2008
If you're hoping to spend more time on the beach than on the hard shoulder this summer, servicing the car might well be a wise investment, but make sure you shop around and compare prices advises Consumer Direct.
Problems with car servicing and repairs accounted for more than 1,800 complaints in the East Midlands last year, worth over £1.6 million. Nationally, Consumer Direct received 23,000 complaints last year, totalling £25 million.
Sara Barry, Manager for Consumer Direct East Midlands said: 'Each year Consumer Direct East Midlands deals with a range of complaints from motorists about car servicing and the quality of work carried out by garages. Doing your research beforehand is vital. We would advise motorists to ask for recommendations from friends and family, look for garages that are members of professional trade bodies, and ask lots of questions about what the service includes and how much it will cost.'
Every garage has a legal obligation to carry out any service with a reasonable level of care and skill and for a reasonable price. Good garages will often have a menu of fixed cost works on display, an affiliation to a trade association and a defined complaints procedure. Customers may also want to look for garages displaying the 'OFT Approved' logo*.
People seeking repairs are also advised to get a written quote (for a fixed price) rather than an estimate and to ask for a price for diagnosis if it's not clear what's wrong. It's also wise to ask about guarantees on labour and parts, insist on an itemised bill and make sure you keep all paperwork.
If anyone has concerns that they have paid for work that has not been carried out they should contact Consumer Direct.
People needing advice on any consumer issue can call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visit the website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
| Complaints about car repairs and servicing in 2007 | East Midlands complaints | National complaints |
|
Franchise garage/dealership |
382 |
5400 |
|
Independent Garage |
1296 |
15253 |
|
Mobile |
25 |
346 |
|
Other |
125 |
2861 |
| Car repairs and servicing total |
1828 | 23860 |
