Tag Archives: OFT

With or without the OFT?

The Office of Fair Trading’s future is uncertain and may affect Consumer Codes Approval Schemes. A cost cutting proposal in a Government Green Paper is to suggest the merger of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and The Competition Commission. … Continue reading

Posted in women | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

The used car shopping game

Most women know there is a 50% chance of buying a bad car when they go shopping for a secondhand one even when it shines so appealingly on a dealership showroom forecourt. But who of us has heard of Akerlof’s … Continue reading

Posted in buying a new car, car dealerships | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

BBC Watchdog Kwik-Fit mauling good for garage future

Oh dear. Kwik-Fit took a mauling from BBC Watchdog last night. As Annie put it, for their dishonesty and negligence. After the disappointing Which? garage findings so recently isn’t it time that the bad businesses are named and shamed so … Continue reading

Posted in garage services | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Which? garages vs car dealerships

The recent Which? undercover garage investigation turned up a few surprises for me, mainly to do with the cost of servicing cars. Not the findings that some 90% of garages missed at least one of the potentially dangerous faults on … Continue reading

Posted in garage services | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Are more measurably good garages on the horizon?

I was interested to read in Motor Trader that the Motor Codes Scheme is close to second stage OFT full approval for their service and repair code. But is this in all motorists best interests? I have my doubts unless … Continue reading

Posted in female friendly garages, garage services | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Electrician in York sees the light…

It’s good to see that Yorkshire Trading Standards has fined a tradesman nearly £2000 as a result of his passing himself off as a member of a trade association, implying professional conduct that wasn’t the case. I’d like to see … Continue reading

Posted in garage services, women drivers | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Which car dealers are ripping off women drivers?

According to Which? Car, franchised car dealers are taking male and female customers to the cleaners by not being clear about how much interest they’ll pay when they arrange car finance. One assumes these dealerships aren’t FOXY Choice subscribers who … Continue reading

Posted in buying a new car, car dealerships, women drivers | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Is the industry motor code working?

Within the Club and on some trade websites we still hear of and read about stories where MOT centres are selling top of the range servicing packages and ‘strongly recommending’ the likes of new tyres, when neither may be needed … Continue reading

Posted in garage services | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

One in 5 car dealers unhelpful

I’ve just heard a spokesman for the OFT on the Radio 4 Today programme telling us that one in 5 used car sales result in a complaint (plus the ones that are browbeaten into submission) and how many of the … Continue reading

Posted in buying a new car, car dealerships, women drivers | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Is the garage Motor Code good enough?

Believe it or not, FOXY is a supporter of the Motor Codes (service and repair) garage code within the trade but we do not think it is ready to promote to the general public even after 15 months. Certainly we … Continue reading

Posted in garage services | Tagged , , , | Comments Off