If you are already experienced with car maintenance, or have bought your first new car now, it is always good to stay tuned (a) on some recommendations that can be very useful for you not to fall into those “promotions” or “kits” , which often has no advantage.
Always check the price of revisions on the brand’s website. This tip is the most important, as you arrive at the dealerships already knowing how much you should pay. Some more transparent manufacturers usually leave a table exposed in the workshop itself. The on demand reviews are important there.
Just do what your car needs
Some dealerships create some “packages” including polishing or moisturizing leather seats, among other things, and offer them to customers who are taking the cars for the first inspection. This, in addition to being abusive, is absurd since a car with only 1 or 2 years old will never need polishing or the leather coating will show signs of wear.
Look for directions to good places to take the car
Try to talk to a friend who owns a car of the same brand and see if he is satisfied with the dealer’s work. Also, check on complaints websites if the dealership where you intend to take the car has any restrictions on the part of consumers.
Check if the replaced parts match the one indicated in the car manual. Generally, the car manual or maintenance booklet lists items that should be checked and replaced with each overhaul.
Try to establish a reliable technician for the maintenance of the car
If you took the car to a dealership and were satisfied with the service, it is worth taking the vehicle to the same location. In addition to having the maintenance history recorded, you create a bond with the responsible technician.
Some models have a different maintenance scheme
Stay tuned. Newer BMW models, for example, have a revision system in which the car analyzes different aspects of the car, such as the oil situation, and requests a change. With this, the review is done only when necessary, not following a very strict time or mileage interval.
Making revisions is important so as not to lose the factory warranty
Currently, most new models have a three-year warranty. Hyundai differentiates itself by offering a longer term for its range of entry cars, in the case of five years. However, if you do not follow the strict inspection schedule, you lose the right to coverage.
Try to find out about the convenience services that each brand offers
If the day is busy or you have little time to take the car to the dealership, some brands (especially those in the luxury segment) offer very interesting services, such as “take and bring”, for example. In it, your car can be picked up at your home and delivered to work, for example.
Schedule the most convenient time
It is always good to leave a scheduled time at the dealership before taking the car. So you can program yourself better and, in some cases, you can even wait for the job to be done on time. If the review is simple, within an hour your car can be released.
Research labor prices
Usually after the third or fourth inspection, manufacturers suggest the price of parts and you need to add labor, which is around an hour of service. This amount can vary between dealerships, so as a general rule of thumb before buying anything or hiring a service, it is always important to research.
