RE: Expect Higher Repair And Servicing Bills
Wednesday 10th September 2008
What with the credit crunch and rising fuel and motoring costs, we're about to be hit with another rise when we service our cars.
The EU planned changes mean car manufacturers will no longer be forced to provide parts and computer codes to independent garages so they can carry out repairs on the vehicles.
Instead motorists will have to have their cars fixed at the manufacturer's dealership workshops, where charges are up to 40 per cent more.
The average hourly charge at an independent garage is £55.63 compared to £94.70 at a dealership garage, according to recent figures.
David Gerrans, of insurance firm Warranty Direct, said: "It would be a disaster."
On top of this thousands of motorists will be facing higher road tax bills from next year too.
Expect Higher Repair And Servicing Bills
EU plans threaten independant garages.
The EU planned changes mean car manufacturers will no longer be forced to provide parts and computer codes to independent garages so they can carry out repairs on the vehicles.
Instead motorists will have to have their cars fixed at the manufacturer's dealership workshops, where charges are up to 40 per cent more.
The average hourly charge at an independent garage is £55.63 compared to £94.70 at a dealership garage, according to recent figures.
David Gerrans, of insurance firm Warranty Direct, said: "It would be a disaster."
On top of this thousands of motorists will be facing higher road tax bills from next year too.
Discussion
EU directive by directive, people are realising what the EU is really about. That is suporting the existence of Brussels and all of the beaurocrats with their lavish expense accounts. It has changed from a trading organisation to a 'Mother Russia' and can only get worse. What made the EU decide to take away fair competition, corruption of course, there will be a lot of sticky EU fingers in the motor manufacturers pie for sure.
Generally, small specialist garages offer excellent skill sets and value for money. They have to, as their turnover is dependant on their reputation. Anyone car owner like me (thousands) that has been ripped off by a main dealer service or repair should write to their MP.
Generally, small specialist garages offer excellent skill sets and value for money. They have to, as their turnover is dependant on their reputation. Anyone car owner like me (thousands) that has been ripped off by a main dealer service or repair should write to their MP.
ks said:That is unbelievable!! If that ever goes through it will be the end of many small businesses. My mate has a specialist tuning/performance company and they do lots of servicing work as his customers would rather have a specialist/enthusiast look after their pride and joy rather than a spotty YTS oik at the local main stealers! Surely the office of fair trading would have something to say on this, it would mean the main stealers have a monopoly!!
In another thread I said:
Far be it from to correct a newspaper but, I wonder if this p1sses on the article's chips....
It's less than a year since the EU did the following...
"The European Commission has adopted four decisions that legally bind DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, General Motors and Fiat to commitments to provide technical information about car repairs to all independent garages in the EU. The decisions were adopted under Article 9(1) of Regulation 1/2003. The commitments were given after a Commission investigation found that inadequate access to the full range of technical information could drive independent repairers from the market and that the agreements between the carmakers and their authorised repairers would therefore infringe EC Treaty rules on restrictive business practices (Article 81)......The commitments will be binding until the motor vehicle block exemption (Commission Regulation (EC) 1400/2002) expires in May 2010"
"By that time, the vehicle emissions regulation (Council Regulation (EC) 715/2007) will have entered into force. This places an obligation upon vehicle manufacturers to provide independent repairers with standardised access to all technical repair information. "
So, er, it's not the end of the world?
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?refe...
And just to clarify, it's nothing to do with spares, as in the OP, but information.
It's less than a year since the EU did the following...
"The European Commission has adopted four decisions that legally bind DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, General Motors and Fiat to commitments to provide technical information about car repairs to all independent garages in the EU. The decisions were adopted under Article 9(1) of Regulation 1/2003. The commitments were given after a Commission investigation found that inadequate access to the full range of technical information could drive independent repairers from the market and that the agreements between the carmakers and their authorised repairers would therefore infringe EC Treaty rules on restrictive business practices (Article 81)......The commitments will be binding until the motor vehicle block exemption (Commission Regulation (EC) 1400/2002) expires in May 2010"
"By that time, the vehicle emissions regulation (Council Regulation (EC) 715/2007) will have entered into force. This places an obligation upon vehicle manufacturers to provide independent repairers with standardised access to all technical repair information. "
So, er, it's not the end of the world?
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?refe...
And just to clarify, it's nothing to do with spares, as in the OP, but information.
Edited by bigandclever on Wednesday 10th September 10:29
Sounds like it's time for me to learn how to use a spanner. If they get this through it'll be a real shame as a lot of the small independent garages are brilliant places filled with great people who are passionate and good at what they do.
S'pose this will mean the end of the pattern industry too.
S'pose this will mean the end of the pattern industry too.
Another vague and poorly written "hot topic" to drum up anti-EU sentiment which gets droves of PHers riled up each and every time. The knee jerk "Brussels bureaucrats do X" , EUSSR talk really makes you lot look dumb, there is simply nothing clever about these little sound bites.
To PH: How about the proposed directive number, some supporting information, some info on why this would come in place etc? One very narrow piece of info with an inflammatory headlines... is this a tabloid of motor journalism. Do you even aspire to rank as journalists or just a pseudo motor-blog site with a limited audience in more ways then one?
Do a google for "EU car manufacturers independent garages" and you will find plenty of Directives and not-very-favourable to the car industry but good for the consumer EU moves on this area, quite the opposite of whats portrayed here. Im not saying the article is wrong, Im saying you just havent done an even acceptable job as a news service.
To PH: How about the proposed directive number, some supporting information, some info on why this would come in place etc? One very narrow piece of info with an inflammatory headlines... is this a tabloid of motor journalism. Do you even aspire to rank as journalists or just a pseudo motor-blog site with a limited audience in more ways then one?
Do a google for "EU car manufacturers independent garages" and you will find plenty of Directives and not-very-favourable to the car industry but good for the consumer EU moves on this area, quite the opposite of whats portrayed here. Im not saying the article is wrong, Im saying you just havent done an even acceptable job as a news service.
Edited by mattsimis on Wednesday 10th September 14:43
They will be making a rod-for-there-own-backs with this one.
Let me explain... take away a tool / product that's available to Buy but your not allowed to have one and what happens! It a new market for organized crime and black-market selling and it will probably come from the Eastern block as well. And that's not the end of it…This then becomes a huge problem so they have to set up a new task force or police department to tackle the problem that will result in us having to pay more money out.
What a @~{@@~~~ joke
www.porschesport.com
Let me explain... take away a tool / product that's available to Buy but your not allowed to have one and what happens! It a new market for organized crime and black-market selling and it will probably come from the Eastern block as well. And that's not the end of it…This then becomes a huge problem so they have to set up a new task force or police department to tackle the problem that will result in us having to pay more money out.
What a @~{@@~~~ joke
www.porschesport.com
Edited by Paul Holroyd on Wednesday 10th September 14:50
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