Poor standards of service are to be tackled

Over the next few months the motor industry, under the supervision of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), is to draw up a code of conduct covering how UK garages treat their customers.

In future, customers who go to garages that are covered by the new Good Garage Scheme should expect minimum standards of service and full disclosure of charges as well as redress if things go wrong.

But the scheme is voluntary, and consumer groups suggest that the scheme is fundamentally flawed and does not go far enough.

Unacceptable service

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) estimates that garage overcharging and carrying out sub-standard work costs UK motorists more than �100m a year.

UK motorists spend a total of �9bn a year on car repairs.

Last summer, undercover DTI inspectors visited 207 UK garages, and found that over half provided unacceptable levels of service.

The Good Garage Code is a big step forward in the delivery of a better deal for drivers Melanie Johnson Consumer Minister

The provisions of the Good Garage Scheme will be drawn up by the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) and the Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) which between them represent one third of the UK's 10,00 garages.

The DTI expects the provisions of the new scheme to include minimum standards of service, and an independent body to review customer complaints.

The OFT will review the garage industry proposals for the scheme, and has the right to refuse to endorse it if it believes consumer interests are not best served.

The scheme could have had real teeth - leaving it all in the hands of the industry will mean that consumers continue to be ripped off Pete Tynan, Consumers' Association

An advisory board, made up of industry groups, the National Consumer Council, and trading standards officers will oversee the implementation of the code.

The Consumer minister Melanie Johnson said of the new scheme: "Consumers need to know garages will carry out work safely and to a good standard. The Good Garage Code is a big step forward in the delivery of a better deal for drivers."

Consumer call

However, the Consumers' Association has been scathing about the code.

"Put simply, this was a golden opportunity wasted. The scheme could have had real teeth. However, leaving it all effectively in the hands of the industry will mean that consumers continue to be ripped off," Pete Tynan, principal researcher at the Consumers' Association, told BBC News Online.

The Consumers' Association called on the government to introduce a fully independent scheme under which the right to trade as a 'good garage' would be decided by a series of unannounced inspections, funded by a levy on the garage industry.

But the DTI ruled out the Consumers' Association proposal as unworkable and too expensive.

It estimates that the start-up costs alone of such a scheme to be �10 million, with consumers ultimately having to meet the cost through higher repair bills.

"It is very misleading for the Consumers' Association to attack the Good Garage Scheme as it has so much independence built in," a DTI spokesman told BBC News Online.

Your comments:

Last week I took my Mercedes CLK to a Mercedes dealer for an A service. This a the smaller service which should cost around �300.00 at a labour rate of �83.00 per hour. I asked the garage to call me before doing any additional work. I also explained that some item were still covered by the warranty. The garage was asked to fix a leak on one of the injectors which was covered by the warranty. When I called to check progress I was told that they had fixed the injector problem under the warranty but I would have to pay for the rear axle oil leak which they found and fixed. I was also told that this would add a further �300.00 to the bill making the total charge approx �700.00. I protested that I was not aware of and had not authorised any work on an oil leak. To their credit, the garage called back to say that the bill was now �300.00. I am, however totally cheesed of with the attitude of such dealerships and intend to change my car for another make.
Noel Brathwaite, UK

Recently I put my car into service at a main Vauxhall dealership. The engine was running roughly so they decided to change the idle motor and this did not help. �200 later and my car still wasn't fixed. They then proceeded to change the O2 Sensor/Catalytic Converter and finally the real culprit for the problems the ECU (Computer). This whole episode cost me over �1400 and even though deep down I knew it was simply an issue of changing the ECU over there was no comeback. Very disappointing indeed!!!
Charlie, England

I hate taking my car into a garage because as a young woman I feel very vulnerable Fiona, UK

Have had numerous problems with the so-called chains, mainly with brakes - one told me I needed new brake shoes & Drums, but couldn�t do it at the time (thankfully) due to not having the parts. Another mechanic at another place had a look later, telling me the Shoes & Drums weren't the problem, but that said centre had failed to notice a seized cylinder! Second chain centre (different location and chain) fitted shocks, shoes & cylinders - and since, the handbrake has failed to operate properly - with 2 trips to other garages failing to solve the problem. Best bet is to find someone you trust, and stick to them - even if you have to wait a bit longer for the work to be done.
Chris Mc, UK

I had my tyres changed a couple of years ago by, it would appear, an unscrupulous mechanic in North London. The next morning the back of my car suddenly sank and my left rear wheel went past me on the pavement. Not very pleasant on London Bridge in the rush hour. Had I been on a motorway.....well, the less said the better! Thanks
Richard Parsons, UK

These voluntary schemes are all very well, but in practice are a smokescreen the unscrupulous can hide behind. Another badge on the wall!! Make it mandatory and the consumer may be better protected.
Richard, UK

I've not been ripped off to my knowledge but I hate taking my car into a garage because as a young woman I feel very vulnerable and that they could so easily argue something was needed and I wouldn't know whether they were correct or not. I took a basic car maintenance course but we can't all be experts and we have to trust mechanics at some point. I welcome any regulations that protect the customer. I think one of the most important things it making any charges clear BEFORE the work is done. You would think that regulations to protect the customer would be forced on all garages and not just those that choose to be in the Good Garage Scheme.
Fiona, UK

I wish the government would take this problem seriously. If a garage quotes for work which isn't need or fails to carry out work for which it has charged they should be treated as the crimes they are fraud and theft. If a few garage owners were sent to prison we might see the problem go away.
Neil, UK

I have many years experience with repairing cars and recently needed to get my car MOT'd. The first garage I went to tried to rip me off to the tune of �350 of unnecessary repairs. The next wanted to charge �550 for completely different repairs. The third gave me an honest assessment and charged �129 including the cost of the MOT. Total cost:�209. Satisfaction for not allowing dodgy mechanics to rip me off: Enormous. The lesson? If your not happy, shop around till you find a good garage and support them with your business.
Philip Todd, UK

I have just had our Mercedes serviced. When we bought the car we were told that the next service would be around the �350 mark. When the bull came it was �650 ! I was not happy to say the least. The sooner garages are brought into line what better, they seem to have a licence to print money.
Chris, UK

Yes. I once had my car serviced including the air filter. I had marked the filter so as to be able to check it after the service. I checked it on my way to work the next day to find that, yes, they had changed the filter, but rather than put it a new one they substituted one that was much worse than the one being replaced! When I complained the owner apologised, put in a new filter whilst I watched and reimbursed me the cost of the filter. However, I never went back there again!
Patrick Lonergan, England

My father has run a garage for almost 20 years and has always provided an excellent and honest service to his customers. Businesses such as his already go well beyond the standards of the code and I can't see how the dodgy operators will be persuaded to change with something that's voluntary. It's not only 'under the arches' places that cheat consumers - plenty of main dealer workshops carry out substandard and unnecessary work and overcharging is rife. With a voluntary scheme, you can be sure that they'll hide behind their status as an approved repairer for the manufacturer to which they are tied and say their membership of the scheme is unnecessary.
James Ollerenshaw, UK

If you find a good garage, at a fair price, stick with them. They will probably cost you less in the long run.
Anthony Gilbert, England

Even the best, reputable dealers can leave their customers frustrated and angry. I took my camper van into a well-known, reputable main dealer for it's MoT a couple of days ago. The good news - it passed with only minor adjustments. The bad news - on the test drive the driver took it under a low barrier damaging the roof, skylights and vents. The dealer's mistake and they will repair. The question is, though - where do I go next year? Can such 'quality assurance schemes' guarantee that things like that don't happen?
Geoffrey, UK

I was ripped off a few years ago by a garage who preyed on my low level of knowledge of cars and charged me for work that did not need doing. They also advised me to have some 'worn out' parts replaced or my 'wheel would fall off'. These parts had been replaced elsewhere 2 days before! Mysteriously, my starter motor failed whilst the car was with them too. Naturally I complained which resulted in an apology and some free work being done later! Since this happened I have made it my business to learn at every opportunity to at least sound as if I know what I am talking about and I find people are now a little less likely to try and take me for a ride. I always complain if I feel something is wrong and make sure I also compliment when things go well.
Tony Kenny, UK

Too many garages are stuck in the dark ages and have no comprehension of the modern supplier-customer relationship, where customers are treated with respect and not seen simply as prey. The worst of it is that those garages seem utterly untroubled by that fact.
Barry Keating, UK

There should be hardline regulations for all tradesmen, whether repairing cars, building houses, plumbing or whatever. We need a system that cost effectively and legally recognises the rogue trader and stops them trading for a period of two years in the offending area. Although rogues will always move on, it is a start to labelling these parasites.
Steve Wickham, England

My wife and I have both experienced attempts at main dealer garages overcharging. I was charged �30 for fitting two wiper blades on my Honda, fitting should have been free as part of the service. My wife was overcharged by �164 on a Renault Clio service. Refunds were received in both cases. I think Garage rely on customers paying up and not checking their bills. If I had not complained they would have got away with it.
Brian, UK

The only way to stop them ripping you off is to take time off work and watch them carry out the work (I know someone that did this), otherwise I have always used the same garage that the company fleet cars were serviced at - as the threat of removing significant business is enough to keep them honest. If you can't do either then it's a lottery until you find one that you can trust. I also agree that whether it's plumbers or garages or any other service - if they lie or deliberately fail to provide the service paid for then it should be treated as a criminal offence - steal a pensioners handbag for �50 - go to prison - charge a pensioner �5000 for unnecessary work - buy yourself a BMW and keep on doing it
Mark Kellaway, England

Had a car serviced by a national chain of garages and a short while later the breaks failed. We discovered that they hadn't tightened the break fluid lid and all had leaked out. It's not the name it's the man behind the name.
Simon, UK

The problem I have found is the lack of knowledge or skill amongst garage staff, I have had two occasions where I have had a car with an intermittent fault, and in both cases taken it back to the main dealer. They connect up their diagnostic computer, which tells them nothing, so in a vain hope they change parts at random to try and "fix" the fault. Result - large bill and still the same fault ! I have even had a new Mercedes conk out whilst driving it out of the entrance to a main dealer ! The cars are becoming too complicated for the garages, with the result that some faults become too expensive or difficult to fix. Are we going to get to the same situation with cars as with TVs and VCRs, were if it goes wrong after a few years, dispose of it and buy a new one.
David, UK

I would expect Government legislation to regulate garages and the training and competence of fitters because of the safety aspects of car repairs and maintenance. This should not be a license to print money though as the MoT process is! Rip off Britain is already alive and well in the motor industry and if they can't regulate themselves, which they can't, then an independent body should. Say the Consumer Association or the like.
Richard Berridge, England

This government requires that we have MOT's but does not regulate the companies that provide them. We're forced to cough up hard earned cash on the trust of the mechanics yet the government will not ensure we get a fair deal. A voluntary scheme seems wholly inadequate. Are we to assume that the government is condoning the actions of the garages that do not join?
Ellen, UK

Two years ago I had the unfortunate experience of breaking down, the breakdown was the type that left me unable to start the engine. I was recovered to my local main dealer garage where the fun started! I thought things would be fine until I received a phone call from the garage asking them if they could remove the fuel injector unit (�200+ job on a Diesel engine) upon asking why they told me it was because if a jammed �30 fuel valve they needed to change. I challenged them as to why they needed to remove the injector unit and told them to halt the work. Upon checking the Haynes manual I found that the valve could be remove with a simple socket set. Surprising when the final bill came in I was offered a "Discount" on the labour. The moral of this story is get the garage to explain why they are doing stuff that may seem unexpected and check out the validity of their claim. Walking into the garage with the Haynes manual and saying "what, you mean this one spanner job" s! on sorts out the genuine requests from the bogus repairs. Cars are complicated and parts are expensive, a good garage will not mind explaining a little about what they are doing particularly if it makes the customer more confident in their competence.
David Knight, England

The car manufacturers do not help the problem. Modern engines are less serviceable at home, requiring specialist tools to do anything. I used to be able to service my old car - replace the petrol pump, water pump, air filter etc. The only work for a garage was some welding to get the car through the MOT. I wouldn't know where to start with our current vehicles. It leaves us more at the mercy of bad mechanics.
Steve Withers,

Having a "good garage" scheme is all very well and good, but I think the Gov't should also look at policies ostensibly imposed by manufacturers on franchised dealers with regard to warranty work - the attitude to faults on new and nearly new cars seems to be firstly to deny there's a problem, secondly to admit there's a problem "but they all do that, sir", thirdly to make a perfunctory attempt to fix the problem and eventually (maybe) actually to fix it. This cannot be for any other reason than to keep the manufacturer's costs down and make cars appear more reliable than they actually are.
Paul Barley, UK

I never put any car in for a service without a written note of any item I would like investigated, and written instructions to call if any other work is required. I get the service manager to sign a copy of this note, which I keep. He knows that he hasn't got a leg to stand on if there is any dispute, and obviously if he refuses to sign the note, I take the car away immediately. If the garage phones to say that further work is required, tell them that you are recording the conversation. Attitudes change dramatically.
Jonathan Cullen, Scotland

I think this is well over due. My car broke down last year and was told i needed a new gearbox by a well known car dealership and quoted �800 for the work and �80 for the diagnosis. I got a second opinion and the problem was simply a worn wheel bearing, the work was done at a cost of �50. I received my money back for the mis-diagnosis but I believe they never even looked at the car! I presumed I could trust a international car dealership not to rip me off, but obviously not!
Susan, England

It wasn't that long ago that there was a proposed EU directive that only garages would be allowed to maintain cars. The experienced and conscientious amateur such as myself (eg. recent rebuild of diesel injector pump and repair of automatic transmission) would be forced to use the garages that we are now being warned about! Another reason to steer clear of the EU?
Simon Mallett, UK

Why don't the Government introduce a "Name and Shame" policy? In China, if you don't pay your mobile phone bill, your name is printed in the newspaper for all to see and other suppliers to make a note of. I had my Porsche resprayed last year by an approved Porsche body shop. It went back again this year because it wasn't good enough, and it has come back again with faults. Porsche Cars GB have said it's nothing to do with them, they just issue the body shop a contract, I need to take up the problem with the body shop direct. I think car manufacturers should be made more accountable for their 'so-called' approved garages!
Richard Todd, England

I had a problem with a Renault where the immobiliser kept kicking in for no reason, cutting the engine either temporarily or, sometimes, permanently. My usual garage couldn't do the repair and booked the car in to the main dealers. The dealer ended up doing �250 worth of work to replace a bit of wire that cost them about 10p because they had to take out the entire loom to effect the repair. Sometimes it's the design of the car that's the problem, not the mechanic.
Tom Meiklejohn, UK

My wife found herself stranded due to a starter problem. Having arranged a call out to Road Assistance this was confirmed and it was then taken to a local garage. The repair was carried out but it was interesting that the 'Manager' of the unit indicated that really she also wanted a new battery, she could also do with two new tyres and the exhaust system needed to be replaced. He was informed that the battery had only been checked out prior to delivery of the vehicle to the garage and proved ok, the tyres had recently been subject to an MOT and the exhaust system was a new one. The response was that in that case she should take the vehicle back to the garage that carried this work out as they were wrong. I would have loved to have seen his face when he was informed that it was HIS GARAGE that had carried the work out. Presumably if it had not been a female in distress he would not have tried to 'con' us into this unjustified work. Needless to say we have now voted with our feet and all of our family vehicles will no longer be using his garage.
Michael, Leicester, UK

My son had a head gasket changed at a garage in London, 22 thousand miles later the gasket went again. When my garage tried to change the gasket it was found to have been GLUED to the engine which meant a new engine was needed.
Irene O'Reilly, UK

There are garages that only carry out MOT testing, they do not repair or service. The MOT test will tend to be fair and unbiased as the garage does not benefit financially from repair work to an MOT failure. In fact it is cheaper to put a vehicle in for an MOT well in advance, to determine items it will fail on, rectify them yourself or at a local garage, the re-submit to an MOT. That way you avoid being over a barrel with an MOT running out and repairs required - an invitation to be overcharges.
Steve Georgii, England

I have been employed within the motor industry for approximately 20 years. Yes, at times the way traders deal with customer complaints could be better. However, I believe that the vast majority of garages are trying to provide a professional service in very difficult circumstances. It appears that every car owner is a 'mechanic' and expects the service to be completed at unrealistic rates. The days when vehicles could be completely overhauled with no more tools than a pair of pliers and screw driver have long since gone. Vehicles have grown more complicated over the years and the skills required to maintain them more specialised. Yet sadly customers have not yet realised this and still refuse to pay realistic hourly rates. It is somewhat confusing that customers still place more importance on price rather than quality. They will let 'anyone' maintain a vehicle in which they will transport themselves, and other loved ones, over great distance at significant speeds. I believe that vehicle technicians should be licensed to work on vehicles, as say corgi registered plumbers. One standard which is clearly advertised and strictly enforced by one body (such as the Institute of the Motor Industry), if technicians make mistakes their registration should drop a level etc the better they are the higher the level of registration. This information should be clearly marked in the service reception area so prospective customers can compare skill levels and select the technician that they want to repair their car. Customers must be aware that to implement such a system would increase costs, well qualified mechanics would be able to command respectable wages. Is this what consumers want? if so don't complain when you get the invoice for the service.
Andrew Moody, England