In order to maintain and preserve the terms of a vehicle’s warranty, manufacturers and dealerships will tell you that auto repairs and routine maintenance services must be done by the dealership. Millions of consumers drive around every day believing this exact statement. However you have the right to choose your dealer and still hold on to the warranty. Pursuant to the Magnuson Moss Act, motorists and enthusiasts have the right to use whichever brand of oil they prefer and to practice extended drain intervals without voiding their factory warranties. Similarly, the Federal Trade Commission FTC agrees that it’s illegal for a dealer to deny your warranty coverage simply because you had routine maintenance or repairs performed by someone else. These are simply fear tactics to have people spending money at the dealership repair shops and paying more for OEM-branded lubricant.

Consumers like you have the right to maintain your trusted relationship with you own auto repair shop whether it is privately owned or at a dealership. For most new vehicles today, the only maintenance recommended by the manufacturer during the first three or four years is changing the engine oil and filter, and rotating the tires periodically. Just about any repair shop that offers these services can do this type of maintenance — and often for less than a dealership charges. They also can check your brakes, suspension, engine and cabin air filters, and other components, the same as a dealership’s service department would. It is simply important to maintain a record of these services for your routine maintenance and that should preserve the warranty.

Check the maintenance schedule for your vehicle to see what the manufacturer and warranty requires. The best source of information about routine scheduled maintenance is your owner’s manual. Some original equipment manufacturers OEMs, however, try to revive old fears about warranty coverage in an attempt to increase sales of their own, typically more-expensive, OEM-branded oils. When you’re aware of the truth and you’re informed about auto repairs, you could save a lot more time and money down the road. We will maintain your vehicle using AMSOIL and other high-quality products for a fair price. Visit Good Works Auto Repair and build your vehicle service relationship without any worries about losing your vehicle’s warranty.