Thursday 30th September 2004

Survey shows 'fast-fit' garages are worst

And the big, manufacturer-tied dealers aren’t much better

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As if you didn't already know, the one-size-fits-all, fast-fit garages on the high street are not the right place to take your pride and joy, according to a recent survey. Thousands of motorists are being ripped off when they get their cars serviced. The findings of a special investigation by What Car?, to be published on 5 October, reveal that buyers could be better off sticking to local garages than paying top-dollar at swanky manufacturer-approved main dealers.

What Car? conducted a nationwide undercover investigation, dispatching qualified vehicle inspectors to locations across the UK to see which type of garages performed best in real-world tests. Examiners turned up at garages with cars that had been doctored with seven deliberate defects – to see if the mechanics could identify and fix the faults. The results make surprising reading:

1st Independent garages

Percentage of faults missed: 7 per cent

Independent, often family-run, garages did best in the investigation, spotting 93 per cent of deliberate faults on test cars. Seven of the 10 independent garages we visited identified and fixed every single defect.

2nd Franchised main dealers

Percentage of faults missed: 17 per cent

Main dealers are branded garages representing manufacturers (eg Ford, Toyota). Despite usually being more expensive than independents, the standard of service was worse. They spotted only 83% of deliberate faults – missing a worrying 17 per cent of defects. One Toyota dealer in Edinburgh (Western Toyota, Whitecraig) even failed to spot the low, and potentially dangerous, brake fluid level.

3rd Fast-fit garages

Percentage of faults missed: 21 per cent

Last and definitely least were Britain’s fast-fit centres, the type of drop-in garages that used to specialise in tyres and exhausts, but now offer full servicing too. They missed more than a fifth – 21 per cent – of the faults. More than half the outlets under scrutiny failed to spot at least one fault. One AA Centre in Scotland returned the car with every single defect still present, after agreeing to service the car but then performing (and billing for) a simple oil change.

The research is published as plans to raise industry standards through new codes of conduct, approved by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), are in disarray. The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) and Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) have abandoned plans to have their CarWise scheme approved by the OFT, although the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has obtained approval for its New Car Code of Practice.

What Car? magazine editor David Motton said: ‘We were shocked by our findings. When your car is serviced, you should expect that the job will be done to a high standard. This is not happening. We’re also very disappointed that the Government-backed CarWise scheme has fallen by the wayside. If you buy a car on credit, the finance company must be licensed with the Government – so why shouldn’t garages be properly regulated? Getting your car serviced properly can make the difference between driving a safe car and one that is more likely to be involved in an accident.’

[steff]

No suprises there then.

[adey]

With independent garages coming out on top here, why do so-called "experts" talk about the importance of a full service history from a main dealer? When the implication here is that their service (and presumably servicing) is worst of all!

[MGV8]

Avoid any where with Quick or Fast in there title

[dinkel]

Intervals (every 10k kms) I do at the dealers . . . other stuff at KwikFits. Used to need an exhaust part every year. 3 years ago KF fitted some steel tube that won't come off and still doesn't leak . . . saves a lot of euri.

[uldis]

I just knew it!

And this is the reason I have taken to do everything myself nowadays.

Still, why is it still so important the "Full Dealer Service History".
Cars that have it are bound to have been maintained like shite , and yet they are more expensive....

[Pesmo]

What this proves is that it is best to find a reliable expert and stick with them. I have found that such people often operate from the most modest of premises, rarely advertise (word of mouth is all they need) and the prices are usually a good deal less than a main dealer.

Discussion boards are helping here though. Reading the threads for a specific car, it soon becomes apparent who other owners trust and who they don't, for quality of work and size of the bills.

>> Edited by Pesmo on Thursday 30th September 15:30

[cdp]

Licensed garages, I know this idea hasn't come from government but we don't want it to get to them either as they wouldn't need a lot of pursuading.

We need them like a hole in the head. The government is already trying to regulate DIY. This would be demarcation by the back door and put out all the small businesses (looking at recent changes to tax law maybe this is what the government wants). If we have a regime for licensing labour rates will double as even the smallest garages will have to spend thousands to keep "updated".

What we really need is for the diagnostic sockets and protocols on cars to be standardised. This would allow smaller garages to compete more easily and not have to spend huge amounts on every different ECU they have to deal with.

[Pesmo]

The diagnostics thing will probably get sorted. In the USA they are just bringing in legislation to enable this data to be shared to all garages. The EU are bound to do the same

[Andrew Noakes]

adey said:

With independent garages coming out on top here, why do so-called "experts" talk about the importance of a full service history from a main dealer?

Because a car with a dealer history is worth more than one without - because most people believe dealer servicing is the best, whatever the truth might be.

[annodomini2]

Although I'm not surprised!

Another element for the statistics though, it doesn't state that the cars they took to the main dealers were the brand in which they dealt.

i.e. if they took ford to a ford dealer or a renault dealer etc.

[dodge]

Andrew Noakes said:

Because a car with a dealer history is worth more than one without - because most people believe dealer servicing is the best, whatever the truth might be.

Aye, indeed Mr Noakes, nail on head there - perception is everything, reality is nothing*.


*or at least irrelevant. Equally, VWs NEVER break down, whereas TVRs CANNOT run for more than a mile without a full rebuild.

[dinkel]

dodge said:

( . . . ) Equally, VWs NEVER break down,( . . . )

That's utter crap!
My grey company Golfer saw more garage in her first 15k miles than my '95 Civic in her whole life.
Well all is sorted out now, but what a start!!!

[Andrew Noakes]

dinkel said:

dodge said: ( . . . ) Equally, VWs NEVER break down,( . . . ) That's utter crap!

Maybe, but that's why people buy them.

>> Edited by Andrew Noakes on Thursday 30th September 22:20

[dinkel]

It's raining just a tiny bit, autumn is just around the corner and guess what; it took me 2 mins to get the mf lump started. The Civic - thanx to the magnificent exhaust by KwikFit off course - always fires up in 2 attempts, which is standard procedure.

Serious: I got a nice little garage just around the corner with a nice and tidy stock good priced occasions. Five guys with golden hands always help and sometimes charge for it.
The 3rd Honda dealer was a good one, they did not try to fool me as the other 2 did. That saves money: when I saw they tried to fool me and I told 'em I always got great discounts when there were more customers in.