The dealership: Pros and cons
If your vehicle has a problem that’s covered by the warranty, the dealership is your best option for repair. Dealership service staff are highly familiar with your vehicle, have completed factory-approved training on it, and have access to its service records, warranty history, repairs, recalls, software updates and a network of other dealerships to consult if needed. Dealerships can also easily access manufacturer-provided data and resources to help effect speedy repairs, even for complex issues.
Having your car serviced at its dealership helps reduce the chances of certain warranty-related issues, which we’ll dive into later. It also helps ensure your car or truck is up to date on all recalls and software updates, which help it deliver a safer, fully optimized drive.
Of course, you’re free to have your car maintained and serviced wherever you like. Maybe your favourite tire shop handles your seasonal tire change-overs, and you have your oil changed or suspension repaired at a shop near work over your lunch hour. These relatively low-cost maintenance and repair services (and others including brake jobs, air filter changes and exhaust system repair) are widely available at non-dealership repair shops as well, and may be more convenient.
Just remember that, depending on the servicing required, the dealership may be your best or only option. For example, new cars are increasingly built with electronics and systems that require special training and equipment that may only be available at a dealership.
My typical advice to friends and family is to have their vehicle serviced in a dealership setting as often as possible while it’s under warranty, any time a transmission fluid change is required, for any electronics-related trouble, and for any major servicing of an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and especially for servicing related to its powertrain or electronics. (More on this below.)
Plus, if you service and repair your vehicle exclusively at the dealership, you could benefit from improved resale value and an easier, faster sale down the line—which saves you time and money. That’s because you’ll be able to advertise your car as “dealer-serviced with all records,” which gives potential buyers added peace of mind that servicing, repairs and updates are current, warranty-compatible and backed by the vehicle’s dealer network.
In summary, while you don’t have to service your new vehicle entirely under the dealership’s roof, doing so can help streamline things and save you time. Just remember: If you suspect a warranty-covered problem, contact your dealership first.
PROS
- Better access to parts
- Able to service complex and specialty models
- All required equipment, parts and training
- Access to manufacturer resources and tech support
- 100% warranty-approved parts and labour
CONS
- Often pricier than other options
Justin Pritchard
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