Is
my new car warranty still valid if I use an independent service
specialist?
Absolutely! Servicing your new vehicle with an independent specialist
does not void your new car warranty. A growing number of South
Australia Volkswagen and Audi owners are now discovering the service
benefits of German Auto, Adelaide’s largest independent
Volkswagen and Audi service specialist.
How often should you change your oil?
Have you noticed how oil change intervals suddenly stretched to
15,000 miles when the manufacturers began to foot the bill for
your maintenance? That's a long period of time and mileage without
even a safety check (which they won't do for free.) We have seen
those vehicles subjected to the manufacturers’ recommended
maintenance schedules at 70, 80 and 90,000 miles. Click here to
view pictures. We are dealing with the consequences of these extended
oil change intervals such as failed valve lifters, frozen Vanos
(variable valve timing) actuators, pieces of oil filter material
clogging oil pump pickup tubes, and so on.
A more frequent maintenance schedule is not only important for
safe operation of your vehicle, but will pay handsome dividends
in longevity for the long-term owner. German Auto recommends an
interim oil change, depending on your type of driving, at 7,500
to 10,000 kilometers, even if your car requires synthetic oil.
This maintenance interval also allows our technicians to inspect
your vehicle for proper function and safe operation.
Extended warranties. Are they worth it?
An extended warranty is essentially an insurance policy. Read
the fine print and do your homework on the warranty company. We
cannot stress this enough. There are a few good after market warranties
out there, but there are many very dissatisfied people who haven't
got the coverage they thought they were purchasing, or worse,
the warranty company folded its tent and left them without coverage.
Purchase a policy while your car is still under the manufacturer’s
warranty; you'll get more coverage for less money. Ensure that
wear and tear items are covered and that you pay one deductible
per visit, not per repair.
My
car is under warranty, and the dealership told me they must service
the car.
Not so - you may choose to have your car serviced by any qualified
independent repair facility. German Auto meets all manufacturers’
requirements to keep your warranty current and we use only original
equipment quality parts to maintain your vehicle. Unless you have
a service contract with your dealer for free maintenance, you
may complete all log-book servicing with us.
Are you thinking about purchasing a pre-owned Audi or
Volkswagen ?
The most important thing you can do before completing your transaction
is to have the vehicle inspected by a qualified third party. German
Auto offers a Pre-Purchase
Inspection that will bring to light any undisclosed problems
with your prospective purchase. We search for evidence of prior
accident damage and repair. We run a complete evaluation of the
current mechanical condition of the vehicle, and conduct a thorough
road test to check general drivability and safety systems. German
Auto will also prepare an estimate to rectify any mechanical or
service needs the vehicle may have at the time of inspection.
Whether the vehicle is offered for sale by a dealer or a private
individual, we can identify problem areas or maintenance issues
that the vehicle may have. This information is critical in order
for you make the correct decision about your purchase. It may
mean a reduced price on the vehicle through negotiation, or a
non-sale, if the vehicle has major undisclosed flaws such as major
structural issues from a previous accident history, or rust. Obtaining
this valuable information would prevent you, the buyer, from acquiring
someone else's problem. If a seller is reluctant to allow you
to have the vehicle independently inspected, walk away from the
deal. Chances are it's not the car for you.
Is
your car warranty about to expire?
German Auto offers a Pre-Warranty Expiration Inspection. Let us
inspect your vehicle for any items that would be covered under
your manufacturer's warranty. Why pay for a repair that could
have been covered by your warranty? German Auto will prepare a
report of any warrantable defects for you to present to your dealer
for repair. Many third party extended warranty companies also
require a vehicle inspection report before underwriting a policy,
and if you are considering an extended warranty, this would be
a perfect time to do so. Extended warranty companies are more
comfortable underwriting a vehicle that is still under the manufacturers'
warranty. It poses a smaller risk to them (pre-existing defects
are less likely to be present), so the length of the warranty
and scope of coverage available to you are greater and cost less
compared with purchasing a policy on a vehicle already out of
warranty.
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