We are happy to go out of our way to help you maintain your vehicle and answer any questions you may have. Below are details regarding some of the services we offer, if you require further information please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We are level 6 repairers (alongside the main dealerships) for nearly all the major leasing companies. If you have a fleet vehicle that is still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, we can cater for all your routine servicing needs and also replace wear and tear items such as brake linings, clutches, wiper blades and bulbs. If however your fleet vehicle is outside the warranty period, then we can look after all your servicing, M.o.T. test, diagnostics, air conditioning and repair requirements.
All routine servicing is carried out using the specific service schedule for your vehicle. This data is collated and laid down on behalf of the manufacturer by:
All service parts are either genuine dealer items or alternatives which are manufactured to the specifications of the original parts (O.E. Spec) that were fitted to your vehicle when it left the factory.
All lubricants are high grade and specific use is guided by:
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association
The Society of Automotive Engineers
These standard practices ensure that your vehicle is always maintained to the highest possible standard and should your vehicle be under 3 years old, it will always be kept well within the specifications of the manufacturers’ warranty.
Not only will you receive a full and detailed list of all work carried out on your vehicle, but incorporated into your invoice will be a concise report of anything that our technicians think you should be aware of. The whole invoice will be explained to you upon collection of your vehicle and will be kept on file in our computer system indefinitely.
Some vehicle manufacturers including Mercedes, Mazda and Audi are now switching to digital Service Records. These digital records are stored on-line and replace the old style service book as the record for your vehicles service history. We have access to these on-line facilities and therefore have no problems in keeping your vehicle history up to date.
We carry out most mechanical and electrical repairs to all makes and models of vehicle. The majority of common repairs are assigned with an individual time and as with service times these too are laid down by the I.C.M.E. and Autodata.
Where possible we will always abide by these set times to ensure a fair price for all our customers. Some repairs however do not have times allocated against them and for these we will always use our vast experience and best judgement to provide accurate quotations and fair labour costs.
Should it transpire, that during a repair or service additional labour or parts are required, we will always consult our customers before proceeding.
As with our servicing policy, all repair parts used on our customer’s vehicles are always of the highest quality and are either original equipment (O.E.) or equivalent. We will never compromise the quality of parts and will source them through a large number of suppliers at the best competitive price available.
All displaced parts can be made available to all customers for inspection, upon request. (Please make your request known, prior to us commencing work, so we can retain required parts)
The M.o.T. Test is a basic vehicle inspection compulsory for all vehicles that are over 3 years old and registered in the United Kingdom. (excluding taxi’s and Private hire vehicles)
The M.o.T. Test is administered by The Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (D.V.S.A).
The test is carried out by D.V.S.A approved testing centres and becomes due 3 years after the first date of registration. The certificate is valid for one year, after which the vehicle needs to be re-tested. Without a valid M.o.T. Test certificate you will not be able to tax your vehicle or drive it on the public highway (as this is a road traffic offence).
If for some reason your test certificate expires you may drive your vehicle to a testing station as long as the test is pre-arranged with the authorised testing station.
M.o.T. Testing ensures that vehicles are in a safe and roadworthy condition at the time of the test, but it is worth bearing in mind that a test certificate only guarantees roadworthiness at the time of issue even though the certificate is valid for 12 months. This is something to consider when purchasing any used vehicle.
Please remember that an M.o.T. test is no substitute for a scheduled service and both should be carried out when they become due (either by time or mileage) to ensure your vehicle is kept in a safe, reliable and economical condition!
WHAT WE COVER
We carry out many aspects of in-depth diagnostic work covering all vehicle systems, whether they be mechanical or electrical.
These diagnostics include:
Purchasing a used vehicle can be a daunting experience for the inexperienced, so we have compiled a check list and listed some vital information that will aid you in making the right purchase..
Please be aware that we offer a used vehicle inspection service, which comprises of a full inspection of all mechanical components, a bodywork inspection and a full electrical system health check for only £90 inc. vat (labour normally worth £110.40).
Note: When purchasing a vehicle, particularly from a motor trader, you are protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Please read below for a summary of this act before making your purchase and understand how it protects you.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015
The Sale of Goods Act 1978, was replaced on the 01st October 2015, by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This new act addresses issues of fairness within the old system and makes consumer recourse far easier against traders whom supply faulty motor vehicles.
Within the first six months from the vehicle purchase, onus lies with the dealer to prove the vehicle was not defective when the vehicle was sold.
In addition to this, the new ‘short-term right to reject’ provision allows the buyer to demand a full refund within 30 days of the purchase – previously the dealer could replace or repair the defective part.
After the initial 30-day period, but up to six months from the original date of sale, the dealer will be obliged to repair or replace the faulty item, but will only get one attempt at the repair or replacement. If repair or replacement is not possible, unsuccessful or another fault occurs within this time period, then the buyer will be able to exercise their ‘final right to reject’ and to claim a full refund. If a full refund occurs, the dealer is entitled to deduct a reasonable amount from the refund, based upon the amount of use the vehicle has received from point of sale.
If the fault occurs after the initial six-month period, the onus will be on the buyer to prove the fault existed at the time of purchase, should they wish to claim a full refund.
The legislation does not come into effect if the vehicle is sold with and repaired under a warranty scheme, which is separate to the consumer’s statutory rights and allows for multiple repairs.
The new legislation also applies to vehicle servicing, and stipulates a course of action for consumers who feel a service has not been performed correctly.
For further details, please visit the government website below;
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents
What is a contract?
It is a legally binding agreement between 2 parties with the exchange of money or something of value for goods. Lots of contracts can be verbal and very few actually need to be in writing. Verbal contracts are binding but less easy to prove.
The law
The law gives you the following rights under this contract.
The goods should be:
1. Of satisfactory quality
This means of a standard that a reasonable person would consider to be satisfactory – generally free from fault or defect. They should also be of a reasonable appearance and finish; safe and durable.
(1)Every contract to supply goods is to be treated as including a term that the quality of the goods is satisfactory.
(2)The quality of goods is satisfactory if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would consider satisfactory, taking account of—
(a)any description of the goods,
(b)the price or other consideration for the goods (if relevant), and
(c)all the other relevant circumstances (see subsection (5)).
(3)The quality of goods includes their state and condition; and the following aspects (among others) are in appropriate cases aspects of the quality of goods—
(a)fitness for all the purposes for which goods of that kind are usually supplied;
(b)appearance and finish;
(c)freedom from minor defects;
(d)safety;
(e)durability.
(4)The term mentioned in subsection (1) does not cover anything which makes the quality of the goods unsatisfactory—
(a)which is specifically drawn to the consumer’s attention before the contract is made,
(b)where the consumer examines the goods before the contract is made, which that examination ought to reveal, or
(c)in the case of a contract to supply goods by sample, which would have been apparent on a reasonable examination of the sample.
(5)The relevant circumstances mentioned in subsection (2)(c) include any public statement about the specific characteristics of the goods made by the trader, the producer or any representative of the trader or the producer.
(6)That includes, in particular, any public statement made in advertising or labelling.
(7)But a public statement is not a relevant circumstance for the purposes of subsection (2)(c) if the trader shows that—
(a)when the contract was made, the trader was not, and could not reasonably have been, aware of the statement,
(b)before the contract was made, the statement had been publicly withdrawn or, to the extent that it contained anything which was incorrect or misleading, it had been publicly corrected, or
(c)the consumer’s decision to contract for the goods could not have been influenced by the statement.
(8)In a contract to supply goods a term about the quality of the goods may be treated as included as a matter of custom.
(9)See section 19 for a consumer’s rights if the trader is in breach of a term that this section requires to be treated as included in a contract.
2. Fit for purpose
This means as well as being fit for all common purposes for which they are generally sold, goods should be fit for any specific or particular purpose made known at the time of sale.
(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.
(2)Subsection (3) also applies to a contract to supply goods if—
(a)the goods were previously sold by a credit-broker to the trader,
(b)in the case of a sales contract or contract for transfer of goods, the consideration or part of it is a sum payable by instalments, and
(c)before the contract is made, the consumer makes known to the credit-broker (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.
(3)The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.
(4)Subsection (3) does not apply if the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely, or it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely, on the skill or judgment of the trader or credit-broker.
(5)In a contract to supply goods a term about the fitness of the goods for a particular purpose may be treated as included as a matter of custom.
(6)See section 19 for a consumer’s rights if the trader is in breach of a term that this section requires to be treated as included in a contract.
3. As described
This means goods should correspond with any description applied to them – this could be verbally, on a sign, or packaging, or an advert.
(1)Every contract to supply goods by description is to be treated as including a term that the goods will match the description.
(2)If the supply is by sample as well as by description, it is not sufficient that the bulk of the goods matches the sample if the goods do not also match the description.
(3)A supply of goods is not prevented from being a supply by description just because—
(a)the goods are exposed for supply, and
(b)they are selected by the consumer.
(4)Any information that is provided by the trader about the goods and is information mentioned in paragraph (a) of Schedule 1 or 2 to the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/3134) (main characteristics of goods) is to be treated as included as a term of the contract.
(5)A change to any of that information, made before entering into the contract or later, is not effective unless expressly agreed between the consumer and the trader.
(6)See section 2(5) and (6) for the application of subsections (4) and (5) where goods are sold at public auction.
(7)See section 19 for a consumer’s rights if the trader is in breach of a term that this section requires to be treated as included in a contract.
It is important to remember these rights exist automatically, between you and the trader, therefore a separate warranty is not necessarily required and the trader should accept liability for any problems under the contract.
Don’t be fobbed off by a trader who tells you to take it up with the manufacturer. Only when you buy goods directly from the manufacturer is your contract with them and the same rights as above will apply.
For further information regarding your consumer rights please click the links below:
Customers have frequently asked us if we can recommend a company that we trust to carry out windscreen repairs or replacements. Now we can, us!
This is a new service we’re offering and as always we will only use genuine parts or those that meet or exceed the original equipment specification (O.E. Spec). Sometimes sourcing a replacement windscreen can be a struggle, especially when it comes to rarer or classic vehicles. Fortunately we have access to a comprehensive catalogue of parts, so for us, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Please give us a call on 02392454441 or send us an email to mail@fleetrepaircentre.com for further details.
What do I do when a warning lamp illuminates?
All modern vehicles are fitted with highly advanced computer systems to enable peak performance whilst simultaneously offering comfort, safety and fuel economy. Incorporated within these systems is a ‘limp home’ setting, which means that should a fault occur, the management system will allow the driver to get their vehicle back home or to a garage for repair. The system will use basic settings and cause the engine to operate on reduced power, so limiting the possibility of any potential damage.
If you experience any driving faults (even minor hesitations or lack of power), warning lamps or messages on your dashboard then please call us immediately for free advice. If left unchecked, minor symptoms can sometimes lead to expensive repairs.
Is routine servicing beneficial or just an unnecessary cost?
The benefits to regular vehicle servicing is not only to replace routine service parts that wear out with mileage and deteriorate with time, but to monitor wear and identify faults/damage to other components. This in turn enables us to keep your vehicle safe and also allows you to budget for repairs that may be required in the near future or even at the next service. This eliminates the accumulation of repairs into one large repair bill, which in some cases can exceed the total value of the vehicle and prove un-economical to repair!
Should your vehicle still be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty we will advise you if there are any repairs required and provide you with a report, so you can return your vehicle to the main dealer for cost free repairs.
