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car servicing

Car Repair Garages-This is the way forward for car repair garages? ChipsAway in Abingdon puts customers first.

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For the car repair garages to survive they must have modern facilities for their customers.Car Repair Garages

Of course, this is a point I have been making for the past twenty years at least. American tyre repair companies were the first to supply their customers with a reception. Including a decent waiting room. Firstly. this idea was replicated by Scottish entrepreneur Tom Farmer. When he visited American Auto centres. So, on his return home decided that this was the way forward. Implementing the new style reception areas into his early Kwik-fit empire.

Successfully, other Car Repair Garages and tyre centres all over the UK began to copy his style of operation. But many of the Auto Repair Services and car repair garages were too small . Subsequently, half of them were just back street dirty places. As a business model . These smaller operations would not have warranted money spending on them.

Generally though things began to improve

Altogether though it was a huge improvement and many tyre depots and Car Repair Garages where brought into the twentieth century and were fit for motorists to sit in while their car was been repaired, or their tyres were been fitted.

As time went on more and more ladies were taking up driving and the move to step up the facilities in the car repair garages was imminent. The customers wanted a better experience when visiting the garage or tyre depot for work doing on their cars. The main dealer garages started to introduce courtesy cars, to loan to their customers while work was been carried out on their cars, a good idea!

The courtesy car idea became a little tarnished when some of the garages started to charge for their use, or for insurance. I thought this was a negative affect and was not in the spirit of the idea. We at Pellon Tyres and Autocentre in Halifax UK provide courtesy cars for our customers, mainly because we are about two miles out of the town centre, and it allows our customers to go shopping or to work, while their car is been repaired.

Coffee machines and TV sets were added to receptions

Many of the switched on Car Service Garages offer their clients  a free coffee machine in their reception. As well as a TV and up-to-date magazines for their entertainment. While they are waiting for a Car Repairs or an MOT or a tyre fitting. In my opinion this is what today’s modern consumer wants, this coupled with the fact that as I have said earlier, many of our customers are now ladies and they do not want to turn up to a dirty old Car repair garages in their nice clean clothes.

So this standard is the way forward and any garage or tyre fitting station that does not have customer facilities will fall behind and eventually perish.  

Pellon tyre online tyres and car repairing servicing

Right to Repair Law- Could Brexit Affect our Right to repair Laws?

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Right to Repair Law

Right to Repair Law; The European unions block exemption rules regarding “garage servicing” came up for revue in May 2010.

The reform was all about setting new rules to take into account the intensity of competition on the markets for the distribution of motor vehicles and spare parts. Also for the provision of repair and maintenance services. It covers cars, trucks and buses, and all types of garage small or large.

The Commission found that competition in the market for the sale of new vehicles is strong. In this light, the current sector-specific rules create an unnecessary straitjacket that prevents

car manufacturers from organising their distribution systems as they see fit. The European Commission has therefore aligned the rules applicable to motor vehicle distribution. This applies with those that apply to distribution agreements in other sectors but with a three-year transition period to allow dealers to adapt to the new measures.

Right to Repair Law

Competition on the markets for repair and maintenance and for spare parts distribution is less intense. This is a risk to consumers who may be harmed by anti-competitive practices. This could push up Car Repair Costs when Servicing a Car. The garage Repair and maintenance industry is very important for consumers. Not only for reasons of safety and reliability. But also because repair bills account for 40% of the total cost to car owners. Unlike car prices, the cost of the average repair job and  servicing has actually risen over the past years.

Consumers are feeling the effect of rising repair bills. This also includes  servicing costs during the present crisis. They are more price-sensitive and drive older vehicles that require more regular maintenance. The EU Commission has put in place a tougher regime for these markets. They will make it easier to enforce the rules. Particular problematic issues include holding back technical information and not releasing spare parts, and refusing to honour warranties when consumers have their cars repaired at independent garage servicing facilities.

Independent garages and repairers such as Pellonautocentre are important because they give more choice to consumers. This helps to keep the price of  servicing and repairs competitive by putting pressure due to competitive pricing against main dealers. Also to  authorized repair networks. But for this to happen it is essential that garages can get the technical information necessary to do the repairs and carry out the work on increasingly sophisticated cars with increasing amounts of technology.

Right to Repair Law

Withholding “technical information” will be dealt with directly under the EU Treaty rules on restrictive business practices (Article 101) since. The manufacturers , spare parts and repair shops generally have a larger market share in excess of 30%. In addition, Guidelines also being brought in contain detailed clarifications. As to the notion of technical information, cross-referring to Regulation 715/2007 on type approval of certain cars and all subsequent implementing regulations.

New rules will assure that garage servicing companies have access to technical information for models which are type-approved after 1 September 2009. By making a clear link with the 2007 car type-approvals Regulation. The EU Commission will ensure both consistency as regards access to technical information. For cars put in circulation before that date and allow the presentation of technical information to evolve and continue in line with technical progress.

The EU Commission remains committed to vigorously enforce the rules on access to technical information. This was demonstrated in four cases brought in 2007. This was to ensure that car manufacturers disclose the necessary information to independent repairers and garage servicing facilities. Garages the likes of Pellonautocentre.in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

Right to Repair Law

By strengthening the enforcement of competition rules. Including the garage servicing sector and maintenance and spare parts markets. These new laws will contribute to creating a level playing field between car manufacturers and spare part producers and garage servicing.  Thus contribute to lower prices for spare parts. This has to be very good news for the garage servicing , garage repair and spare parts industry. This result must give great pride. To all the different groups and individuals that spent hard earned money lobbying and writing to their EU and local MPs. These new laws are similar to the “right to repair” laws in the USA.

The new “Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation“,  will continue to help lower the cost of” GARAGE SERVICING” for 13 years until 2023.

The EU Commission will constantly monitor the situation in the markets for motor vehicle and spare parts distribution, as well as in the market for the provision of repair and maintenance services including garage servicing companies. The EU Commission will also monitor the application of the Regulation, in cooperation with National Competition Authorities and stakeholders. Once again the UK garage and motor industry can continue to work hard and give the public the service and competitive pricing they deserve.

Pellon Tyre and Autocentre thinks that the Right to Repair Law, coming from the EU will be kept when our government decides on which legislation to keep and throw out.