Home servicing while under warranty

The warranty terms and conditions state that the handbook must be stamped by an authorised dealer. It also states that the servicing must have been undertaken by an authorised dealer.

Personally as a Chartered Engineer I would not touch any bike serviced by anyone other than the dealer.

Check the dealers work by all means but record what you do and sign and warranty your work yourself.

 

Acko, Col has answered your question very succinctly. Your warranty would be null and void if you did your own servicing.

 

Acko, I can see where you are coming from. If I had a motorcycle that I had no intention of parting with then I would be inclined to do the servicing myself. However most people buying a second hand motorcycle want to see the dealer stamps. I too have had shoddy work done by a dealership and if that happens I take great exception.

 

Under UK and European LAW a manufacturer CANNOT insist that the bike can only be serviced by one of their own dealers, during a warranty period. They can insist that OEM parts are used and the work is done by a competent person or organisation.

So, assuming you fit OEM parts and follow the manufacturers service schedule and can evidence that, they cannot void your warranty. They would have to PROVE that you did something wrong.

Just because it says 'so and so' in the warranty book, do not make it legal.

Sounds a bit sad, but I keep a spreadsheet for each of my vehicles to list all the work done - servicing and modifications - so that subsequent owners can clearly see how well the vehicle has been maintained. Purchasers generally find this very reassuring.


Cheers
Dave

 

Think thebiglad is correct, the bike has to be serviced using Triumph's parts and to their schedule but they cannot insist it is done by a Triumph dealer. Every new Triumph I've owned has had some form of warranty issue and every time its been fixed without quibble (including new Brembo discs on my Speed) and I do think building a decent relationship including services with a dealer helps.

I personally believe that the money saved by home servicing is instantly wiped off the resale value of your machine either private sale and more especially p/ex at a dealer. A dealer wont want to put say a 3 year old bike in their showroom without the all important dealer stamps.

If you intend to keep the bike for a long time, buy the Triumph service items and stick to Triumph's schedule keeping all receipts then go for it at least you know everything has been done.

 

Doing service yourself does effect the warranty to be honest I'd rather take the risk and do it myself if I can't fix or service my bike my mechanic will help plus I know he'll do a good job main dealers I don't trust them

 

Can't say as I disagree with that sentiment tbh.

 

Acko, yep aero engineer = very highly skilled.

I am a CEng but let the dealer do the servicing and check everything at home.

It is not worth the hastle you would have to go through to get a fault put right during warranty.

The info I posted originally was lifted straight out of the warranty details for my Bonnie which is still less than a year old. It clearly states that for the warranty to be valid service records have to be stamped by an authorised dealer, breach the t and c's and you take the risk.

 

Hi Col, of course Triumph's service book says the servicing must be done by them - well it would wouldn't it. They imply that if the work is not done by in this case Triumph, then your warranty is down the gurgler - but that's not true.

But when you get right down the point of a warranty claim, you'll find that Triumph - like all vehicle manufacturers - cannot insist that your machine is serviced by them. This is a matter of law and has been well tested. It's called "Restraint of Trade".

If your bike is serviced using by Triumph parts (keep receipts) and by a 'competent person', within the servicing schedule, then the manufacturer has no basis for refusing the warranty claim. I have been through this personally and although the concessionaire in question (Suzuki) didn't like it, they honoured the claim because they had too. It's the law.

Dave

 

I am not disagreeing with you Dave just pointing out that if there is a serious warranty issue then there may be issues getting the wirk done for free.

If you have an accident and its the other persons fault the insurance will argue thatbyou have a degree of blame, same criteria with warranty, you may be charged for an element of the repair costs.

As an Engineer myself if someone presented to me something that they had been maintaining instead of me and said it broke because of my negligence then they would have difficulty proving their competance.

 

My understanding of the legal position is: if original parts are fitted and the servicing done as per schedule then that is all that is required and it is on the concessionaires side to prove incompetence, not the other way around.

If the work has been done properly then there will be no evidence of incompetence to unearth.

It's really just a question of law, that has been tested many times.

 

This would be a great pub debate..

As much as I agree with Col about having a stamp filled book will make it easier to make a claim (if one is needed)... I do not agree with the sentiment that it must have one before I'd consider buying ..

At the same time I also agree with biglad when it comes to the legal side of servicing....


My personal opinion is, if it's a very new bike esp a new model (which may be subject to a recall at some point) then get it serviced by the dealer for a premium.

If it's an older bike, then service it yourself if you're competent enough.