servicing and repairs (non new car sales), meaning they need to brand money from your 'stock-still' or 'gratis' service packages. Frequently standard items such as batteries, tyres, wheel alignments and other repairs aren't included and the dealership volition also upsell yous unnecessary things like air-conditioning services and injection flushes.
– In-car software is updated at every service. While only the dealer tin update manufacturer-installed software (such as GPS), the reality is software updates happen rarely – certainly a lot less frequently than your services. So enquire your dealer what updates have happened since your last service. If information technology's nada significant, then feel free to shop effectually for a better price.
– Your vehicle is being recalled. Supposed 'vehicle recalls' are condign more and more common — yet cars are becoming safer with improved technology. Manufacturers have begun using modest issues equally a reason for a "recall" to go a customer back in. At this signal they will upsell you a service and other repairs. Information technology's simply a marketing tactic dealerships use to stop customer leakage. If yous practise get a recall, by all means go it fixed. Just you don't have to hold to extra paid work. Feel costless to go to your regular mechanic or store around for a improve price.

If you're nonetheless questioning "practice I take to service my car at the dealership?" In short, the reply is: no you definitely do not. Whether y'all still cull to or not is upward to you. Personally, I find them overpriced and much too quick to jump on an upsell. I hate non beingness able to speak to the mechanic who's really working on my car and just can't get over the inefficiency of losing my vehicle for a whole day. If you decide to ditch the dealership and demand a new mechanic, bank check out this guide on How to find a adept mechanic.