Since March 2002 owners can have cars under the manufacturer's warranty serviced away from franchised dealers without invalidating the warranty, providing original specification parts are used and the service schedule is followed. Car manufacturers now also have a formal obligation to provide technical information to independent garages to allow them to carry out servicing and repairs.
The car industry operates what is known as 'Block Exemption', allowing the industry to be selective over distribution and servicing of vehicles without falling foul of European competition laws. This rule previously forced owners to take their cars to franchised dealers and pay higher prices compared with independent garages in order to protect the vehicle's warranty and allegedly, to provide better consumer protection by using a professional franchised dealer more. The revisions to the law in 2002 changed this practice.
There are some issues to remember when deciding where to take your Jazz:
- You can take your Jazz to any garage for servicing without invalidating the warranty.
- The garage must use parts meeting original specification from Honda and follow the service schedule.
- Honda Warranty work must still be carried out by a Honda dealer
- Honda dealers may offer a lower trade-in price for cars serviced outside of the franchise.
- Honda dealers - being familiar with the car - may spot problems with you car at service time and deal with these under warranty that day with your permission, or arrange for the work to be carried out later on.
The rule is due to expire in 2010 and may see the end of the freedom to take your Jazz to any garage for servicing. Some parts of the industry do not want to renewal the current Block Exemption regulations as new European emissions regulations cover the provision of new car technical data sufficiently. Other parts of the industry fear this does not provide enough technical information to the independent trade to allow it to service new cars.
