autoevolution
 

UK Motorists Fear Garage Practices, Prefer To Drive With Faults

Are there too many cars on the road these days that develop so many problems they determine mechanics carry out fast, lousy repair jobs? Can’t really find an answer to that right now, but truth is UK drivers, at least, fear going to a repair shop and prefer to carry on using their faulty cars.
Car mechanic 1 photo
Photo: IMI
According to a Brake and Direct Line study, almost half of the people they surveyed admitted to driving with at least one risky vehicle problem. Professional association for individuals working in the motor industry (IMI) believes these fears are coming from customers being over-charged or given poor service.

About 26 percent of motorists surveyed by IMI in 2014 said they would’t feel OK challenging a bill due to the technical jargon used, while 1 out of 10 hate going to a garage because they feel disrespected by the employees.

“Our research suggests that the majority of motorists choose a garage or mechanic without sufficient information to verify their competence to do the job,” IMI CEO Steve Nash said. “The proliferation of hybrid vehicles and complex driver assist systems has already increased the skills requirements for effective and safe working on modern vehicles. But currently there is no industry-wide license in place to ensure service technicians are properly qualified.”

To solve the problem, the plan is to ask the Government enforce a mandatory License to Practice for the motor trade as there are around 148,000 mechanics whose skills and competence cannot be verified. A licensing template already exists through the IMI Accreditation and could be used for near future implementation.

Until then, our only advice is for drivers to get their cars fixed and serviced at licensed dealership shops. It is a bit more expensive, but at least they can stay worry-free.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories