A long-awaited £6.20 increase in the MoT test fee has been put back more than six weeks by the Department for Transport. Testers expected the increase to be brought in on 1 October, but have now learned it has been put back until 24 November. Some now fear this deadline will slip even further back into December, the NTDA website reported. The traditional date for an MoT fee increase is 1 August.
The Good Garage Scheme has launched the second phase of its marketing campaign to attract older car owners and female drivers to the scheme. Throughout November and December a programme of leaflet drops, editorial coverage and radio and vehicle advertising is aiming to further raise the awareness of the Good Garage Scheme and its portal – www.goodgaragescheme.com – to millions of motorists throughout the North East Region, the first region on the scheme. There are now 810 Good Garage Scheme members in the UK. The latest marketing campaign is seen as a prelude to taking the scheme to a National level in March 2007.
Maha, a world-leader in the garage equipment sector, has confirmed it is set to use January’s Aftermarket Show as a platform for showcasing the latest product in its Dynamometer range. The event will be held at the NEC in Birmingham from 11-14 January. The company, specialists in the manufacture and supply of Brake Testing Equipment, Vehicle Lifts, and Chassis Dynamometers, is returning to the show after enjoying considerable success at the event earlier this year.
The BSI has landed itself in hot water with the OFT by claiming the Office of Fair Trading will begin closing down garages from January for inadequate repairs. The OFT was responding to a media statement issued by BSI and headed “OFT warns garages can be shut down from January 2007”. It said that the organisation will begin inspections “with a view to taking prompt action and enforcing legislation on the industry when the NCC’s supercomplaint happens in 2007”.
Bradford Council and the Environment Agency have teamed up for spot checks on 37 small garages in Bradford. The crackdown on illegal tyre dumping follows the completion of the introduction of legislation banning discarded tyres from being dumped at landfill sites.
UK-based company PCL received an excellent reception at last year’s SEMA show when it initiated its drive to conquer the US market. Since then, PCL’s high quality “Made in Sheffield” products for Tyre Inflation are becoming increasingly recognised internationally, backed up by excellent customer service and training. At SEMA 2006, visitors looking for swift and cost-effective solutions for tyre shops, garages, workshops, car dealerships, transportation companies, industrial applications, vehicle fleets and racing outfits can view a range of new and established tyre inflation products.
In a move that will likely help efforts to avoid the effects of a “Super Complaint” in the automotive service market, Automotive Distributors Limited (ADL) has announced its full support of BSI Product Services’ Kitemark scheme and is actively encouraging garages to embrace the PAS80 standard. More than 180 installers have already applied to Kitemark scheme through ADL.
Although it is a lengthy process, there are currently 30 Kitemark garages, with another 20 achieving the standard imminently. In addition to this, there are currently 500 applications/enquiries being processed. This is a vast improvement on the 11 that held the Kitemark in July.
Michelin has won a tyre contract with London Central, a division of the Go-Ahead Group, which operates 600 buses in south east and central London from depots in Bexleyheath, Camberwell, New Cross and Peckham. The contract sees London Central switch to a three year ‘pence per mile’ contract, similar to the agreement Michelin already has with London General, a separate division of the Go-Ahead Group, comprising a fleet of 700 vehicles in south west and central London.
A North Lincolnshire tyre specialist has become one of the first companies in Britain to rubber stamp the new-generation Mercedes Sprinter van. Grimsby-based North Lincs Tyres has just taken delivery of a high-roofed Mercedes Sprinter 311CDI Long from Immingham dealer H and L Garages. Proprietor Tony Woods bought his first Mercedes van when starting the business in 1994, and has remained loyal to the famous three-pointed star ever since. The latest arrival is the sixth Sprinter on his growing fleet.
Controversial new plans being considered by the UK government could result in motorist who use “quiet tyres” paying less tax. The focus of the proposed legislation is a reduction in road noise produced by the tyres. Critics have suggested the proposals are impractical. As well as causing disturbance to people living near major roads and motorways, tyre noise has been found to reduce driver concentration, with consequent effects on road safety.
Power-Tec Ltd has introduced the 1,500kg capacity Mobi-Lift mobile vehicle lift for use with cars, 4x4s and light commercial vehicles. It is a single-post lift, offering 1,000mm lift height within 35 seconds and operates from a standard 230V 13 amp power supply.
Two Sheffield tyre fitters are still working at the same company 45 years after first picking up a spanner there. Keith Booth, a truck tyre fitter based on Stainiforth Road, and Peter Staton, manager of the Dexel Tyre’s Frecheville branch, are among eleven key workers recognised by Dexel for working over 25 years at the firm. Between them, the group have racked up 394 years, an average of 33 years each. Keith Booth is still fitting truck tyres for local and national fleets including Dexel’s 24/7 motorway breakdown service.
Fleets can now get their company cars and light commercial vehicles serviced and MoT’d at Kwik-Fit centres. Around 230 of Kwik-Fit’s nationwide network of 670 centres are now equipped to undertake interim and full services on all-makes of vehicles and 250 centres will also be capable of undertaking MoTs by the end of 2006. Following the completion of a long-time retail pilot, Kwik-Fit is now extending its servicing and MoT capability to all fleets.
Did you know that the tyre business could be subject to a “super complaint” because of poor service in the wider automotive service sector? Did you know that it could cost you as much as £750 per depot if the government is forced to push external regulation on the business? During the recent NTDA conference in Marbella, this subject stood head and shoulders above the rest as most delegates were surprised to hear what a so-called super complaint might mean for them.
So what’s behind all this talk of an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) super complaint? Basically the National Consumer Council (NCC) believes that there are too many legitimate customer service complaints being made against the automotive service industry and the tyre trade is being tarred with the same brush in terms of potential consequences. The recent push for action from the consumer point of view also follows media reports highlighting the “garages don’t care” attitude fostered by many consumers.
LSUK, which claims to be the largest single supplier of batteries in to the UK automotive, marine, leisure, industrial and commercial industries, is giving proactive garages, fitters and retailers the opportunity to join its battery programme – and reap numerous rewards at the same time. The UK battery market is estimated to be worth £120 million in retail sales every year and LSUK has established itself as a leading player in the sector with the unrivalled service that it can offer. With 52 distribution branches nationwide, LSUK is in the position to offer first class product availability from stock, access to the best brands on the market, and arguably the most competitive pricing structure in the battery sector.
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