Codes of Practice
Bosch Car Service has become one of the first associations supporting a new UK-wide scheme to strengthen industry self-regulation. The Bosch Car Service national network of independent garages, comprising of over 500 members in the UK and Ireland, intends to provide motorists with an alternative to main dealer car servicing and repair, for all vehicle makes and models.
Responding to the warning from Citizens Advide, Chris Mason, managing director of Motor Codes, said: "Despite the vast majority of garages and car retailers upholding the very best service standards, these figures are impossible to gloss over and demonstrate why some consumers are nervous about buying used cars.
Thousands of motorists have voted in a nationwide contest to seek out the UK's best car service centres and Motor Codes, the operator of OFT-backed codes of practice for the motor industry, has revealed which were voted the most trusted large and small garages in the UK. Garage of the Year, backed by Havoline, is an annual initiative, highlighting to motorists those garages that are committed to providing consistently high customer service standards. In being awarded the title, the winning garages have beaten off competition from a huge field, open to entry for all garages.
Empty pockets? Strapped for cash? Being short of a bob or two can make life unpleasant, but it is never a reason to risk the safety of yourself and others. TyreSafe, the UK campaign group dedicated to exactly what its name suggests, says that hard-up motorists who opt for part worn tyres are doing exactly that.
The government is aiming to lead garages to make improvements in customer service in “a package of transparency and value-for-money measures” unveiled today by transport secretary Justine Greening. According to a statement released by the department, an evaluation of existing MOT test standards and frequency took account of the views and evidence offered by a wide range of organisations.
The latest Which? report on garage service concludes that there are still shocking levels of incompetence in the sector despite the introduction of several new codes of conduct. The undercover investigation found that 90 per cent of the 62 garages mystery shopped by the consumer watchdog missed (or ignored) at least one potentially dangerous fault, while 39 per cent charged for a product that wasn’t supplied.
Which? introduced four simple faults – “deflated spare and nearside rear tyres, brake fluid at the minimum level and a blown bulb on the reversing light.” However, according to the report just eight of the garages tested returned the cars fault-free and five garages failed to fix any of the introduced faults.
Motor Codes has published a YouTube video explaining that using a business which subscribes to the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair offers enhanced consumer protection above the minimum levels required by law. The short file, “How to avoid cowboy garages…” offers a consumer-orientated explanation of what the code means to customers who take their cars in for service or repair to a subscribing workshop.
From today, motorists can be confident of receiving fair and honest services from the automotive sector, says Motor Codes Limited. Announcing the launch of its new comprehensive website www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk and the addition of another Code to bolster its armoury of consumer protection, Motor Codes Limited aims at providing a robust method of delivering ever-increasingly high levels of customer service to motorists.
The website, which is now the central source of advice and information for motorists who need help and advice on a whole range of subjects – not just Codes of Practice – is supplemented by a freephone advice line 0800 692 0825 for when the motorist needs to talk to the experts.
Federal Tyres has joined the Motor Sports Association (MSA) as a fully endorsed member. The company states, “we are dedicated to innovation and deliver industry-leading products in the high performance end of the market.”
Federal’s 595 and RPM asymmetric tyre were accepted in the category 1a for road tyre; along with 595EVO as well as 595RS-R race-proven tyre in the category 1b for road legal competition tyres.
The Motor Sports Association is recognized as the sole motor sport governing body for the United Kingdom. It controls the technical and sporting rules across the various disciplines with over seven hundred motor clubs choosing to share agreed codes of practice under one umbrella. Related information will be officially published in MSA’s 2009 Year Book of Regulations.
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