Unique Gloucestershire March 2016

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5 THINGS TO DO IF YOUR CAR
BREAKS DOWN!
Where would we be without cars? Probably on a bus or walking with puddle
soaked jeans, a soggy fur hood and a face dripping with the beautiful British rain
water. When cars go wrong other arrangements have to be made for the school
run or our daily commute. Don’t panic! Here are 5 handy hints of what to look out
for when you are in need of car repairs.
3.How qualified is the person working on your car? You wouldn’t have plastic surgery
done by a hairdresser, so why do so many trust a mate to pull apart and reassemble
a complex machine which has the ability to reach speeds of 100mph+ and that
carries the most precious cargo (your loved ones) to save them a bit of cash? You
should look for a fully qualified mechanic, someone who has been trained to level
3 to undertake any major repairs to your vehicle. Also get to know your garage or
mechanic. Where did they do their apprenticeship? Do they specialise in anything in
particular? Do they sub out any jobs? This will give you an idea of skill and is also a
good way to build rapport with someone who is looking after your safety.
1. Google! Use the internet for a list of recommended businesses in your area.
Remember that lots of websites which claim to offer you “trusted traders”
normally list paying businesses so these are not always the best place to look.
Search the local area on maps, find a couple of options, then investigate like
inspector Morse! WhoDoYou and WhoCanFixMyCar are websites that pick up
on social media reviews and have genuine feedback from customers of garages.
Feedback and reviews are so important, look for words like honest and charged
me less than quoted. This shows that the garage isn’t quoting unnecessary work
and trying to save customers money. Do remember that not everyone can be
pleased and jobs overrun so some feedback may be negative but it’s okay, see
how the garage has responded to this type of feedback. You don’t want to be
dealing with an aggressive or intimidating business owner… especially when they
have the keys to your car.
2. Is the garage insured? So many mobile mechanics and garages are operating
without insurances like public liability, fully comprehensive motor trade insurance
and service indemnity insurance. These protect you and the garage in the event
of any damage or harm caused to your vehicle or you. This includes during and
after your car has been in the care of the garage. Service indemnity is a cover
should a wheel not be refitted properly causing an accident, if a garage has this in
place they almost certainly have legal cover, this means any damages caused can
be recuperated without a business liquidizing itself and reopening under a new
name. Leaving you injured, car-less and out of pocket. To find out if a garage is
insured, just ask!
4. Check for warranty! All parts from major suppliers come with 12 months warranty
and will credit the garage for any additional works required should a part fail.
Remember that these things can happen, so ask the garage about their parts and
labour warranty terms. Always go back to your garage first, don’t get someone else
to check as it may invalidate your warranty and will cost you more to have put right.
If you have chosen your garage/mechanic wisely you should have faith that it will be
rectified at no additional cost to you.
5. Always book direct – if you use referral or comparison websites remember that
they charge garages commission to receive work. This cost usually gets passed to
the customer. It may be up to 10% of the job price so by all means shop around for
quotes but save yourself some money and go direct.
When you find a garage/mechanic that you feel comfortable with, stay with them.
They will look after you and know your vehicle history so problems are diagnosed
more quickly and genuine advice is given more freely. Remember that main dealers
and large franchises aren’t always best as they employ people on minimum wage
and use “up-sell” techniques, unfortunately certain people can become targets for
unnecessary work. Also cheapest isn’t always best. Remember that you are paying
for the labour, knowledge & skill, quality of the parts used which have the warranty
attached and the insurance to protect you from further expense. Big garages with
lots of staff have larger overheads, small independents tend to have lower hourly
rates thus saving you money on big jobs like clutch changes
Kayleigh Trigg Features Editor