ALMOST a quarter of dealers surveyed in an undercover poll wrongly told motorists that their warranty would be invalid if vehicles were serviced outside the main dealer network.

The news is a blow to the motor industry which has been trying to get to grips with new Block Exemption changes introduced last year.

More than 200 dealers were quizzed in the recent What Car? survey, with 36 claiming the warranty would definitely be invalid and a further 43 saying it would put warranty cover at risk.