::Barloworld ::Vehicle service outlets and the prices they charge
Vehicle service outlets do not all charge the same. There are significant price differences, therefore it pays to shop around. It also pays to do homework to ensure that your car gets the care it needs. Cheapest is not always best if you want to save money.
When a car is brand new, you do not have a choice: either have it serviced at the agents or forfeit your warranty. So, for at least three years and 100 000km, new cars are serviced at the franchised agents, to manufacturer’s standards. Mostly, this means that a car receives the care it needs, at a price premium to other service outlets that could have done the same work at a cost saving.
Once the warranty has expired, the car owner can take his car to any service outlet or backyard mechanic that tickles his fancy. But some of these can be unscrupulous, so do not frequent them without a very favourable reference. Some use inferior parts to the detriment of your car to save costs. Bad filters and cheap oil can seriously affect your car engine’s health. Poor quality brake pads affect a safety-critical system. Make sure that you can trust the person servicing your car, because pennies saved now will become pounds wasted later as you pay the price for slapdash maintenance.
It is safer to make use of well-known national service franchises. They are accountable and when things go wrong you have recourse. They usually have a very good knowledge of all brands, since they get to work on every kind of car. Make sure that they can service your car and insist on a quote before you take your car in for the service, to avoid any nasty surprises.
Also make sure that the vehicle service outlets you use have all the special tools necessary to work on your car (if applicable) and the tool needed to reset the service computer, since most modern cars are equipped with a service indicator that needs to be reset.
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