Do I need to service my car at the dealership?

No, you don't need to get your car serviced at the dealership to keep your manufacturer's warranty intact.

Despite what your dealer may say, or the impression you get reading the logbook or warranty terms, you're legally entitled to shop around for the best servicing deal without voiding your manufacturer's warranty (note: the rules are different for extended warranties).

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says "a manufacturer's warranty is a promise to the consumer that the vehicle will be free from defects for a certain period of time". 

While a manufacturer can have certain requirements in its warranty terms – such as ensuring any servicing is carried out by qualified staff, according to the manufacturer's specification, and that appropriate quality parts are used where required – it can't require you to service your vehicle through an authorised dealer to keep your warranty intact.

Things to know

• While car dealers may try to make you believe otherwise, you don't have to take your car back to the dealer for servicing

• The ACCC is clear on the point - any qualified mechanic can service your car and fill out the log book as long as they're using quality parts

• Going to an independent servicing and repair shop will not affect your car warranty

Are genuine parts needed?

Many dealers also angled for dealer servicing by saying genuine parts (also known as OEM, or original equipment manufacturer parts) were either required or highly recommended in order to keep the warranty intact. 

The problem here is that genuine car parts can be much more expensive than aftermarket parts (parts not made by the original manufacturer).

In fact, when we looked at this issue previously, we found details of the mark-up being as much as 60% even though the parts are often identical.

But you don't have to pay the price premium on parts to be covered. The ACCC's guidance says that provided you use quality parts, your car manufacturer's warranty won't be voided.

If a non-genuine part is used it won't be covered under the manufacturer's warranty, but it would be covered under the warranty of the part's supplier and/or Australian Consumer Law. 

To be fair, despite the initial response of dealers, when pushed many did clarify that it'd only be the actual part that wouldn't be covered rather than the whole warranty being voided.

How to keep your car manufacturer's warranty intact 

• Shop around for the best servicing deal and stick with a trusted, licensed mechanic.

• Service your car in line with the schedule and specifications in the owner's manual or warranty logbook.

• Ask that quality parts be used for servicing (the parts don't have to be genuine to keep the consumer guarantees intact and you are still covered by the warranty on the part). Ask for an itemised account for the labour conducted and parts installed. If there's a problem with the parts used, the repairer or part manufacturer will be responsible.

• Ask the mechanic to fill in your logbook – they don't need an authorised dealer stamp for the warranty to be valid.

• If you're choosing not to service your car through the dealership, ensure your service centre is reputable. NSW and WA have repairers' licensing schemes, and elsewhere, you can check to see if they're a member of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC, in Victoria) or the Motor Traders Association in the other states.