THERE’S nothing like that feeling of driving a brand new car off the showroom floor – but for many car owners, that sense of satisfaction can wear off pretty fast when you realise you’ve locked yourself into years of expensive services and having to fork out for pricy car parts.
For a long time this has been the norm: consumers being forced to cough up thousands to have their vehicles repaired and serviced at car-dealership workshops or risk having their warranties voided if they choose to have the work done elsewhere.
But not anymore.
It’s been a long and winding road but finally there’s an end in sight to the restrictive limitations that drive new car owners around the bend.
Thanks to a ruling by the Competition Commission South Africa, from July car owners have more choices about where they can take their vehicles for repairs or services without voiding any guarantees or warranties that are in place.
And more choice means more competition, which will surely mean big savings for consumers.
The decision by the commission, which helps to ensure market transparency and prevent anticompetitive conduct, also gives car owners the green light to fit non-original car parts, which are often much more affordable than what’s available at car-dealership workshops.
And more good news is that the new guidelines apply retroactively – which means it doesn’t apply only to vehicles purchased from July onwards but also all other cars currently under warranty.
But as with all things, there’s some fine print you should be aware of to ensure you don’t run into trouble. Here’s what you need to know.
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 1 July 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 1 July 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN THERAPIST
With more and more of us struggling with our mental health, here's a common-sense guide to coping with life's ups and downs
SPUD: THE MAGIC CONTINUES
John van de Ruit tells us why he decided to write a sequel - and shares how his first book helped him find enduring love
SEX CONTRACT GONE WRONG
A Cape Town couple have been charged with using a young woman as a sex slave-but some say she lost the job she signed up for and now has a grudge against them
LIAM LAID TO REST
More than a month after One Direction singer LIAM PAYNE (31) tragically fell to his death from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his loved ones finally got to say their goodbyes.
SHILOH HANGS OUT
THE two young women look like any pair of good friends chatting and laughing as they leave their dance class in Los Angeles.
LEO IN LOVE
He's just turned 50 and it seems Leonardo DiCaprio may finally be ready to settle down
PACKING A PUNCH
Irish actor Paul Mescal beefed up for his role in the blockbuster epic Gladiator II - and fans are loving it
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William