Is there anything similar to the Automotive Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002/EC that covers Plant Machinery?

[thesmeghead]

We are a plant hire company and we specialise in mobile shredders & screeners that we attach to our wagons for haulage. We buy our German machinery from a local UK dealer. Has that dealer got any right to tie us up to a 12 month service contract? They claim that if the machine is not serviced by them in the first twelve months (or every 250 machine hours up too 1000 hours) then that would invalidate the warranty. We have a fully fitted service workshop and we service all of our own machines including this manufacturers according to their own recommendations and our service engineer has been trained in Germany by the actual manufacturers to maintain and service the machinery. We also only use manufacturer recommended parts when we service. Do these machines fall under the Automotive Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002/EC or anything similar in order for us to service our own plant without jeopardising the manufacturers (Doppstadt) or dealers warranty? Any information or reference would be greatly appreciated. The dealers in question have just completed the first (of 4) 250 hour service and they charged nearly �700. They only changed a hydraulic filter which we buy (exactly the same make & model as the manufacturers) for �30. Surely as a consumer we have rights as this must constitute an unjustified restriction as it does with motor vehicles