Running A Car - Servicing and repairs

Follow our steps to good value servicing.

• Go to www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk to find a garage that has signed up to the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. The self-regulating code of practice is designed to promote and safeguard consumers' interests by helping them identify better businesses, while encouraging garages to raise their standards of customer service.

• Shop around – costs even vary between franchised dealers, so don’t just return to the one where you bought your car.

• You can now get your car serviced at a non-franchised garage without invalidating your warranty, so call local workshops for prices too.

• If you do go to an independent garage, ensure it is VAT-registered and make sure the parts and fluids used are genuine manufacturer products. Get receipts and part serial numbers to prove this.

• Always stick to your car’s servicing schedule and ensure that the servicing book is stamped.

• Always read your warranty document thoroughly before booking your car in for servicing.

• If your car needs a repair or some warranty work carried out, however, this must be done at a franchised dealer in order to keep your warranty intact.

In between services, you can keep your car in tip-top condition by keeping fluids topped up and by carrying out regular checks. Find out what simple DIY jobs you can do.

Buying a car