Car owners believe they are being ripped off by garages
publication date: Jul 15, 2009
| Thousands of car owners across Britain believe
they have been ripped off when getting their car serviced or MOT'd in
the last five years, according to research released yesterday. According to Consumer Focus, this overpricing and inconsistent repair work is believed to cost Britain's motorists £4 billion a year. Despite this, if motorists had a problem with a garage or repair centre, over two-thirds of them admit they would not know where to go in order to get the issue resolved. Now motorists have a freephone advice line and a central point of contact for all their motoring issues at www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk. Whether you're buying a new car or warranty product or getting your existing car serviced or repaired, Motor Codes Ltd has developed a code of practice to protect the motorist. "Although the survey findings are surprising, they do show that motorists are still unsure of where to go to for advice. Motor Codes aims to fix this and with a single website and freephone number now available, motorists can be confident that they're getting the right advice from industry experts," said Motor Codes director, Chris Mason. "Motor Codes is working to build and maintain standards in the motor industry so motorists should look for the logo when booking their car in and ask if the garage subscribes to the right code. It's the safest way to guarantee good work at an honest price." |
The study commissioned by Motor Codes Ltd, the motor industry's self-regulatory body, reveals that: • Over a third of motorists have been dissatisfied with their garage experience • One in five car owners have been charged more than the garage's quote • 12pc of motorists think they've been overcharged by a garage • 70pc of people don't know who to speak to if an issue arises with a garage • 94pc of car owners want a recognised garage code with minimum standards |