Motorists! Stay on the ball to avoid car trouble

27th May 2010 Motorists! Stay on the ball to avoid car trouble The eyes of the world are on South Africa with the World Cup about to kick-off. But now’s not the time to take your eye off the ball when it comes to car maintenance to avoid being left in the motoring treatment room. Why check my car now? Many motorists are looking forward to June and July’s festival of football in South Africa and looking after their cars will be the last thing on their minds. But as the weather warms up, they should really be making essential checks to stay ahead of the game and pinpoint potential problems before it’s too late. Like every winning team, proper preparation is the key to success, and your attitude to car maintenance is no different. What should I be checking for? With warmer weather approaching, checking air conditioning systems and coolant levels are just some of the essential checks that should be made. Well maintained air conditioning systems can actually improve the air quality of a vehicle’s passenger cabin. Inactive air conditioning systems can provide the ideal breeding ground for harmful mould and bacteria and potentially put drivers’ and passengers’ health at risk. Checking coolant levels is also essential to prevent engines overheating while routine checks of tyre tread and pressure, windscreens and wipers can all play a part in staying safely on the road. Still Need coaching? The Good Garage Scheme’s winning team is here to help! Think you’re car maintenance skills are lacking match fitness? Don’t worry! The Good Garage Scheme’s squad of UK experts is here to help, offering the perfect solution to ensure trouble-free motoring. The large network of garages and service workshops are committed to providing the highest standards of work to customers. Campaign to prevent holiday horrors Plus, the Good Garage Scheme is launching a national campaign to help motorists avoid a ‘holiday horror show’ as they gear up for the summer getaway. The UK-wide Good Garage Scheme has unveiled a 21-point Summer ‘Holiday Check’ for its independent member workshops and garages throughout the country to help keep their customers’ vehicles free from trouble during the holiday season. Details of the Holiday Check can be found on the Good Garage Scheme website www.goodgaragescheme.com To find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage, simply logon to the Good Garage Scheme website and type in your postcode to find your nearest member garage. A self-regulatory body for independent workshops and MOT centres, the Scheme ensures the best industry standards are maintained by its members. It has more than 2,800 members who adhere to a strict Code of Conduct and offer an Industry Standard Service. Good Garage Scheme members: • Adhere to a strict Code of Conduct and pledge to have their customers’ best interests at heart • Must agree what work needs doing with their customers before it is carried out • Work to an Industry Standard Service checklist • Must supply each customer with a feedback card allowing them to give their views on service directly to the Good Garage Scheme, which operates a stringent complaints procedure • Are subject to regular audits and face expulsion if they break the Code of Conduct The Scheme also operates a customer feedback system, highlighting the areas of best practice and areas for improvement which are identified by motorists using member garages for work. A five-star rating system is produced for each member garage on the Good Garage Scheme website www.goodgaragescheme.com, based on the feedback forms, to help potential future customers find the best workshop in their area. Nationally, the Good Garage Scheme receives around 12,000 customer feedback forms every month while member garages that fail to submit any feedbacks are investigated and potentially removed from the scheme. • Further information can be found by visiting www.goodgaragescheme.com

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