Many car owners fear that their new car warranty will be lost,
if the inspection is not carried out at an authorized manufacturer’s
workshop.
Some car manufacturers even instruct their customers to only
attend the service appointments in the specialist workshop,
as otherwise the claims under guarantee and warranty expire.
Verdict:
After a judgment passed in 2010 by the EU Commission
such a restriction is no longer allowed. This means that
neither the statutory warranty nor the guarantee claims
are in jeopardy. However, the Gesamtverband Autoteilehandel (GVA)
recommends to have a note on the invoice that the work is carried
out acccording to the specifications of the manufacturer.
The free workshop is allowed also to stamp the service booklet.
But be careful!
If damage or errors occur during the period
of the manufacturer’s guarantee, a specialist workshop must
be consulted in any case. Because repairs may only be carried
out in the original workshop. In addition, the manufacturers often
participate in the repair work as a goodwill gesture, even after
the warranty period. Since it is a voluntary service, it would be
rejected if previous work was not carried out in a contract workshop.
