15 'traditional' garages are closing every week in Britain

[SPEEDBIRD 202]

Here's a bit of sad news - the smaller 'Independent Garages' are closing at the rate of 15 each week.

There was 18,000 of them in 1998, and now there are only about 11,000 of them left ...

Also over the same period the 'Franchised Main Dealers' numbers have also fallen. from 6,300 to 5,300. The main reason given for them closing down are as follows
1 - Cars now have more sophisticated engines.

2 - The hefty cost of installing the new technology so to be able to work on them.

3 - Longer warranties.

4 - [I'm not sure about this one though]- new cars have better reliability.

Apparently Halfords are now the " local garage of choice ", after doubling their car repair business in a year....Hmmm not on my Fronty

[drinksoptional]

I know a couple that have shut down, i prefer using local garages you get a better deal and better job than dealers. If i cannot fix it myself i use two near me and i cannot complain

[davek]

When i left school (1986) there were about 1200 ford and 1100 rover(austin) garages round the country, the one i did my yts at had around 100 staff(sales workshop bodyshop compound valeters drivers etc...) now there around 600 ford left -thats a lot of good people who can no longer find a job in the industry, most of the lads i worked/trained by or trained with are doing something completly different now

[Dave_RAYNET]

never use local garages... or any garage unless it's MOT time... If i can't fix it then it don't get fixed...

[yaki]

[Dave_RAYNET]

[drinksoptional]

There is only so much im confident to do or have the tools so i like local garages and mine has good rates, i would hate to see it go they a nice lot

[Dave_RAYNET]

[Drift]

18 months ago my clutch went and I was lucky and had the kit here for very little money (you know who you are, thanks ) as its a big lump of a box to move on the road (no driveway) I got a quote from the garage and it was less than £170 to fit..... needless to say they got the job, when it was done they told me to do the next clutch myself

I see them less and less over the years as I used to always have brand new cars, but a divorce sorted that out
So back to spanners again and loving it.

[bigdazz]

tell me about it my brother has had to slash his prices and pay two mot testers off

[yaki]

I do it because I enjoy it (and its cheaper)

Last thing I gave to a garage to do was about 6 years ago, SWMBO had a Cav 1.7TD and its not the easy clutch change on that model like the rest of the Cav range, rang round a few places and had a quote of £60- labour. Dropped it off and bloke reckoned it would be ready in a few hours, yeah right

24 hrs later we had it back, he didn't admit it but I think he thought it was one of the easy type Cav clutches when he quoted

[drinksoptional]

Come`s down to confidence AND tools and sometime just sheer laziness im quite limited in what i can do.

Some jobs are no fun doing on the deck especailly in this weather

[yaki]

[SPEEDBIRD 202]

When I first read the article the bit I thought was unfair was that Halfords market share had increased by 50 per cant in one year. What they have done is ' cherry-picked ' the easy jobs, and by that I mean - the type of jobs where small garages could make a few quid, things like, changing batteries, bulbs or wiper blades. Halfords are now doing these jobs and are able to buy the items in such large bulk, that they don't have to pay a lot for them.

I don't think you will see Halfords cutting off many rusty or seized on bolts, or trying to find out why the EML is glowing and the engine has gone in too 'limp home mode'.

The motor trade is going to be worst off for it ...