Friday, 25 November 2016

Tiff Needell Promotes Winter Checks

Tiff Needell in the studio for Good Garage Scheme
Former British racing driver and Fifth Gear presenter, Tiff Needell was in the studio last week promoting the Good Garage Scheme's Winter Check, encouraging motorists to have their cars checked so they are prepared for the weather ahead.

Tyre safety was one of the key messages. 1.6 mm is the legal limit, although 2.0mm tread is legal, you will have less grip.

Tiff also mentioned survey information from the Good Garage Scheme which showed that many drivers are delaying car servicing because of the cost and this is a false economy. He highlighted the new budgeting tool from the Good Garage Scheme in their new Service Plans.

If you would like to book a Winter Check or find out more information about spreading the cost of your car servicing and MOT, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com.


Monday, 21 November 2016

Make the BRAKE Pledge

We're Getting involved in Road Safety WeekThe Good Garage Scheme, along with thousands of organisations, schools and community groups will be backing this year's Make the Brake Pledge campaign during Road Safety Week running from 21st - 27th November this year.

Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest road safety event and is coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity. The Make the Brake Pledge, is about people all over the country understanding six key things they can do to protect themselves and the people around them, and reduce emissions and pollution from vehicles. 


Braker Road Safety Campaign Poster 2016


Every day, five people are killed and more than 60 people are seriously injured on UK roads..

Brake is asking everyone to help end this needless suffering by spreading the word in Road Safety Week about the life-saving importance of the Pledge.

Find out more about Road Safety Week and the Brake Pledge.

Brake the road safety charity logoTweet your support: @Brakecharity, #RoadSafetyWeek, #brakepledge.

Brake was founded in the UK in 1995, and now has domestic operations in the UK and New Zealand, and works globally to promote action on road safety.
For more information about Brake, visit www.brake.org.uk

Friday, 4 November 2016

Wild with Fireworks

The Good Garage Scheme shares this week's tips from IAM Roadsmart's head of driving, Richard Gladman ahead of this weekend's bonfire celebrations.
  • Dress for the weather but avoid wearing welly boots for driving
  • Have a designated driver if you are planning on drinking
  • If travelling together with a noisy group, ensure you are able to maintain concentration
  • Protect pets and never leave them in a car near a fireworks display in case they become agitated
  • If travelling with fireworks, keep them in a safe container in the boot removing any temptation for passengers to interfere with them when you are driving






Photo courtesy of IAM RoadSmart
Richard said, "Fireworks can be great fun, but they can also bring out the wild side in some people. Keep alert and watch out for unusual behaviour such as kids throwing fireworks into traffic. A bit of planning and a lot of common sense will go a long way into making sure your night goes with a bang and isn’t just a damp squib.”


For more information on IAM RoadSmart, visit the website.

Friday, 21 October 2016

Top 10 Driving Distractions

10 Tick Good Garage Scheme logo Anniversary

In keeping with our tenth anniversary year, we thought we’d share a list of the most common driving distractions to remind you to stay safe on the roads.

1. Eating and Drinking – If you eat your breakfast on the way to work it is likely you won’t be giving the road your full attention

2. Listening to music – it is not so much the listening that can distract you, but the changing of radio stations or flicking through your playlist.

3. Using your phone – we all know that phones and driving don’t mix, but did you know that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to crash than those paying full attention to the road

4. Viewing an incident – most of us would admit to slowing down to view an incident on the road involving other motorists, but in doing so we are actually putting ourselves and others at risk of an accident on the road ahead

5. Dozing off – tiredness can be one of the worst driving distractions with around 5% of motorists actually admitting to nodding off whilst behind the wheel.

smiling toddler in car seat6. Other occupants – if you have ever driven anywhere with children you will realise how easy it is to become distracted by their arguments when you should be concentrating on the road

7. Pets – almost a quarter of UK households own a dog, and often these pets need to be transported to the vets, kennels, dog day care or just out with the family for the day. Barking or movement from the back seat or boot can be distracting when driving. We reveal how even F1 drivers can become distracted by children and pets!

8. Applying make-up – using your mirrors to check the application of mascara or lipstick is not the best way to stay alert when driving.

9. Adjusting devices or controls within the vehicle – just as changing the radio station can be distracting, so too can adjusting your climate control, altering your mirrors or moving your seat forwards or backwards.

10. Smoking – it is not just lighting a cigarette that takes your attention away from the road but also distinguishing one.

Even worrying about your vehicle can be a distraction, so remember to maintain regular servicing to give you one less thing to worry about.

Use our Good Garage Scheme website to find a trustworthy garage in your area.

Monday, 10 October 2016

Good Garage Scheme Supports Tyre Safety Month

Tyre Safety Month 2016 logo. Don't chance it, check it
"Don't chance it, check it" is this month's message from road safety charity, TyreSafe.

The campaign has been supported by research by the charity that reveals more than one in four motorists are replacing their tyres when they were already illegal, the equivalent of over ten million illegal and dangerous tyres on Britain’s roads!

The tyre tread depth survey involved 800 tyre retailers from across the UK surveying 340,000 tyres and comes alongside findings from the DVSA that annually, 2.2 million fail their MOT due to tyre-related defects.  The Good Garage Scheme is lending its support to the campaign, encouraging motorists to get their tyres and cars professionally checked in this year's Tyre Safety Month.

Good Garage Scheme workshops across the UK can offer motorists peace of mind by providing an expert assessment of their vehicle’s tyres and overall condition. The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three-quarters of breadth of the tread and around its entire outer circumference. In wet weather tyre tread grooves help to remove water from the contact patch between the tyres and the road surface, allowing the car to brake, steer and accelerate properly. Without adequate tread depth, the tyres may not be able to perform properly in wet conditions, reducing safety on the road.

Anndi Sheppard, the Good Garage Scheme’s Marketing Manager, comments: “Tyre safety and the need to raise awareness of the importance of carrying out regular tyre checks are important issues that every motorist needs to be aware of. The Good Garage Scheme is pleased to lend its support to this year’s Tyre Safety Month. Arranging a tyre and vehicle check with a Good Garage Scheme member is a simple way to put your mind at rest and ensure your car is safe and reliable as the weather begins to change this autumn.”


Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme workshop offering a vehicle check. Many Good Garage Scheme members offer online service booking, making it even easier to arrange a check or service for your car. In addition, smartphone users can download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme workshop anywhere in the UK.


Watch Tyresafe's video here with a simple guide on how to check your tyres and why it's important.

Thursday, 6 October 2016

More Motorists Are Booking Online

green button with mouse icon for booking online Good Garage SchemeResearch from the Good Garage Scheme has shown that more motorists are booking appointments online for car services, car repairs and MOTs. In fact, there has been a 14% increase in jobs booked online via the Good Garage Scheme website.

Customers can search for a Good Garage Scheme member garage offering online booking and go online at any time of the day to select a time and date for an MOT, car service or car repair.

The Good Garage Scheme member will then contact you to confirm the appointment and ask any other questions relevant to your request.

Looking for a garage with online booking? on green bar with tickWhy not visit the Good Garage Scheme website and book your next MOT, car service or Winter Check?

Simply click here to find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage.


Friday, 30 September 2016

Edgware driver wins Good Garage Scheme Feedback Prize

Muriel Rapport is presented with £200 at S&B Motors.
Lucky motorist Muriel Rapport has won £200 towards the cost of her recent car service at Good Garage Scheme member, S&B Motors in Edgware in a recent Feedback Prize Draw.

Muriel’s feedback card was picked at random from thousands of customer satisfaction surveys submitted by the public throughout the UK earlier this year.

Good Garage Scheme customers are encouraged to provide feedback to help drivers visiting www.GoodGarageScheme.com make an informed choice when selecting a local workshop to service or repair their car.

The Edgware-based driver awarded S&B Motors with a maximum five-star rating for the service and MOT carried out on her car. The garage has been a member since 2008 and enjoys an overall satisfaction rating of five stars from over 98% of customers, with some 99.7% of customers saying they would recommend the garage and visit again.

Muriel Rapport commented: “S&B Motors did an excellent job of servicing and carrying out an MOT on my car, undertaking the work quickly and efficiently. Based on my experience, I would be pleased to recommend S&B Motors to other drivers seeking a trustworthy and reliable workshop to look after their car.”

Sean Regan of S&B Motors, added: “We are delighted that one of our valued customers has won the Good Garage Scheme’s feedback prize, and were just as pleased to have received such a glowing review. This positive feedback shows the importance we place on providing our customers with an excellent service, as well as the hard work and dedication of our team that makes this happen.”

Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme member and view customer feedback. The next feedback prize winner will be drawn before Christmas. If you are having your car serviced or repaired, fill in a feedback for your chance to win back the cost of your next one.