Two Tips To Follow if You'll Be Using a Courtesy Car When Getting Your Vehicle Serviced
If there is a local garage that offers a car service courtesy car and you're planning to avail of it whilst your own vehicle is being serviced, here are some tips you should follow.
Ask for a car that is similar to your own
Some garages have a limited range of courtesy cars, in which case it might not be possible to request a specific one. However, if the garage at which your own vehicle is being serviced has a wider range of courtesy cars, you should ask if you can pick one that is the same as or similar to your own.
If for example, you're used to driving a small, lightweight car, you might find it easier to drive a similarly-sized courtesy vehicle than one that is significantly wider, longer and heavier, and thus needs to be driven with more caution when overtaking on narrow roads and turning corners. Likewise, if the courtesy car controls (i.e. the lights, horn, windshield wiper switch, etc.) are in the same locations as the controls in your own car, you won't have to pause each time you need to use the indicators or windshield wipers but can instead easily find and switch on the one you need.
It's worth making this request, as whilst it may only take a week or so of driving a new car to get used to it, the initial few days during which you use the courtesy car will be far easier if the vehicle is very like your own one.
Arrange to keep the courtesy car for longer if your own car requires repair
If the mechanic finds problems with your car when servicing it that they cannot immediately fix (for example, if the radiator is leaking and they need to order a new one for you), then the post-servicing repairs that they have to do might mean that your car has to stay in the garage for longer than you expected. If this happens, you should enquire about whether they could extend the courtesy car provision period.
They may be able to do this or, if the courtesy vehicle you were driving is due to be used by another customer, they may be able to provide an alternative courtesy car. Making this request will mean your daily routines that require road journeys won't be disrupted by having to leave your own vehicle in the garage for an additional week or two.