The search for most appropriate vehicle service is no less serious than choosing a good doctor – vehicle repair is not just an investment of assets and time, but the safety on the road and lifetime depends on the quality of its performance.
Criteria for a trusted vehicle service are different – both the quality of the repair work and the timescales and costs involved; for many, customer service quality, spare parts used, length of work performed, and other factors are essential. What benefits get those drivers who entrust their vehicles to authorized vehicle service staff, tells Daimler AG General Representative in Latvia SIA “Domenikss” Car Service Manager Ainars Straume.
“As employees in official dealer services are trained to work with cars of a particular manufacturer and have access to both extensive information and technical support, the manufacturer's representative will find the cause of the defect much faster than the master in an independent garage. This does not mean that a good master cannot be found elsewhere, but repairs according to factory technology with special tools and spare parts of guaranteed quality will not always be provided by such masters”, states Ainars Straume and adds that the dealer can always be held responsible for the work done. That can save many unnecessary worries.
Allows to predict the time and cost of specific repairs
Every authorized service has access to the manufacturer's databases, schemes, programs, and special tools, which allow to quickly diagnose the damages. “Repairing any part of the car will always meet the highest technological requirements of the manufacturer, and it will also provide quality in functions. If the repair is done without special tools or equipment accepted by the manufacturer, more harm than good can be done to the car, and then the defect rectification can exceed the original cost of the repair”, warns Ainars Straume.
The use of suitable tools and equipment also facilitates the work of master and allows repairs to be carried out at a certain time, which allows the customer to know precisely the cost of the work before repair. It is usually calculated in official dealer services, taking into account the manufacturer's per minute regulations, excluding the arbitrary increase in the amount of the final payment, as it is often the case with independent services.
Only original spare parts are used for repairs
Original spare parts guarantee high quality, checked safety and manufacturer's warranty conditions. “For the trucks they can be different, the warranty period may be shorter, but any self-respecting official dealer will give the customer a guarantee of the work done”, says the Car Service Manager of “Domenikss”. In addition, using original spare parts, the customer can feel confident that each of them is fully suited to the particular vehicle.
Authorized services usually offer a very wide range of spare parts. If a part is not currently on site, it can be ordered from the manufacturer, usually in a short time – in one or a few working days, which is short time and reduces the total repair time of the vehicle.
Factory information and technical support available
“Information is undoubtedly one of the most valuable assets, so the official dealer service staff are constantly trained in the mandatory regular training prescribed by the manufacturer”, Ainars Straume tells about the daily life in the service. Certified technicians regularly receive all the latest information, so they are familiar with every vehicle model and are able to effectively eliminate any damage. However, if one is confronted with particularly complex case, a factory technical expert support is available at an authorized service – the expert will come on request with specific diagnostic equipment.
Warranty for completed work and spare parts
Confidence about the durability of the work done and the resources invested is one of the decisive criteria for choosing a workshop. “Practices are different – we provide a guarantee not only for spare parts, but also for the work done. However, every official dealer knows that it is important for the customer to have security and confidence, that repairs done in an authorized service are investment, which pays off. For this reason, all scheduled technical maintenances required by the vehicle manufacturer are usually available in authorized services”, says Ainars. He reveals that the list of maintenance works specified by the manufacturer includes both oil and filter change and a wide range of other work to be done, besides, factories often offer a discount for major repairs during the post-warranty period.
Different bonuses
“This is also a question of the manufacturer's attitude towards the customer, and there are various bonuses offered to customers depending on the capabilities and creativity of each manufacturer. One thing to take into consideration is, that most of these bonuses, such as the manufacturer's voluntary factory discounts, are only offered if the maintenance is done at an authorized representative, because we can take responsibility for our own work”, emphasizes Ainars. An invaluable bonus is a mobile service that can provide customers with free technical assistance, wherever in Europe the customer is located, and ancillary transport to enable the customer to continue the journey soon in the event of a technical failure. At no extra charge, customers have access to services such as a technician's arrival and repair at the place where the vehicle stopped, vehicle transport to the workshop, taxi, public transport, airplane or train ticket payment; if necessary, the hotel expenses are also covered while the vehicle is in the workshop.
“Taking into account that the manufacturer is constantly monitoring and improving the quality of products throughout their life cycle, by visiting an authorized service centre, all quality measures provided by the manufacturer will be carried out free of charge. In independent workshops these tests are not possible and you will have to pay for possible repairs”, emphasizes Ainars, adding that the most important benefit of entrusting your vehicle to an authorized service centre is the predictability, the quality and the peace of mind.
