Average hourly labour rates for car repairs vary by as much as 220 per cent across Britain. Using data supplied by used car warranty provider Warrantywise, leading weekly car magazine Auto Express has revealed average rates reach a peak of £141 per hour in Twickenham, south-west London, compared to the cheapest average rate of £44 per hour in Kirkwall, … [Read more...]
Garage Guide
If you are looking for a garage which will treat you fairly and charge you reasonably, you can search the data base of businesses which have signed up for the Motor Industry Code of Practice.
It covers new cars, service and repair as well as warranty provision and operation.
There is a free post-code based search of garages near you, a telephone help line, and you can complain if you feel you have not been treated as you would expect from one of the businesses which has subscribed to the Code of Practice.
Car dealers’ failures fuel lack of trust among buyers
More than a third of motorists who have bought a used-car would under no circumstances use the same dealer again. A study into the car-buying habits of 1,500 motorists carried out by the RAC also found 40% of people said they have had a problem with a vehicle bought from a used car dealer and almost a third (29%) said the dealer did not do at all well in … [Read more...]
UK’s top garages to be crowned in June
Owners who’ve enjoyed top-class service from their local garage are being urged to go online to enter them for a national competition that celebrates the country’s best garages. Top performing garages from across each UK regions will be shortlisted for the nationwide Garage of the Year competition which will be awarded in June to the UK’s best car service … [Read more...]
The DIY driver is making a u-turn to cut costs
British Car Auctions says cash-strapped motorists have been rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty with basic car maintenance jobs, rather than going to a garage or mechanic. “Earlier generations of motorists would have had no qualms about getting their head under the bonnet and dealing with basic car maintenance themselves” explained Tim … [Read more...]
Welsh garages success in users poll
Motor Codes, the Trading Standards-approved garage scheme, has revealed the UK’s 20 most trusted garages, as nominated by customers of its 8,000-strong garage network. The garages which made the shortlist – people’s favourite 10 main dealers and 10 independent garages – topped their regions following a month-long competition that generated more than … [Read more...]
Wales’s best garages named
Broad Street Motors Abersychan and FRF Motors Bridgend are the best garages in Wales, according to their users. The independent dealer and repairer and franchised businesses have won the Wales area award in the national Motor Codes survey. FRF Toyota said, “Our Fixed Price Servicing and Fixed Price Repair Programmes, provide transparent and competitive … [Read more...]
Vote for your good garage
Motor Codes, the Trading Standards-approved garage network, has opened its Garage of the Year. The car industry watchdog has been gathering online reviews from customers of its 8,000 Trading Standards-approved garages at a rate of 10,000 per month and the results paint a positive picture for car owners. About 95% of Motor Codes customers would … [Read more...]
Trading Standards approve new garage warranty code
Motor Codes has increased the support for car owners with the Trading Standards Institute approving its Vehicle Warranty Products Code. Motor Codes already runs approved codes relating to new cars and car servicing and is a partner of Citizens Advice, last year securing over £400,000 in refunds for callers to its advice line. The move paves the way … [Read more...]
Luxury cars lead when it comes to expensive repairs due to electronics
Increasingly complex electronics are making cars more prone to expensive breakdowns, according to automotive specialist, Warranty Direct. Electrical faults have increased by two thirds (66%) over the last five years, according to the firm’s unique Reliability Index (www.reliabilityindex.com) and analysis of cars aged over three years. Electrical faults … [Read more...]
Get ready for cold weather with a Good Garage Scheme Winter Check
With cold weather just around the corner, the Good Garage Scheme is encouraging motorists to get their cars professionally checked to ensure they are safe and reliable in the winter months ahead. Good Garage Scheme workshops across the UK are offering a Winter Check to help protect vehicles and reduce the risk of accidents, costly repairs and … [Read more...]
