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 aftermarket 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 to 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.