Independent Garages Increasingly Popular with New Car Owners

According to recent research by Trust My Garage, owners of new cars are increasingly turning to independent garages for servicing and repair work.

The countrywide independent garage scheme carried out a straw poll of 100 motorists from throughout the UK and found a direct correlation between the number of new cars on the road and the amount of people using an independent garage. Only 16 per cent of respondents owned a car more than 10 years old and a staggering 67% of motorists take their vehicle to an independent garage instead of a main dealer.

Just 31 per cent of motorists said that they take their vehicle to a main dealer garage, with three per cent stating they didn’t know whether their garage was independent or part of a larger franchise. Almost half (45%) of motorists polled said that their car was between five and ten years old and 39 per cent of motorists had bought their car within the last five years.

Under European law, Block Exemption Regulations mean that motorists are no longer forced to visit a main dealer garage with their new car but have the right to have their vehicle serviced, maintained and repaired at an independent garage of their choice, without invalidating the warranty. There are a number of reasons why motorists might choose an independent garage over a main dealer for their vehicle servicing, typically including lower prices, a more personal service and a desire to help support local businesses.

Terry Gibson from Trust My Garage is delighted that owners of new cars are turning to independent garages and assures motorists that independent garages have the same standards of quality, skills and expertise as main dealers.

“There are thousands of quality independent garages that are perfectly competent to service newly manufactured cars. They have full access to manufacturer information and operate equipment and tools that can analyse faults on your vehicle and with quality parts and trained staff, independent garages are able to offer you safe and clean mobility throughout the entire life cycle of your car.

“Taking your brand new car to an independent garage will not invalidate your warranty as long as the garage services the vehicle according to the manufacturer’s schedule using parts which are of ‘equivalent quality’. It is fantastic that motorists are putting their trust in independent garages and that this confidence in them is being paid off,” he said.