Tuesday 22 May 2012

Prestige car owners turn to The Good Garage Scheme

Owners of high-end vehicle marques are increasingly turning to independent specialist garages for care and servicing, according to the UK-wide Good Garage Scheme.
BMW service, Good Garage Scheme
Prestige marques BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar all make the top ten list of car manufacturer searches carried out by visitors to the Good Garage Scheme website, www.goodgaragescheme.com. Once again, popular vehicle model Ford tops the list, closely followed by BMW and Volkswagen in second and third place respectively.
The research aimed to highlight that motorists are looking to have their quality vehicles serviced by a specialist independent garage rather than taking it to a main dealer.  Over a recent three-month period, a total of 54 different marques were searched by over 2,900 motorists looking for a specialist independent garage.
The top 10 car manufacturers searched on the Good Garage Scheme website are:
  1. Ford
  2. BMW
  3. Volkswagen
  4. Vauxhall
  5. Audi
  6. Renault
  7. Mercedes
  8. Peugeot
  9. Jaguar
  10. Land Rover

 
Motorists visiting the website can find their nearest Good Garage Scheme member and refine their searches to identify those who have expertise in specific makes of vehicle.

Anndi Sheppard, Good Garage Scheme marketing manager, said: “Our research shows that a typical visitor to the Good Garage Scheme website will look for a local garage that services their particular make of car. Good Garage Scheme members specialise in custom model vehicles as well as servicing the more common marques. Our survey shows that motorists are recognising the specialist care and attention our members can dedicate to cars of all models.
“Our website provides motorists with the ideal tool to find their nearest independent garages quickly and efficiently. This is enhanced by being able to refine searches to find expertise in specific makes and models.”


To find a local Good Garage Scheme member to service your car, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com. It's like having a friend in the know!

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Are you prepared for a puncture?

Recent research conducted on behalf of Kwik Fit, has led to some startling discoveries.

A puncture to a car tyre while on the road could see as many as a quarter of a million vehicles stranded within the next year alone, as an estimated 26% of the UK's 8.8 million motorists suffer this fate annually.

This is borne out of some shocking statistics and motorist confusion:
  •     3% have no provision at all for a flat tyre
  •     4% are not sure they have a spare wheel
  •     10% of those carrying a spare say they don’t have the necessary tools in their car to change it
  •     36% have the tools but admit they don’t know how to use them
  •     6% have neither the equipment nor knowledge to get a new wheel on

The Good Garage Scheme advises all motorists to check the conditions of their tyres regularly and visit a local member garage if they are in any doubt about their condition. 

Take the 20p tyre test:

•    Find a 20p coin. The “border” around the outside of the face on the head side of the coin is exactly 1.6 millimetres – which is the minimum legal requirement for the depth of tread on your tyres.

•    Place the 20p coin into the grooves of your tyre tread and if it covers the rim of the coin – your tyres are OK. Make sure you check all the way and look out for any areas which look more heavily worn.

If the grooves are worn, or slightly below the 20p rim – you should  have them checked at your Good Garage Scheme member garage for peace of mind. Any member garage would be happy to check the spare tyre as well.

To find your local Good Garage Scheme member garage, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Wet Weather Driving Advice from the Good Garage Scheme

The BBC has issued warnings of more wet weather to come and with that the increased risk of localised flooding.
 
With this in mind, the Good Garage Scheme urges motorists to take extra care on the roads and would like to offer the following tips for safe driving in wet weather.

  • Keep a safe distance from the vehicles ahead and be ready to brake earlier than normal.
  • Avoid driving through flooded areas, but if you do need to drive through water, use first  gear and make sure your brakes are working well once you have come through.  If you are in any doubt, don’t drive any further.
  • If you can’t tell how deep the water is ahead of you, find an alternative route.
  • Aquaplaning is what occurs when a vehicle’s tyres come into contact with a layer of water instead of the surface of road, leaving a driver without control of the steering, acceleration or braking. To avoid the dangers of aquaplaning, slow down near water on the road and do not brake hard or turn the steering suddenly.
  • Check your tyres before travelling and make sure your mobile phone is fully charged.

If you are in any doubt as to whether your tyres are up to the challenges of the wet weather, please contact your local Good Garage Scheme member at www.GoodGarageScheme.com