Is Your Car Ready for the School Run?

The Good Garage Scheme are encouraging motorists to book their vehicles in for a thorough check up and service before the school term starts again.

The end of the summer holidays is fast approaching and many families will be getting ready to go back to school at the start of September. This means getting prepared for the twice daily school run, increased traffic on the roads and the pressure of being out of the house promptly in the mornings.

With the chaos of sorting out uniforms, PE kits and labelling school books to worry about, having car problems is an additional complication most people can do without. Booking in for a car service now with a Good Garage Scheme member will give you peace of mind that your vehicle is safe and in good condition ready for the regular trips to and from school.

The hot conditions of the summer roads and increased mileage incurred during summer holidays and day trips all contribute to vehicle wear and tear. The start of the school term provides the perfect opportunity to get your car checked for any damage caused by your summer journeys. When visiting a Good Garage Scheme member your car will also be subject to a vehicle checklist and undergo vital maintenance on lights, wipers and air conditioning systems.

Good Garage Scheme members follow a strict code of conduct, which provides peace of mind for customers as it ensures you are notified before any work is undertaken and that any parts replaced during service or repair are available for inspection. Members also adhere to a service checklist and will give customers a copy of that completed checklist as confirmation of a job well done.

It is easy to find a Good Garage Scheme member in your area, simply visit our website www.goodgaragescheme.com and enter your postcode or town name to find a garage that is local to you. You can also download our free app so wherever you are in the UK, a garage you trust will never be far away.

Enjoy peace of mind today before the back to school madness. Visit our website or contact your local Good Garage Scheme member for more information.

Come Fly With Me

Road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM) is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger.

This week, he is advising on getting to the airport safely for your summer holiday.

• Check your vehicle thoroughly before the big day, including fluid levels, tyres, mirrors and windows – you’ll be on a tight schedule on the day, so the last thing you need is a breakdown.
• Your luggage should be packed into the boot of your vehicle. If you do need to put some belongings on the back seats, make sure they do not obstruct your view out of the rear window and secure them in place before setting off.
• Leave in plenty of time – if you feel rushed on your way to the airport then you are likely to make silly mistakes or even creep over the speed limit.
• Plan your route to the airport the day before and check travel reports for any disruption or road closures before you set off.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before you travel to ensure you’re alert from the very beginning of the journey. And if you have to travel a good distance to get to the airport, leave enough time to schedule in a rest stop to fight the onset of fatigue.
• Park carefully at the airport. Try to find an area which is not too crowded – the fewer cars around you, the less chance there is of someone clipping your vehicle with their luggage.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “The last thing you need on the day you start your holiday is unwanted stress from a lack of preparation and a shortage of time. Preparing yourself and your vehicle before the big day and setting off nice and early will remove the obstacles to you taking full advantage of Duty Free. Enjoy your holiday.”

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the IAM for this weeks contribution.

For peace of mind, why not take your vehicle to a Good Garage Scheme member garage for a final check before you set off on holiday and download the free app. Wherever you travel in the UK, you can easily find a garage you can trust.

Tiff Needell Promotes Good Garage Scheme

We had a great day yesterday recording our Good Garage Scheme radio campaign with British racing driver and well-known television presenter, Tiff Needell.

Tiff Needell in London studio records radio campaign for Good Garage Scheme

Tiff spoke with various radio stations including BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Newcastle and Moorlands Radio in Staffordshire to name a few about the importance of servicing cars before heading off on a long-awaited family summer holiday.

Good Garage Scheme members offering the Holiday Check will check your car to ensure your tyres, brakes, wipers and lights are all up to the challenges of summer heat, extra passengers and luggage.

One item that even Tiff was surprised about was the danger of bacteria lurking in air conditioning systems unused over the winter months. Good Garage Scheme members can offer a steriliser and deodoriser treatment to create a freshened passenger cabin space.

Many thanks once again to Mr Tiff Needell for helping the Good Garage Scheme promote the importance of a Good Garage Scheme Holiday Check.

The Good Garage Scheme - it's like having a friend in the know!

Tiff Needell Working with Good Garage Scheme

Photo courtesy of Tiff Needell

Tiff Needell, British racing driver and television presenter, is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear. Before he sets off on another race or television film set, his next starring role will be as spokesperson for the Good Garage Scheme's Holiday Check Radio campaign in June.
Good Garage Scheme members offering a Holiday Check will be making sure cars are ready for family holidays, extra luggage and pulling caravans.
They will also check the air conditioning system to ensure a healthy cabin for the driver and passengers.

The radio campaign is set for the 19th June to coincide with the first official weekend of summer.

Click here for more information about the Good Garage Scheme's Holiday Check.

It's like having a friend in the know!

Good Garage Scheme Features in Tastes So Good

The Good Garage Scheme is proud to appear in the Spring Edition of Tastes So Good magazine available at major supermarkets across the UK. Customers will be able to spot our logo on the front cover of the magazine free to shoppers at TESCO, Morrisons, ASDA and Sainsbury's.

The article features advice on the Good Garage Scheme's Spring Check which runs until the end of May and invites motorists to use the free voucher to enter a prize draw with a chance to win back the cost of a service or repair at a Good Garage Scheme member garage.

A reminder of what the Good Garage Scheme has to offer motorists:

• Over 645,000 customer feedbacks
• Your vehicle serviced to a 50-point checklist
• 2300+ members across the UK
• Free conciliation service
• All work and costs agreed

For useful motoring information and to find a garage you can trust visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com.

It's like having a friend in the know.

Hands-free Calls at the Wheel on the Rise

Brake, the road safety charity is renewing its call to ban hands-free kits, as its recent survey reveals that almost half (45%) of drivers admit to chatting when driving. While the use of hand-held phones by drivers has dropped, hands-free use has risen, likely to be linked to the mistaken belief that it is a safe alternative.

While the number of motorists who admit to talking on a hand-held phone when driving has dropped, hands-free use has risen by 16% in the last eight years.

Brake believes that the lack of a total ban has left many drivers unaware that using a mobile hands-free at the wheel is just as risky as using one hand-held.


It is the distraction of the conversation that causes the danger. Studies have shown the risk of being in a crash that causes injury is increased four times for drivers on both hand-held and hands-free phones with reactions 30% slower than driving at the UK drink drive limit, and 50% slower than under normal conditions.

Brake and Direct Line's survey also found that texting at the wheel is a widespread menace, with 30% of all drivers admitting sending or reading messages while driving, and an even higher proportion of young drivers (age 18-24) doing so.

Brake's advice to motorists:

Using a phone and driving is a deadly combination and no call or message is ever worth a life. Drivers should put phones out of sight, earshot and reach when driving to avoid temptation, ideally in the boot. On long journeys, take regular breaks and use these to check messages or make calls.
Hands-free is a not a safe option; it's just as dangerous as using a mobile hand-held because of the mental distraction of the call.
Everyone can make a difference by refusing to speak to someone on the phone who's driving; politely but quickly end the call if they're at the wheel – it could save their life.

Follow Brake on Twitter:  @BrakeCharity

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the road safety charity, Brake, for its contribution to this week's blog. For more information about the work that Brake do and further results of the survey related to this article, please click here.

Collecting Your Car After a Service

All Good Garage Scheme members promise to perform services to a strict Code of Conduct and will always have a customer’s best interests at heart.

The fifth item on the Good Garage Scheme's Code of Conduct states the garage must “… make parts replaced during service or repair available for inspection by the customer.”
Any reputable garage should do this anyway, but motorists visiting a Good Garage Scheme can be assured that they will be treated fairly.

If you wish to see any parts that have been replaced during a service or repair, it is your right to ask and the Good Garage Scheme member’s duty to show the parts. It is all about building a relationship with the garage. After all, you are entrusting them with one of the most expensive items you own.

You will receive a checklist for work carried out as proof of a job well done and have the opportunity to fill in a feedback card or online feedback following your experience.

There are over 643,000 feedback entries on the Good Garage Scheme website offering consumer choice when looking for a garage you can trust. Visit the Good Garage Scheme’s website at http://www.goodgaragescheme.com and find a garage near you.