A lot of people were told in order to keep the new car warranties, vehicles must be serviced by the ‘authorised dealer’. In fact, under Australian Consumer Laws, customers are free to have their vehicles serviced by qualified mechanics of their own choices. This is consistently confirmed by Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

To read the statement from the ACCC in regards to manufacturers warranties.

More information can be found on ACCC website.

Vehicle manufacturers may offer warranties against defects, commonly called manufacturer’s
warranties, and also extended warranties.
A manufacturer’s warranty is where the vehicle manufacturer promises consumers that:
– the vehicle will be free from defects for a certain period of time
– defects will entitle the consumer to repair, replacement, refund or other compensation.

The manufacturer’s warranty may set out requirements that consumers must comply with. For
example, it may require the consumer to ensure any servicing is carried out:
– by qualified staff
– according to the manufacturer’s specification
– using appropriate quality parts where required.

Provided you service the vehicle in accordance with any such requirements, the warranty will remain
valid. If the manufacturer’s warranty states that the vehicle can only be serviced by an authorised
dealer, this is likely to raise concerns under the Competition and Consumer Act.
The service logbook or manufacturer’s warranty documents for some vehicles appear to require that
the servicer:
– is an ‘authorised dealer’ or ‘authorised service department’
– stamps the logbook with an authorised dealer’s stamp, and/or
– fits only genuine manufacturer’s parts.
Even if the logbook or manufacturer’s warranty documents contain these requirements, you can sign
or stamp the relevant page of the customer’s service logbook—once you have completed the
service—without affecting the manufacturer’s warranty.