Motorists in Wales appear to be the most loyal as 44% wouldn’t change garages under any circumstances.
Londoners are the most price sensitive with more than four out of five (82%) admitting they would switch to another garage if it was cheaper.
Just one in 12 (8%) drivers will try a new garage for a service or MoT, but when it comes to tyres motorists are more willing to put loyalties to one side – a quarter (26%) say they would be prepared to go elsewhere.
Both money and time may be tight for many motorists but when it comes to choosing a garage to maintain their car, trust beats both price and convenience as the most important factor, according to a new study from Kwik Fit.
Its research shows that almost half of motorists (45%) say their most important reason for returning to the same garage they’ve used previously is because they trust it will do a good job. This is almost twice as many as those who are most influenced by price (24%) while only one in five (20%) base their decision on convenience.
Kwik Fit’s research shows the extent to which motorists remain loyal to the garage they trust – over three quarters (78%) will stay with one garage where possible. One in three (30%) are so faithful they wouldn’t switch at any price.
It takes up to three successful visits to gain the trust of most drivers (74%). A sceptical 3% of motorists say it takes seven visits or more to a garage to have fully earned their confidence. One in ten (10%) motorists say they don’t generally trust garages.
Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said, “It’s encouraging to see that even in times of financial hardship, motorists are not abandoning their loyalty to a decent garage. And it’s a credit to the industry that the majority of drivers who keep going to the same place do so because they have faith in its ability to get the job done properly.
“Price is also important and does factor in the average motorist’s decision of where to get their car maintained. That said, drivers are more willing to sacrifice loyalty for some services over others; for example, tyres seem to be the most sensitive to price changes and more motorists would be prepared to shop elsewhere for them than for any other garage service”.
Hyundai expand in Wales
Two new Hyundai dealerships have opened in Wales.
Arrow Hyundai Swansea and Wessex Hyundai Cardiff are among 29 new franchises which has taken the Korean brand to over 150 outlets in Britain.
Hyundai is expanding its dealerships throughout Britain as it rolls out a new model range with eight new cars coming this year.
Hyundai dealerships offer a complete package of products and services for both retail and business customers.
All new Hyundai models are covered by a Five Year Triple Care Package for peace of mind that includes: unlimited mileage Five Year
Warranty, Five Year’s Roadside Assistance, Five Year Annual Vehicle Health Checks.
