Short answer
Any licensed mechanic, including an independent workshop. A manufacturer cannot void your Australian Consumer Law rights simply because the car was serviced elsewhere, provided the service was done to the manufacturer's schedule with appropriate parts and the logbook was completed. That is a right worth knowing, because the assumption that you must return to the dealer is widespread and wrong.
What to do before anyone arrives
- Find the logbook and the schedule. A logbook service is a defined list of items at a defined interval, not a general look-over.
- Note anything you have noticed — a noise, a pull, a smell, a warning light — and write it down rather than mentioning it as they drive away.
- Check the tyre tread and the date codes on them. Tyres age out as well as wear out.
- Check whether any recalls are outstanding for the vehicle. Manufacturers maintain recall checks by VIN and the work is free.
What to ask when you book
- Are you completing the logbook and using parts that meet the manufacturer's specification?
- What is included at this interval, and what is additional?
- Will you contact me before doing anything not on the list?
- Can I have the old parts back? It is a reasonable request and a reasonable workshop says yes.
- What is your licence number?
What changes the price
No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.
- Service interval — the major intervals include far more than the minor ones.
- Vehicle make and whether parts are specialised.
- Additional items found: brakes, tyres, belts, fluids.
- Dealer versus independent workshop labour rates.
What you can do yourself
Is this licensed work?
Motor vehicle repair is licensed in every state and territory, with a public register. Air conditioning regas requires a separate refrigerant handling licence.
There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.
- NSWNSW Fair Tradingbuilders, electricians, plumbers and specialist trades
- VICBuilding and Plumbing Commission, and Energy Safe Victoria for electricalbuilding practitioners and plumbers; electricians are Energy Safe Victoria
- QLDQueensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)building and most trade contractor licences
- WABuilding and Energybuilders, electricians, plumbers and gas fitters
- SAConsumer and Business Servicesbuilding work contractors and supervisors
- TASConsumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)building and occupational licences
- ACTAccess Canberraconstruction occupations licensing
- NTNT Government building practitioner registrationbuilding practitioners and electrical workers
Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.
Common questions
- Who should I hire for a car service due
- Any licensed mechanic, including an independent workshop. A manufacturer cannot void your Australian Consumer Law rights simply because the car was serviced elsewhere, provided the service was done to the manufacturer's schedule with appropriate parts and the logbook was completed. That is a right worth knowing, because the assumption that you must return to the dealer is widespread and wrong.
- Will servicing my car outside the dealer void the warranty?
- No. Under Australian Consumer Law, a manufacturer cannot refuse a remedy merely because the vehicle was serviced by someone other than an authorised dealer, so long as the servicing was carried out according to the manufacturer's specifications by a qualified person using appropriate parts. The consumer regulator has taken action over misleading claims to the contrary. Keep the receipts and the completed logbook.
- What is the difference between a logbook service and a basic service?
- A logbook service follows the manufacturer's schedule for that specific interval and mileage, which varies item by item — some intervals include fluids, belts and filters that a basic oil-and-filter service does not touch. A basic service is a maintenance item; a logbook service is the thing that keeps the service history intact.
Find a Mechanic near you
19,898 mechanics in this directory, ranked on published evidence rather than on advertising.
Who to hire for
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General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.