Servicing - Main Dealer or VAG Indie Specialist during Warranty Period?

[Sequence]

I pulled away from the local main dealer due to their lack of interest, when after six months from new the Ateca threw a warning light and they said they couldn't look at it for a month - I was absolutely staggered by that response. I ended up calling SEAT Assistance who were fantastic - they came out next day, diagnosed the problem and the day after came back with the required sensor - fault fixed.

Local indie MD Autobahn has looked after our Ateca since the third service, so for the last three. They provide a fully detailed invoice showing the tasks performed (per the SEAT maintenance programme of course) along with part numbers, fluid specs etc. I'd get the same thing with the Leon, should I decide to swerve away from the main dealer again.

There'd be absolutely no reason for a warranty investigation/claim to be denied by my local SEAT/CUPRA main dealer - I'd hope!

And let's face it, servicing a modern car for the first few years from new is not much more than oil/brake fluid changes and possibly some fluids and spark plugs, dependant on elapsed time/mileage. My Leon isn't a daily and if I keep it for five years it will have no more than 18k miles on it.

I was going to comment on how using a decent specialist is totally worth it and then I see the same specialist I use come up. Martyn is great keep it with him and you will be golden.

 

[Loadmaster748]

I was going to comment on how using a decent specialist is totally worth it and then I see the same specialist I use come up. Martyn is great keep it with him and you will be golden.

Ah, yes Martyn and his team at MDA have been a great find and I'd like to use them to look after the Leon in addition to our Ateca, however there's still the issue of pulling away from main dealer during the warranty period, the whole point of my initial thread starter here.

Assuming you're local, you'll no doubt be aware of who my/our local SEAT/Cupra main dealer is over the Surrey border in West Sussex - I was in there a couple of months ago collecting a part I'd ordered for another car and asked for their opinion on not using a main dealer for servicing within the warranty period. The response was that of course I could do that but it "may not be advisable" in case of a warranty claim. Typical main dealer scaremongering, who knows!

 

[Sequence]

Ah, yes Martyn and his team at MDA have been a great find and I'd like to use them to look after the Leon in addition to our Ateca, however there's still the issue of pulling away from main dealer during the warranty period, the whole point of my initial thread starter here.

Assuming you're local, you'll no doubt be aware of who my/our local SEAT/Cupra main dealer is over the Surrey border in West Sussex - I was in there a couple of months ago collecting a part I'd ordered for another car and asked for their opinion on not using a main dealer for servicing within the warranty period. The response was that of course I could do that but it "may not be advisable" in case of a warranty claim. Typical main dealer scaremongering, who knows!

I'm actually on the south coast but known Martyn for a good while now and make an hours trip to him. As long as the car is serviced to the manufacturers recommended schedule at least they cannot refuse a warranty claim. Will you have a bit more pushback from a main dealer? sure but they can scaremonger all they want they have to uphold it legally. The only tangible effect may be "good will" cases post warranty but that is very much an if.

 

[Tara]

As long as its serviced to Manufacturers specifications they can not refuse a warranty claim.