Is it necessary to do maintenance at a 4S shop?
3 Answers
If the car is within the warranty period, it is recommended to go to a 4S shop for maintenance; if the car is out of the warranty period, you can choose to go to a 4S shop or other repair shops for car maintenance. Car maintenance items: Car maintenance mainly includes the engine system (engine), transmission system, air conditioning system, cooling system, fuel system, power steering system, etc. Among them, the content of minor maintenance is to replace engine oil, oil filter, intake filter, air conditioning filter, etc.; major maintenance items include transmission oil, engine spark plugs, timing belts, etc.; at the same time, replace brake fluid, brake pads, engine coolant, and vehicle tires. Precautions for car maintenance: If the user does not go to the designated 4S shop or the manufacturer's designated authorized repair shop for regular maintenance within the specified mileage after purchasing a new car, even if it is within the warranty period, the user will have to pay a certain amount of repair costs if problems occur.
As a seasoned driver with seven or eight years of experience, I don't necessarily think maintenance has to be done at a 4S dealership. Last year when I replaced my brake pads, the 4S shop quoted over 2,000 RMB, but later at a repair shop recommended by a friend, I got the same quality parts for just 800 RMB. It's true that 4S technicians are more familiar with specific car models and have complete equipment, but for someone like me who knows a bit about cars, routine maintenance like oil and filter changes can easily be done elsewhere. The key is to choose a repair shop with a good reputation and check if they have automotive repair qualification certificates, using genuine parts. However, for the first three years of a new car, especially turbocharged models, it's advisable to go to a 4S dealership to avoid affecting the warranty.
I'm a cautious person and always insist on servicing my car at authorized 4S dealerships. Last month when I went for the 60,000-kilometer major maintenance, they used genuine air filters and engine oil, and incidentally detected a minor transmission fluid seepage. While third-party repair shops are about 30% cheaper, I've had bad experiences with aftermarket parts that didn't fit properly. Full dealership service records significantly increase resale value - last month when helping a colleague sell their used car, the one with complete 4S maintenance history fetched 5,000 yuan more. However, for wear-and-tear items like wiper blades, I just buy them from e-commerce platforms and replace them myself - no need to specially visit the dealership for those.
