Can you service an in-warranty car at an independent workshop? What the rules actually say
Yes. Since 1 July 2021, South African law has recognised your right to have your car serviced, maintained and mechanically repaired wherever you choose, including while it is still under the manufacturer’s warranty. The rules that make this possible are the Competition Commission’s Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket, and there is a good chance nobody has ever explained them to you properly.
That is not an accident. In 2021, Right to Repair South Africa sent people into eight Western Cape dealerships to test whether the new rules were being followed. One of the eight was compliant. Salespeople told them the Guidelines were “not yet in force” or “not set in stone”. Most of the dealers expressed doubt about whether they would honour a warranty on a car serviced at an independent workshop.
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