dwasson
02-17-2006, 12:45 PM
From:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060217/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_transport_britain_car s;_ylt=AsDy2qx6q4iuwAqnmP5hThK s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHN lYwM3NTc-
Some mechanics charge more than lawyers - survey Fri Feb 17, 1:52 AM ET
Getting a car serviced has become so expensive that many drivers are paying their mechanics more per hour than a doctor or lawyer earns, according to a survey on Friday.
An investigation by a motoring magazine found consumers were often paying more than 100 pounds per hour for labour rates at franchised dealers.
In contrast, a locum doctor would charge up to 500 pounds a day while a junior lawyer might invoice for as little as 30 pounds an hour.
"Consumers could save hundreds of pounds if they shopped around and did their research. Quite simply, dealership labour rates for repair bills are just too high," said What Car?'s Steve Fowler.
The magazine's group editor said his researchers discovered that advances in technology have turned once simple tasks, in the past often undertaken by many owners, into fiddly, time-consuming jobs.
Replacing a main-beam bulb on an Audi A2 model for example can cost as much as 66 pounds -- with the bulb costing just 3.96 pounds.
The What Car? survey revealed there were wide regional variations although the capital was consistently the most expensive.
Motorists feeling the pinch should consider using non-franchised dealers and consider travelling further to get a better deal.
"One option I will be considering is to book my car in at the cheapest garage, even if I have to travel to it -- the savings I can make will pay for a night in a hotel and a decent meal," Fowler said in a statement.
The magazine shopped around for quotes for a full service on a number of mainstream cars -- such as Audi, BMW, Citroen and Ford.
They discovered the widest gap was for a full service on an Audi A4 1.9 TDi. In Scotland it was 220 pounds compared with 440 pounds in London.
Some mechanics charge more than lawyers - survey Fri Feb 17, 1:52 AM ET
Getting a car serviced has become so expensive that many drivers are paying their mechanics more per hour than a doctor or lawyer earns, according to a survey on Friday.
An investigation by a motoring magazine found consumers were often paying more than 100 pounds per hour for labour rates at franchised dealers.
In contrast, a locum doctor would charge up to 500 pounds a day while a junior lawyer might invoice for as little as 30 pounds an hour.
"Consumers could save hundreds of pounds if they shopped around and did their research. Quite simply, dealership labour rates for repair bills are just too high," said What Car?'s Steve Fowler.
The magazine's group editor said his researchers discovered that advances in technology have turned once simple tasks, in the past often undertaken by many owners, into fiddly, time-consuming jobs.
Replacing a main-beam bulb on an Audi A2 model for example can cost as much as 66 pounds -- with the bulb costing just 3.96 pounds.
The What Car? survey revealed there were wide regional variations although the capital was consistently the most expensive.
Motorists feeling the pinch should consider using non-franchised dealers and consider travelling further to get a better deal.
"One option I will be considering is to book my car in at the cheapest garage, even if I have to travel to it -- the savings I can make will pay for a night in a hotel and a decent meal," Fowler said in a statement.
The magazine shopped around for quotes for a full service on a number of mainstream cars -- such as Audi, BMW, Citroen and Ford.
They discovered the widest gap was for a full service on an Audi A4 1.9 TDi. In Scotland it was 220 pounds compared with 440 pounds in London.