New-car warranty servicing myth catches motorists

The News

Almost half of Australian motorists mistakenly believe they must return to a dealership for servicing to maintain their new-car warranty, according to a recent national survey.

Around 5 million Australians believe they need to return to an authorised dealership for servicing to keep their new-car warranty intact, according to a national survey commissioned by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA).

The findings, reported by consumer advocacy group CHOICE, revealed that 44 per cent of respondents held this misconception, potentially limiting their servicing options and leaving them paying more than necessary.

The research comes as car-makers continue to battle for buyers with increasingly generous warranties, with some now offering coverage of up to 10 years. But while longer warranties sound appealing, there’s often a catch.

Under Australian Consumer Law, motorists can generally have their car serviced by a qualified independent mechanic without losing their standard manufacturer’s warranty, provided the work is carried out correctly, follows the manufacturer’s servicing requirements and uses parts that are fit for purpose.

In other words, you don’t have to take your car back to the dealership every time it needs an oil change. However, it’s worth checking that your chosen mechanic has the equipment and expertise to work on your particular vehicle, especially as cars become increasingly complex.

It’s also important to understand whether a vehicle comes with a standard warranty or an extended warranty program, as the conditions can be very different.

MG is a particularly interesting example, having introduced a 10-year/250,000km warranty in August 2024 without requiring owners to service exclusively through its dealership network.

Vehicles covered by those original terms, generally those registered between August 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, retain that coverage without mandatory dealer servicing.

However, MG changed its warranty conditions for vehicles registered from July 1, 2025, introducing a standard seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that can be extended to 10 years/250,000km, provided owners complete their scheduled servicing through an MG dealership.

That means two MG owners could have very different servicing obligations despite both having cars advertised with a 10-year warranty.

And MG isn’t the only one offering the conditional warranty.

Mitsubishi offers a standard five-year/100,000km warranty, which can extend to 10 years/200,000km for owners who service through its authorised dealer network.

Nissan has a similar arrangement, extending its standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty to 10 years/300,000km through its Nissan MORE program, provided owners meet its dealership servicing requirements.

Mitsubishi’s arrangement was even investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in 2020 over concerns it could disadvantage independent repairers.

However, the regulator ultimately allowed the program to proceed, finding insufficient evidence that it would substantially reduce competition.

With manufacturers increasingly using longer warranties to attract buyers, understanding the fine print is becoming just as important as the number of years advertised.

While motorists are generally free to choose where they service their vehicles without affecting their standard manufacturer’s warranty, extended coverage can come with additional conditions.

For owners, it’s worth checking exactly what their warranty covers before booking their next service. After all, a 10-year warranty isn’t necessarily a 10-year warranty without some strings attached.

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