Mechanical parts are designed to wear out over time. Car manufacturers build a certain amount of latency into these parts to ensure aftermarket sales and average road use will, in any case, cause certain components to degrade. You may think that this is nothing new, and you know that you have to service some of these parts from time to time. Yet, did you know that there are other reasons for keeping up with periodic maintenance, especially if your car is relatively new?
Understanding the Logbook
When you purchased your vehicle, the dealer would have given you a logbook. This contains a lot of important information but will also carry a record of your vehicle's regular service visit for future reference.
Small Print
If you take a look at the small print in your contract, you can learn a lot more about the vehicle's warranty. While this will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, the company will typically fix any faults that materialise, so long as you only use the vehicle in accordance with "average" requirements.
Warranty Rules
Some manufacturers may also say they will avoid any warranty if you do not look after your vehicle per the rules. Some of these rules may dictate service intervals, and the company will expect you to take the vehicle into a recognised mechanic to perform the required work.
Avoiding Issues
This could be a grey area, and if you do not comply with these logbook service visits, it does not automatically mean that your warranty will be void. Nevertheless, it's best to avoid any issues if you should encounter some major problems down the road. If these problems mean that repairs will be costly, the manufacturer may well ask to see records of those service visits. If you cannot provide them, this may delay the process.
Time to Sell
Somebody else may need to see your logbook service records as well. If you want to sell your car privately, then a prospective owner will want to satisfy themselves that you were a careful owner. Certainly, they'll have a look at the condition of the vehicle both outside and in, but they will almost certainly ask to see the logbook and those all-important records. If you can show that you took the vehicle in for the appropriate service at the proper time, then you are more likely to get good value for the car when you sell it to its new owner.
Don't overlook logbook services if you want to avoid any potential problems down the road. If you've missed the most recent visit, catch up as soon as possible.
Share25 October 2021
Cars are wonderful things. Unfortunately, they also have lots of technology and moving parts which can go wrong if they are not properly cared for. We hope that this blog will give you all of the info you need to service your car. We will be looking at subjects such as how to change the oil in an engine, how to replace a worn brake pad, and how to check the electrical systems on your vehicle. Everything you read on this page has been written by keen amateurs who have a really big passion for servicing their autos. We hope you love what you find here.
