A recent survey carried out by Experian looked at the perceived differences to do with garages and dealerships carrying out car servicing on new and used cars.
Whilst the survey didn’t say whether the sample included women drivers, the two most important concerns recorded were quality of workmanship and price/value for money which ties in with FOXY findings.
Sixty four per cent of used car owners would go to a local garage to get their car serviced, compared to just 23% of new car owners.
Meanwhile, just over half (51%) of new car owners would prefer to use the dealer they bought their car from, compared to 13% of used car owners.
Understandably the older the car the more budget conscious the motorist and perhaps some still question whether they can use an independent garage whilst their nearly new car is still under manufacturer warranty.
However a cheap price will be a false economy if corners have been cut although, at the opposite end of the perceived price scale, the new Motor Industry Service and Repair Code is actively albeit inadvertently promoting franchised dealers because so few independents have signed up to the minimum standard.
The perception is that franchised dealers are always more expensive than independents; most are but some aren’t depending on the job in hand.
On reflection the industry should do more to help motorists understand their garage choices because a recession is when women, in particular, are more likely to shop around for big ticket expenses like garage services. They are looking for a value for money formula calculating the likes of price, quality of workmanship, cleanliness, welcome and customer services.
In future years I imagine that women will factor in female friendly garages to their decision making, knowing that FOXY-listed businesses observe the female friendly FOXY Promise.
FOXY Steph
Hello there Steph,
interesting article but just wanted to put the record straight about the aims of the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. We are very keen that all garages subscribe to the Code – independents and franchised. In fact it is important for as many independents as possible sign up to this consumer-focussed initiative.
If your local garage is not yet a Code subscriber, then please encourage it to visit our website http://www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk to obtain subscription deatils (£75 a year). The website also has a handy garage-finder facility for motorists – just put in your post code to find the nearest subscribing garages.
Developed and launched to respond to concerns over pricing, quality of work and customer service, the new industry code of practice offers motorists:
• an online search facility allowing consumers to locate their nearest subscribing garage
• a free consumer advice line (0800 692 0825)
• free conciliation and low cost, legally binding arbitration
More than 5,000 garages in the UK have now subscribed to the Code which is currently progressing through the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Consumer Codes Approval Scheme and has completed the first stage of the OFT’s code approval process.
Thanks for popping in John.
As you know, FOXY supports the Motor Industry Code where we can – we highlight MISRC subscribers in our female friendly FOXY Choice entries and are using your banner ads to raise awareness of this initiative within the trade.
Anyway enough of this free advertising on my blog!
My point is to do with price dissonance for motorists. For example, were I to use your reassuring website to find a local garage to service my car there aren’t any independents near me, including the towns of Worthing, Horsham or Lewes (and only one in Brighton). So I either go to my nearest garage hoping it’s OK or I go to a Motor Code recommended dealership, to be on the safe side.
Assuming the latter and that I am living on a tight budget and driving an elderly car (like most of us), cost is clearly a critical factor. Chances are, I’d end up paying quite a bit more at a dealership than I would have done at a leading independent. I imagine I’d realise this come the bill and feel I’d been unfairly overcharged, as many motorists do in this industry.
That’s the potential detriment as things stand – send the wrong motorist to the wrong garage solution and she’ll be unhappy and tell her friends. She may or may not complain at the time, despite the swift service offered, because it’s often less stressful to simply go elsewhere in future.
None of this is the dealership’s fault of course because there are many motorists who will actively court their service levels. It’s just unfortunate that in this instance the customer and the dealership will be unhappy with each other because few motorists fully understand their garage choices and what is included.
Why do you think so few independents have signed up to the Motor Code yet and do you see this ratio changing soon?