Latest Reviews

Kinghams of Croydon
User rating
 
 4.7
Reviewed by C Gibbs
"Original Fourtrak purcased from Kinghams, excellent aftersales service. Consulted Keith when pur..."
A M S Harrow
User rating
 
 1.0
Reviewed by James Tyres
"Joe Harris of AMS in Harrow... Seems fair enough when you first meet him but once he has your car..."
Grosvenor Motors
User rating
 
 4.7
Reviewed by vivien cunningham
"My daughter's car dropped off by RAC tow truck on a Saturday night. Garage dealt with problem on ..."
Kwik-Fit
User rating
 
 1.7
Reviewed by C Knowles
"I've had the misfortune to use this garage once and my ex also used it once. She went in with a K..."
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Looking for the right garage? We offer some advice

When you book your car in for a service, you expect that it will be paid a certain level of attention; after all, the car`s reliability and ultimately your own safety depends on it. However, it can sometimes feel like a lottery when looking for a good garage; you could win the jackpot and receive a professional and thorough service, or you could end up with a service characterized by a cocktail of ineptitude and deceit.

It is a mistake to assume that just because a car holds an MOT it does not need a full service. The MOT test does not cover areas of a vehicle`s mechanical condition that are not related to safety or emissions (important features such as the clutch, gear box or the entire engine are not tested).

It used to be that car manufacturers stipulated that their new cars must be serviced by a franchised (main) dealer in order to protect the warranty. However, following the revised EC Cars Block Exception Regulation which came into force in 2003, this practice is no longer allowed. It is now also a legal requirement that manufacturers must make servicing procedures and parts available to independent garages and not just their own dealers. This regulation allows independent garages to compete on a more equal footing, and opens up more choice for the consumer.

In what is now a more competitive market, it can be hard to tell good garages from bad. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) scheme to approve codes of practice which meet acceptable criteria provides a helpful guide to finding such a garage. Unfortunately, OFT-approved schemes are rare. Try checking if a garage is a member of a trade association, such as the Motor Vehicle Repairers Association (MVRA) or the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA), which have their own strict codes of practice.

Perhaps the most invaluable of all recommendations comes from word-of-mouth. Ask around friends and family; what garage do they use? Such a simple question could pay dividends in the long grass.

Before you approach any garages, take time to identify yourself what exactly it is your car needs. Consult the owners` handbook to find out what service you need and the main tasks required as part of this. Decide what needs changing (engine oil, oil filter, spark plugs etc) and what needs to be checked (brakes, tyres, lights, suspension and so on.) By having an idea of the work that is required on your car, you can be in greater control of the whole servicing process.

The next step is to ring around a shortlist of recommended garages to get quotes for the service which you need -- in pretty much the same fashion as you would when approaching any other element of automotive expenditure such as car insurance comparison. Resist the temptation to accept the first quotation; by playing garages off one another you can save a lot of money. Also don`t make the mistake of choosing a garage simply because it is cheap; if it provides a poor quality service, it`s likely to be a false economy. Ask whether the garage will carry out the service in line with the manufacturer`s procedures, using original parts or those of `equivalent quality`. It`s also advisable to ask the garages at this stage when they can accommodate you, and how long the service will take. Also check if the garage will offer a guarantee or warranty on its work and materials, and consider using a garage that has a recognised complaints procedure. This can prove very useful if the service turns sour.