R2RC. Protecting the Rights of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket - Welcome to R2RC.co.uk - Public

The car service and repair industry is about to change forever. And change for the worse.

That’s because, at the moment, you have the right to service or repair your car wherever you wish. You might take it back to the manufacturer. Or maybe you prefer to take your vehicle to an independent repairer.

But, in 2010, when key European legislation is due to disappear, so will your freedom of choice.

Unless we work together now to stop this happening.

So, what’s it to you if independent car garages are about to be driven out of business?

Well, there’s the cost – to you, the vehicle owner – for starters.

Put simply, if the only place you’re able to service or repair your car is at amanufacturer dealership ormanufacturer approved franchise, prepare to be hit hard in the pocket.

In fact, research shows that you can expect your car service and repair costs to be double*.

What's this new 2010 legislation?

yeah... first I've heard if it

Its the proposed end to Block Exemption. If it ends all new vehicles must be serviced by a main dealer to maintain the warranty. Currently any VAT registered garage can do the work as long as they use genuine/OE quality parts with no affect to the vehicle warranty.

This is just whats NOT needed in the current economic climate.

And as a parts supplier i'm definitely against it.

Graham

Edited 23 February, 200917 yr by GSPK

I think seeing the end of all independant garages is a bit OTT. The end of block excemption may see servicing for cars in warrenty being done at main dealers, but it doesn't stop repairs being done elsewhere or extra servicing being done on top of the service schedule, or mods for people who do then within warrenty at places like Awesome etc.

And the vast amount of cars on the road nowadays are outside of warrenty anyway.

I think seeing the end of all independant garages is a bit OTT. The end of block excemption may see servicing for cars in warrenty being done at main dealers, but it doesn't stop repairs being done elsewhere or extra servicing being done on top of the service schedule, or mods for people who do then within warrenty at places like Awesome etc.

I guess the problem would lay in if the MFR's start closing the doors and things like VAG-COM are no longer updated - so only the dealer can do anything VAG-COM related.

VCDS (Vagcom) is not maintained by VAG, it's written by an indepentant US company (ross-tech)

Yep, but they get a lot of the spec by reading the docs VAG have to publish.

Do VAG "have" to publish specs ? I'm not sure thats how VCDS was developed.

Under the current BER rules they have to make it available to the aftermarket at least in Europe anyway. Not sure about the US.

It'll also affect dealers, franchised or not, who sell non franchise late model cars, in so much as to keep any manufacturers warranty they will have to take those cars to the dealer and pay the same as any retail customer. This could add more to the price of the car.

I think I heard of this move recently on the BBC's money box program. Wasn't there an earlier post on this site ?

Since the early nineties the big boys have progressively tried to make things difficult for any body else to do. First they made it difficult for the do-it-yourselfer to obtain genuine parts. Then, the big pattern parts retail operations started to disappear or scale down, although that probably reflected increased household net income and peoples reluctance and lack of knowledge to do jobs. And the extension of manufacturers mechcanical warranties from the two of 25 years ago to three or more years today must have added to this trend.

To allow legislation to lapse which supports competition across the industry would be a mistake. So who are the guilty parties ? And who have been lobbying the EU Commission ?

European Commissioner for Transport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oh dear ! Says it all.

If manufacturers were worried about a contracting market they could, rather than use the sledgehammer of legislation and measures which obviously militate against the EU Competition policy, attempt to tie customers with competitively priced lifetime servicing deals. At least customers would still have the choice !

Innovative and flexible global capitalism, do me a favour !

Nick