Safe Summer Driving with a Holiday Check

Is your car ready for your summer holiday?  Our research has found that 55% of holidaymakers this year will be cutting costs by holidaying at home.  However, very few motorists have considered the effect a breakdown could have on their staycation.

 
According to further research by the Good Garage Scheme, 58% of British holidaymakers will not have their cars checked before heading out on the road this summer, which means thousands of motorists could be putting their lives at risk by travelling in cars that are unfit and dangerous.
 
To help avoid a costly breakdown during a summer getaway, there are a number of checks you can make to ensure you don’t miss out on a great holiday because your car has let you down.
 

• Tyres – look after your tyres and they will look after you. Ensure correct pressure to cope with increased weight of luggage and passengers. Check treads are legal to keep a firm grip on the road – they are the link between you and the road!
• Oil and Fluids – check, top up and change oil and coolant if needed to ensure a smooth running car and prevent engines overheating.
• Washers and wipers – they can take a hammering over the winter so check and see if wiper blades need replacing.
• Brakes – listen for excessive noise from brakes and have the discs and pads checked for excessive wear. Motorists can get used to driving with worn brakes without realising the danger. It’s essential to check them regularly.
• Air conditioning – check for a bad smell such as a dirty sock smell that may indicate harmful mould and bacteria in the air conditioning ducts which can cause flu-like symptoms.

Still unsure if your car is fit to travel?
Proper preparation will give you the peace of mind that your car is in the best possible condition before you head off on your ‘staycation’.  To enable drivers to have their cars checked before their holiday starts, the Good Garage Scheme has launched a comprehensive 21-point Holiday Check.
 
The 21-point Holiday Check includes:

• Air conditioning operation and cabin comfort
• Fluid levels
• Lights and wipers
• Tyres and exhaust

Simply visit www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/holiday_check to find a garage near you to check your car before you set off.

Don't forget to download our award-winning app
The Good Garage Scheme app is an ideal travelling companion to have when driving on holiday. Voted App of the Week recently by AutoExpress and cited as one of the best motoring apps of the year by The Sunday Times, it allows you to pinpoint your local Good Garage Scheme member on the move, from anywhere in the UK.  It’s like having a friend in the know! Click here to download our free app.

Lights, Camera, Action at Lawlor Motor Company

Long-standing Good Garage Scheme member, Lawlor Motor Company in Newcastle-upon-Tyne were only too happy to help when we asked to film our latest national television advertising campaign at their premises. 

Photo courtesy of Lawlor Motor Company

Photo courtesy of Lawlor Motor Company

We are grateful to the team at Lawlor Motor Company for taking time during a cold February day of filming and especially to owner, John Lawlor - quite the natural film star!

The Good Garage Scheme advert is currently appearing on SKY TV during June and you can see John alongside our newly named animated character, Miles Better.

Many thanks again to John and all of the team at Lawlor Motor Company. For more photos of the making of the advert, visit Lawlor Motor Company's Facebook page.

Click here to see the Good Garage Scheme's TV advert currently running on Sky TV.

Say Hello to Miles Better

Thank you to all who participated in our “Name Our Star” competition.
 
We invited all Good Garage Scheme members, staff and our followers on Facebook and Twitter to come up with a name for the new star of our TV advertising campaign. We had some great suggestions including Gary Toogood, Frank, Carter Fix, Harry,  Mike the Mechanic and even a Tarquin, but the popular choice was Miles Better.

Congratulations to Heidi Twigg, whose husband owns MT Cars Ltd in Whittlesey. MT Cars has been a member of the Good Garage Scheme since 2007 and has a five star feedback rating. Heidi came up with the name and won a free tank of fuel for her creative name.

Colin Austen presents cheque to Heidi Twigg.  Also in photo: Mark Twigg, Chris Simpson and Kim Vawser

Miles Better will next appear on SKY television in June during the Good Garage Scheme's next national television campaign helping to spread the message, "It's like having a friend in the know!"

Follow Miles on Facebook here and also on Twitter: @MilesBetter_GGS

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.

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!

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

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. 

Lorraine Kelly Competition is Win-Win!

A chance competition entry in At Home With Lorraine Kelly, Lorraine Kelly’s online magazine, has won a lucky Nottingham-based motorist an iPod Touch and introduced him to his local Good Garage Scheme member garage.

Rachel Greasby, General Manager of the Good Garage Scheme presents prize to Chris Veevers at Professional Vehicle Servicing in Nottingham. (Left to right: Richard Craven, Rachel Greasby, Chris Veevers, Richard Conduit)

Chris Veevers isn’t the sort of person who regularly enters online competitions but upon seeing the prize, decided to give it a go. To his surprise, Chris was chosen over 8,000 entrants as the winner and was awarded with his prize at his local Good Garage Scheme member garage, Professional Vehicle Servicing in Nottingham.

“An iPod Touch is an expensive piece of equipment so it’s probably not something I would buy myself. Since winning one though, it has become a frequently used possession. I use it to surf the web at home and have downloaded quite a few apps. I also use it to access the Good Garage Scheme Facebook page and stay up to date with their most rated garages and driving tips.”

As well as winning an iPod Touch, the competition also served to familiarise Chris with the Good Garage Scheme. “I didn’t know much about the Good Garage Scheme before I entered this competition, but I know a lot more now and regularly visit their website. As a motorist, I find their driving tips very handy. I also like their member feedback system. It’s one thing listening to a garage telling you how great they are, but when you see the feedback from other customers you actually believe it for yourself. Since winning this competition I am definitely more familiar with the Good Garage Scheme and plan on using Professional Vehicle Servicing in the future.” 

Professional Vehicle Servcing, Nottingham

Anndi Sheppard, Marketing Manager for the Good Garage Scheme commented: “I am delighted that over 8,000 people have been introduced to the Good Garage Scheme through Lorraine Kelly’s popular magazine and that Mr Veevers now knows where he can take his car the next time he needs a service or repair.”

To find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode or town name. It’s like having a friend in the know!