Oil Changes and Tyre Pressures

Plenty of drivers assume that having their vehicle serviced at a local garage is just as effective as getting it serviced at a certified manufacturer dealership. However, there are plenty of reasons why this isn't the case. Here are just four advantages that come with heading to your dealership instead.

1. Protects Your Warranty

If you picked up your car new, it will almost certainly have come with a manufacturer warranty. Unfortunately, those warranties do have terms, and it's likely that any repairs need to be made at a certified dealer. After all, a manufacturer isn't going to cover the cost of your repairs if damage might have been caused by cheap parts and poorly-trained service technicians. By going to a garage instead of a dealership for servicing, you could face huge bills in the future.

2. Ensures Expert Attention

It's easy to assume that all cars are basically alike; sure, certain systems may differ slightly, but how big a difference can there really be? In fact, cars differ markedly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The mechanics at your local corner garage will have a basic understanding of all brands, but the team at your dealership will know each model inside and out. Dealerships employ certified technicians, meaning that those technicians will be required to take regular training and stay current with every new vehicle the manufacturer develops. Their in-depth knowledge of your vehicle will make a big difference.

3. Uses Certified Parts

When you take your vehicle into your dealership, they're going to use certified parts to make any repairs. So if you have a BMW, all servicing is going to use BMW-certified fluids and all repairs will use BMW-certified parts. You might assume that the difference between certified and uncertified (or 'aftermarket') parts is purely one of branding, but this is not the case. Manufacturers will have made that specific part or fluid to fit specifically with your particular model. Aftermarket parts are cheaper, but that's because they aren't particularly specialised. As such, they aren't as dependable.

4. Improved Resale Value

People often fail to realise the affect that regular servicing has on resale value, and that can see them having to accept a far lower price than they expected when the time comes to sell. Of course, you'll probably already appreciate that a vehicle needs to be serviced throughout its life, but what's important when you come to sell is a detailed vehicle service report. Having one of these from your dealership firmly demonstrates that the vehicle has been properly cared for throughout its life.