Since 2004 all new cars have been sold free of dealership ties for servicing. This means you have the freedom to service your car at any Garage without invalidating your warranty as long as you service the vehicle according to the manufactures specifications. The Office of Fair Trading successfully removed the ties to give motorists greater choice and freedom about who maintains their vehicle. Below is an extract from their website.
OFT action gets greater choice for consumers over new car servicing
85/04 14 May 2004
All major makes of new car in the UK will in the future be sold without servicing ties as part of their warranties, following action by the OFT.
The OFT recommended that the industry lift these ties to improve consumer choice and aid the development of more effective competition in the car after-sales market.
Franchised dealers have been carrying out around 90 per cent of servicing of cars up to three years old. However, servicing at franchised dealers is typically more expensive than servicing at independent garages, averaging £199 and £116 respectively, without any apparent difference in the quality of the service offered.
Our Bedford Centre is a VOSA approved MOT Test station Air Con Service in Bedford, Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard Car Servicing in Bedford, Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard