Jared asks:

My friend tells me I will void my new-car warranty if I take it to an independent shop for repairs or maintenance. Is that true?

Dana:

This myth about voiding new-car warranties never seems to go away. If you keep your maintenance receipts, dealerships must honor the vehicle warranty, no matter who does the maintenance on the vehicle. In fact a new-car owner can actually benefit from the introduction of an independent mechanic into the mix, assuming he or she is a good one. Let me explain.

While we have plenty of upstanding, ethical new-car dealers in the Denver area, the conditions of a warranty actually dis-incent the technicians at dealerships from performing warranty work. Generally, technicians earn between 50-75% of their normal wages when conducting warranty repair at a dealership. The temptation to short-cut the service can translate into a reduction in objective inspection and adequate advisement.

A good mechanic at a quality shop will teach a customer about his or her car, provide necessary information and advice for that customer in easy to understand language so the customer can make an informed decision (without withholding any information), prepare a list of options for solution to any problems, and then invite the car owner to make a "purchase." In the case of a car that is under warranty, that independent mechanic can serve as your advocate in your relationship with the new-car dealer.

And actually if an independent repair facility performs repairs that are deemed to be a safety recall issue, you can, in many cases, receive a refund from the manufacturer.

My Bottom line:

Don't hesitate to use a quality, independent repair shop for your service needs.