Parra News January 20 2024

AUTO ADVICE
with AARON HILLS
anguscarservice.com.au
THE TRUTH BEHIND NEW CAR SERVICING
The Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission (ACCC)
have recently provided updated
information regarding consumer rights and
servicing cars under warranty.
There is no requirement under the
Australian Consumer Law (ACL) for a vehicle
to be serviced by an authorised dealer in order
for the consumer guarantees to apply.
FAQs
What is a warranty?
A warranty is a voluntary promise offered by
the person or business who sold the product or
service to you. A warranty is in addition to any
rights you have under the Australian Consumer
Law (ACL). You can visit the ACCC website for
more information about warranties.
A dealer told me I’ll void my warranty if
they do not service my car, is that right?
There is NO requirement to service your car
at a manufacturer’s dealership to preserve:
• Any manufacturer’s warranty (that may
apply to your vehicle)
• Any state or territory based statutory
warranty (that may apply to your vehicle);
or
• Your rights to Consumer Guarantees
(formerly known as implied statutory
warranties)
Can my preferred repairer stamp my
logbook?
The logbook in some vehicles includes
a box which indicates that it should be
stamped by an ‘authorised dealer’. The
ACCC have confirmed that even if a logbook
is labelled in this way, an independent
repairer may sign or stamp the relevant
page of your service logbook (once they have
completed the service) without it affecting
the manufacturer’s warranty, provided all
essential requirements are met.
These essential requirements are as follows:
• The repairer must use quality spare parts
from reputable suppliers
• Perform the service in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions
• Staff must be trained, supervised and
suitably qualified
• Fluids and lubricants must meet
manufacturer’s specifications
At Angus Car Service we only use quality
parts, approved fluids/lubricants, our
staff are fully qualified and we follow the
manufacturer’s service schedule.
How long should my Consumer Guarantees
apply?
It’s a common misconception that your
Consumer Guarantees have a specific time
limit. Whilst a manufacturer may choose to
put a time limit on their warranty, this cannot
replace your Consumer Guarantees.
Protection provided under Australian
Consumer Law will take into account the
purchase price, realistic time expectations
of when a failure may occur, any advertising
claims and the conditions under which a
vehicle should operate.
A manufacturer’s warranty is in addition to,
not in lieu of your Consumer Guarantees.
What if I have a warranty claim?
If you have a warrantable defect it may be
a condition of the warranty that any work to
rectify it is carried out at the Manufacturers
Dealer workshop. Your independent
mechanical workshop may also be able to
guide you through this process.
Will having my car regularly serviced
preserve my resale value?
Evidence of a well maintained car will
usually augur well for upholding resale value.
If you have any further questions, give us a
call on 4732 3676 Mon – Thurs 7.30am – 5.30pm
or you can read more from the Australian
Automotive After-market Association by
visiting www.choiceofrepairer.com.au.
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Tuesday, January 30, 2024 « parra news 29