Is it necessary to take a new car to a 4S store for maintenance?
2 Answers
It is necessary to take a new car to a 4S store for maintenance. New cars usually come with an initial maintenance period. If maintenance and repairs are not performed at a 4S store during the warranty period, returning to the 4S store for repairs in case of issues can be quite troublesome in terms of procedures. Additionally, it may lead to disputes over repairs, so it's best to take a new car to a 4S store for maintenance. Below are some relevant points: 1. For basic maintenance, although the items serviced are the same, 4S stores specialize in servicing only one brand of cars. They have complete vehicle data and a thorough understanding of the car, making the maintenance more professional. 2. Maintenance and repairs at a 4S store come with a complete maintenance record, which helps in investigating faults and tracking parts if any issues arise later. If a new car is maintained at a repair shop, it is more prone to faults caused by non-standard operations. Moreover, returning to a 4S store for repairs would require providing a large number of maintenance receipts.
I'm often asked whether new car maintenance must be done at 4S shops. The key actually depends on whether you want to preserve warranty coverage. In the first few years of a new car, many brands explicitly require periodic maintenance at authorized service points, such as oil and filter changes. Otherwise, manufacturers may refuse free repairs if problems arise. When I first bought this car, I encountered a friend who replaced a cheap part at a roadside shop, resulting in a broken transmission system and voided warranty, costing thousands in vain. Although 4S shops charge more, their record systems are directly synchronized with the manufacturer, avoiding such risks. Occasionally, you can go to reputable chain shops for maintenance, provided they use parts and procedures fully compliant with factory regulations and provide documentation for verification. Regular checks on tires and brakes are also crucial—don’t sacrifice safety and performance to save small amounts of money.
