Using an independent when still under warranty?
Discussion
My Exige S is due a 9000 mile/1 year service soon...im expecting Lotus to charge between £330-£400 or there abouts.
Ive had a quote off Jude Performance in Newcastle...... .....£140....
Obviously its still under warranty and people like to see the Lotus stamp but JPS have a good reputation. What should I do?
Ive had a quote off Jude Performance in Newcastle...... .....£140....
Obviously its still under warranty and people like to see the Lotus stamp but JPS have a good reputation. What should I do?
True - it's changed recently iirc.(ED: ok, 4 years then!)
Even I've heard of Jude so would think anyone fairly enthusiastic wouldn't give a fig anyway, I wouldn't.
Here you go - http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2004/85-04
Where you get your car serviced is an important
consideration. Following action by the OFT in
2004, all major (Including Lotus??) makes of new car in the UK are
sold without servicing ties as part of their
warranties. This means that the manufacturer’s
warranty and any extension offered free, such as
the dealer based extended warranty are covered
by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders Limited (SMMT) OFT Approved code of
practice (see www.smmt.co.uk). The code from
the SMMT, who represent all sectors of the
automotive industry in the UK, says that you are
free to get your car serviced anywhere in the UK
and still benefit from the manufacturer’s new car
warranty, as long as the service is carried out to the car manufacturer’s recommendations, even if this service is carried out by an independent service or repair outlet. However, any additional
warranty which you have bought, may contain
restrictions on where your car can be serviced
and for bought warranties this restriction has to
be obeyed (as well as any others) for the
warranty to be valid. The code also has
procedures for dealing with complaints
concerning your new car.
Aftersales costs, such as services, can represent
around 40 per cent of the whole life cost of the
car and many independent garages can offer the
same quality of service as franchised dealers,
who tend to be more expensive than
independent garages. It is important to shop
around for the best deal and only use reputable
garages that will carry out servicing work in line
with the car manufacturer’s service schedules.
Your legal rights
A warranty adds to your legal rights, it is not
a substitute for them. In law if the car develops
a fault in the first six months, it will usually be
assumed that the fault was there when you
bought it. In these circumstances you can ask
the dealer to repair the car free of charge or
replace it.
Before you buy ask the salesperson these questions:
• Is the warranty covered by the SMMT code
which permits servicing by independent
garages?
• How much will the servicing costs be?
(Compare them to other garages in your area)
• How much leeway is there if I cannot get the
car serviced in accordance with the approved
servicing schedule?
• How long does the manufacturer’s
warranty last?
• What does it cover?
• When does the dealer’s warranty start and
what does it cover?
• Is every fault covered by the
manufacturer’s/dealer’s warranty?
• What isn’t covered by the manufacturer’s
/dealer’s warranty?
• Is the warranty restricted by the amount of
mileage I do?
• If I have an accident but I get the car repaired,
is the warranty affected?
When you’re thinking of buying a new car it’s
worth comparing warranties as well as cars –
it can save you a lot of time and money later.
Examples of restrictive conditions in warranties
Most manufacturers allow you to service your
car wherever you choose so long as certain
standards are met. But some warranties place
restrictions on you. Watch out for the following
restrictive conditions:
‘Only an authorised (make of car) repairer
services and maintains your vehicle in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations.’
‘This warranty is dependent upon the
manufacturer’s recommended servicing being
carried out by an authorised (make of car)
dealership at the time or distance intervals
specified in the (make of car) Warranty and
Maintenance Record booklet, subject to the
vehicle being driven less than 60,000 miles
since first registration.’
‘The vehicle must be regularly serviced by an
Authorised (make of car) Dealer in accordance
with the (make of car) service schedules using
(make of car) approved parts during the 3 year
warranty period.’
Even I've heard of Jude so would think anyone fairly enthusiastic wouldn't give a fig anyway, I wouldn't.
Here you go - http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2004/85-04
Where you get your car serviced is an important
consideration. Following action by the OFT in
2004, all major (Including Lotus??) makes of new car in the UK are
sold without servicing ties as part of their
warranties. This means that the manufacturer’s
warranty and any extension offered free, such as
the dealer based extended warranty are covered
by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders Limited (SMMT) OFT Approved code of
practice (see www.smmt.co.uk). The code from
the SMMT, who represent all sectors of the
automotive industry in the UK, says that you are
free to get your car serviced anywhere in the UK
and still benefit from the manufacturer’s new car
warranty, as long as the service is carried out to the car manufacturer’s recommendations, even if this service is carried out by an independent service or repair outlet. However, any additional
warranty which you have bought, may contain
restrictions on where your car can be serviced
and for bought warranties this restriction has to
be obeyed (as well as any others) for the
warranty to be valid. The code also has
procedures for dealing with complaints
concerning your new car.
Aftersales costs, such as services, can represent
around 40 per cent of the whole life cost of the
car and many independent garages can offer the
same quality of service as franchised dealers,
who tend to be more expensive than
independent garages. It is important to shop
around for the best deal and only use reputable
garages that will carry out servicing work in line
with the car manufacturer’s service schedules.
Your legal rights
A warranty adds to your legal rights, it is not
a substitute for them. In law if the car develops
a fault in the first six months, it will usually be
assumed that the fault was there when you
bought it. In these circumstances you can ask
the dealer to repair the car free of charge or
replace it.
Before you buy ask the salesperson these questions:
• Is the warranty covered by the SMMT code
which permits servicing by independent
garages?
• How much will the servicing costs be?
(Compare them to other garages in your area)
• How much leeway is there if I cannot get the
car serviced in accordance with the approved
servicing schedule?
• How long does the manufacturer’s
warranty last?
• What does it cover?
• When does the dealer’s warranty start and
what does it cover?
• Is every fault covered by the
manufacturer’s/dealer’s warranty?
• What isn’t covered by the manufacturer’s
/dealer’s warranty?
• Is the warranty restricted by the amount of
mileage I do?
• If I have an accident but I get the car repaired,
is the warranty affected?
When you’re thinking of buying a new car it’s
worth comparing warranties as well as cars –
it can save you a lot of time and money later.
Examples of restrictive conditions in warranties
Most manufacturers allow you to service your
car wherever you choose so long as certain
standards are met. But some warranties place
restrictions on you. Watch out for the following
restrictive conditions:
‘Only an authorised (make of car) repairer
services and maintains your vehicle in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations.’
‘This warranty is dependent upon the
manufacturer’s recommended servicing being
carried out by an authorised (make of car)
dealership at the time or distance intervals
specified in the (make of car) Warranty and
Maintenance Record booklet, subject to the
vehicle being driven less than 60,000 miles
since first registration.’
‘The vehicle must be regularly serviced by an
Authorised (make of car) Dealer in accordance
with the (make of car) service schedules using
(make of car) approved parts during the 3 year
warranty period.’
Edited by andy_s on Saturday 31st May 16:36
S Works said:
stew-S160 said:
as far as i know, as long as genuine parts are used, warranty is intact regardless of who does the work.
anyone who said otherwise was just after the sales.
Yep, EU legislation IIRC.anyone who said otherwise was just after the sales.
1/ dont expect the same sympathy for "out of guarantee problems" either from the dealer or from Lotus. Once got an FOC cylinder head repair from BMW at 5 years and 50k simply because of dealer service from new.
2/ you will lose on part ex of private sale if it hasnt full Lotus dealer history. Open question whether you will lose as much as you will have saved on the servicing, but you will lose.
bordseye said:
2/ you will lose on part ex of private sale if it hasnt full Lotus dealer history. Open question whether you will lose as much as you will have saved on the servicing, but you will lose.
Where Lotus is concerned, that's complete b
ks. In more cases that not, any buyer whose done their homework will know who is worth the stamp and who's not.
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