Does a mobile service
affect my warranty?

This is the single most common reason people pay main-dealer prices for work that did not need to cost that much. The fear is understandable. It is also, in almost every case, unfounded.

The rule, in one paragraph

The EC Block Exemption Regulation gives you the right to have your vehicle serviced by whoever you choose without affecting the manufacturer’s warranty. Two conditions attach: the work must follow the manufacturer’s service schedule, and the parts used must be of matching quality.

What you actually need to keep

In practice, three things protect you if a warranty claim is ever questioned.

• A stamped service record, digital or paper, showing the date and mileage.
• An invoice naming the parts used, not just “filter” and “oil” as line items.
• Oil to the manufacturer’s specification, which is a grade and an approval code rather than just a viscosity.

Keep those and a claim has nothing to attach itself to. We provide all three as standard, because without them the point is arguable.

If a dealer says otherwise

Occasionally somebody at a service desk will imply that a non-dealer service voids the warranty. They are usually not lying on purpose; it is repeated often enough inside the trade that people believe it.

Ask them to put it in writing, referring to the specific clause. That request ends the conversation almost every time.

The genuine exceptions

There are a few, and it is worth being straight about them rather than pretending there are none.

• A paid-up dealer service plan. You have already bought those services, so use them.
• Some extended or aftermarket warranties, which are contracts rather than manufacturer warranties and can specify where work is done.
• Recall and goodwill work, which stays with the franchise network regardless.

Outside those, the choice is yours. If you are unsure which applies, read the warranty booklet rather than asking the person selling the alternative — including us.