The Chancellor’s update and extension to the furlough scheme allowing businesses to bring staff back to work on a part-time basis is very welcome. said Stuart James, Chief Executive of the Independent Garage Association. The IGA wrote to Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak on 29 April, requesting a partial furlough scheme that would allow employees to return to work part-time to support … [Read more...]
Warning over collapsing dealer networks
Localised franchise dealer networks are “likely to remain important to fleets” says fleet software specialist FleetCheck following news that more are to close. Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, said that a long-term situation was being created where many businesses were having to travel further for routine servicing, maintenance and repair. “We’re not picking out any particular … [Read more...]
EVs will spark change in servicing and costs
The widespread growth in electric cars is going to forever change servicing. ClickMechanic.com, the online car repair marketplace, has looked in detail at the emergence of electric cars and its beneficial differences from the standard diesel/petrol cars that largely dominate the automotive industry. Andrew Jervis, co-founder and CEO at ClickMechanic, said, “It’s clear that the demand … [Read more...]
Sellers & buyers would benefit from central service bank
A central resource that provides access to the service histories of all the cars and vans that form the UK car parc is urgently needed by the remarketing sector, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association. The organisation, which represents businesses that handle, sell, inspect, transport or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles every year, says that missing service histories can have an … [Read more...]
Dealers disappointing customers with servicing – J D Power
Dealers are letting down customers and their brands with poor communication when it comes to servicing, according to the J.D. Power 2019 UK Customer Service Index Study released today. While some brands stand out for good communication, others are missing opportunities to build trust, relationships and satisfaction. Sizable gaps exist between how customers prefer to schedule vehicle service … [Read more...]
Old ‘un gives golden service support
Britain's oldest major car producer is stepping up its cover for the latest models. Vauxhall began making cars in Britain in 1903 and for its new or nearly new cars, Vauxhall Care provides you with three years’ servicing, an extra two years’ of roadside assistance and your first MOT for just £19 per month for petrol cars and £22 for diesels. As all new Vauxhalls come with three years warranty … [Read more...]
Safety and service take back seats in new trend
New approaches to service and maintenance will be needed as personal contract hire increasingly makes an impact in corporate circles, says epyx. Tim Meadows, commercial director, said that typically 80% of cars on traditional corporate contract hire were leased with inclusive maintenance packages but that this fell to around 20% for PCH. He explained, “Fleet leasing companies are selling … [Read more...]
Tradelines 21 November
Two new diesel engines have been added to the Mercedes-Benz A-Class range: the A 200 d Sport £28,805 and the A 220 d AMG Line £30,005. The clean and efficient OM654q engines have been tested to new RDE-2 standards, making Mercedes-Benz among the first to offer RDE-2-compliant diesel engines in the UK and they will also feature in the new B-Class. Volkswagen is underlining its commitment to … [Read more...]
Survey shows satisfaction with servicing
Brits are becoming happier with their garages and service centres. That’s the conclusion of a trade body which annually asks motorists about their experiences.The survey of 1,000 car owners by The Motor Ombudsman, the automotive dispute resolution provider, has revealed that consumers have an increasingly favourable perception of the vehicle service and repair sector when compared to the same … [Read more...]
Motorists’ lethal ignorance of EVs exposed
Motorists have a potentially lethal ignorance about the servicing and maintenance of electric vehicles. A survey for the Institute of the Motor Industry revealed a widespread lack of awareness about the benefits and risks of electric motoring. Some 82% of drivers said they feel they don’t know enough about electric vehicles to wave goodbye to their petrol/diesel while two thirds (66%) said … [Read more...]
