MOTORISTS now have the freedom to take their cars anywhere they want for a service without losing their warranties.

Main dealers used to inist that drivers took their cars back to them to be serviced or risk losing their warranties.

But new European legislation came into force in October which gives motorists more choice and cheaper prices.

Huddersfield man Mr John Denton, chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Federation in a large part of the eastern Midlands and north east, said the changes put motorists in the `driving seat' when it came to sorting out service and repairs for their vehicles.

Mr Denton, who owns Quarry Garage at Mount, said: "The vast majority of Examiner readers who own a new or nearly-new car will be under the impression that to maintain their warranty they must go back to the main franchise dealer for their servicing. That was the reality and is no longer the case, but is still the perception.

"Now you can take your car to be serviced by an independent garage and as long as they carry out the service in a competent manner to the manufacturers' specifications using satisfactory parts, the manufacturers' warranty or any extended warranty will not be prejudiced."

He added: "When you open up choice like this you get better value for money. This does, of course, also mean a franchise dealer will be able to service other makes of cars along with their own."

The new rules were brought in by the European Commissioner for Competition Policy Mario Monti.

He said: "Our aim is to give the consumer more freedom to decide how and where he wants to buy and service his vehicle."