Roadside assistance plans

[Caffey]

Do I need to get my car serviced at a dealership for the roadside assist to continue.

[grahroll]

Hello @Caffey and welcome to the Community

I have moved your post to an existing thread which covers much of your query.

What make and model of vehicle are you referring to?

Most of the New Car Roadside Servicing benefits only apply if you get the Company Approved Service Centres to carry out the services so mostly Dealerships.

Many servicing businesses or Car Insurers also attach Roadside Servicing to their benefits if you have your car serviced or insured with them. This may be a suitable alternative than having to deal with what often times is more expensive dealership servicing costs.

CHOICE produced an article on this very matter that may answer many/most/all your questions:

How to get the best roadside assistance in Australia | CHOICE

There are also a number of topics and posts on this site that deal with this question and I have listed some below for you to look at:

New Vehicle Roadside Assistance

Rant! I put this up on Facebook yesterday 18.12.2019. Beware of Roadside Assistance deals on new cars! Driving my 3 & 1/2 year old Hyundia i30 today when the overheating light and alarm came on. In all my years (52 licenced and longer on private roads) of driving this has never happened in ANY car, let alone one I purchased new. Pulled over and engine cooled back down very quickly, so I thought I’d ‘limp’ closer to home. No luck, so parking in a side street in order to…

Car dealership service department fail

Our less than 3 month old Mazda with1,865km since new, suddenly just went into limp mode only juddering forward slowly, with malfunctions flashing across the console like a small Christmas tree. There was all sorts of varied malfunction warnings: traction control, driver fatigue, smart city forward brake support, engine, etc, etc… I think that going into limp mode without warning is a major safety issue!! Fortunately, the car was not being driven on the M1, which is were it was headed. Imagi…

[PhilT]

@Caffey

at a dealership for the roadside assist to continue

@grahroll linked some salient posts, and anyone with roadside service needs to pay attention to the T&C that vary from manufacturer as well as when the vehicle was purchased, and sometime promotional campaigns.

It seems increasingly common that roadside assistance with a vehicle is valid for 12 months from the last dealer servicing, for the specified number of years.

We have 2 Renaults, one purchased in 2014 and one in 2020. The roadside plan for the former was for 3 years. For the latter 12 months from each dealer service, for 3 years.

Consult your dealer or the manufacturer to be sure. It is obviously designed to ‘encourage’ customers to keep coming to the dealers service departments, at least for a while.

[meltam]

Apart from the advice you have already been given, do you need the manufacturer’s roadside assist? If you are already with a motoring organization such as RACV who provide such a service, then you don’t need it from the manufacturer.

When we were buying our cars the roadside assist was going to be an extra cost as well. We were already covered by NRMA so to me it was unnecessary.

The other consideration is that you will be paying more for your car servicing if you have it done by dealerships. Your warranty will still be valid if other qualified businesses, like your preferred mechanic, provide the services.

So to get the roadside assist, you may need to pay more, and you will pay more for getting your vehicle service by dealerships. Is it needed or worth it, especially if you already have membership with a motoring organisation?

[phb]

@meltam

If you are already with a motoring organization such as RACV who provide such a service, then you don’t need it from the manufacturer.

And one may find it cheaper to join an independent road side assistance organisation than paying a premium to have a vehicle serviced through a dealership. This is especially the case if one services at least annually.

Note: Warranties aren’t impacted if the vehicle is serviced by an independent mechanic and the service occurs in accordance with the service book issued by the car’s manufacturer. Choice has covered it in this article:

Car warranties and dealer servicing | CHOICE

[PhilT]

Many used to put a pause on their RACx plans while they had free roadside assist with their new vehicles, at least until the assist plans got was linked to dealer servicing.

A counterpoint to conventional wisdom is that sometimes the RACx roadside assistance plan is as much or more than the ‘extra dealer costs’ for servicing, at least in the initial years when it is capped; even if the $cap may be higher than $independents but still a reasonable amount when the roadside assist, convenience of warranty repairs, and so on is considered.

[rabbittt]

Son rings Dad unable to start his Kia Rio that morning and suspects battery has died.

Dad shops around for the special battery that will fit son’s car. Dad picks up son from work when his shift finishes and drives son home to his flat where both attempt to remove dead battery under torchlight. After some difficulty, both battery terminals are removed BUT battery still secured in engine bay by a bolt securing the flange at the bottom of the battery. Bolt is below the depth of the battery, and in a position such that no tools are available to loosen bolt. In desperation Father, who is a member, rings NRMA and explains situation advising that son is not an NRMA member. NRMA checks father’s NRMA membership (50 plus years) and offer to assist son free of charge.

NRMA promptly attend and remove / install battery.

A BIG, BIG thumbs up to the NRMA who will shortly be receiving a new member.