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EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Peter Warman on January 27, 2016, 5:26 pm
Peter Warman

Franchised dealers are at greater risk now of losing more service work to the independent sector now EU legislation has removed limitations to its taking more market share, it has been claimed.

Limitations on access to vehicle information have been removed.

The Independent Garage Association (IGA) says there will now be “a level playing field in the battle for access to information” that will “leave franchised dealers vulnerable to losing more service business to the independent garages”.

The IGA has been working in Brussels to see this legislation come to fruition, and through the Retail Motor Industry Federation’s UKAS accredited business, RMISC, will offer garages certification against the ISO standard that will give them access to the relevant information from any manufacturer to be able to fix any car.

IGA director Stuart James said: “The IGA has worked tirelessly to see this legislation through, and RMISC is positioned to be the first certification body for this type of information in Europe.

“This is the largest change to the current structure of the UK motor industry and professionally run, independent garages will flourish.

“It has been advantageous for independents that the franchised sector has not picked up the gauntlet of genuinely meeting consumer needs in terms of price and quality.

“This new change will allow independents to seize the opportunity, take the initiative and increase their share of service and repair work even further.”

EU legislation coming into force will support the existing right of consumers to take their car, no matter how old, to any garage they choose.

“Garages who demonstrate their integrity will be certified to have access to all the functions required to service, repair and update modern cars,” said James.

Article source:

http://www.am-online.com/news/aftersales/2016/01/27/eu-lifts-restrictions-on-independent-sector-taking-more-service-work-from-franchised-dealers

Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Tim Watts on January 27, 2016, 7:12 pm, in reply to "EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #"
Tim Watts

What great news.
Hopefully this will give the Quality Repairers the incentive to invest in the future of the garage trade and restore some much needed consumer confidence.
Good work on behalf of the IGA

Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Steven Paterson on February 4, 2016, 7:47 pm, in reply to "EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #"
Steven Paterson

http://workshopmagazine.co.uk/index.php/2016/02/04/independent-workshops-lead-the-industry-in-diagnostics-says-iga/

This article has some very interesting wording in it......

"The accreditation will recognise the diagnostic capability of an independent garage and verify that they have the ability to communicate with the latest technology in cars."

Could they be talking about a garages ability to connect to DoIP cars? hence the reference several times about fleet customers...

Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Tom Yates on February 5, 2016, 6:57 pm, in reply to "Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #"

What they give you with one hand, they take away with the other, Lets give the aftermarket all the information they won't, over 95% of them will not be able to connect to our cars systems and repair them anyway. what do you think Steven.

Anyone not clear on this new diagnostic system might like to take a look at this. http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/143639.pdf

Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Steven Paterson on February 5, 2016, 10:30 pm, in reply to "Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #"
Steven Paterson

"Lets give the aftermarket all the information they won't, over 95% of them will not be able to connect to our cars systems and repair them anyway. what do you think Steven."

I agree that 95% of garages as they are now will not be ready , I guess it's all down to how you look at it, OEM's NEED independents, they do not have the manpower to meet the demands to service/repair/diagnose there cars, some dealers are booked up weeks even months in advance and they generally only work on 1-3 year old cars, it makes perfect sense for them to 'allow' us to pay for access.... they will make millions possibly even billions from it, and will be asking themselves why they didn't think of this before, my experience till now is most oem's are happy to allow access for everything (some more than others) as long as you are prepared to pay accordingly, those serious about diagnostics and the true value of there services don't generally have an issue with this.... at least not from the ones i speak to, people charging 20 quid to scan a car and advertising diagnostics will be the ones struggling, I fear most for the aftermarket scanner companies, i predict most will be gone, if what i have been told is true then it does not look good.

Last year I asked several very knowledgeable and in the know people, about what the changes would mean, they all said the same things..... Game Changer.... Will Separate the men from the boys.....

Only time will tell, but I know this.... it's here now, it's not something being thought about, all aftermarket scanner companies where fully aware of this but are saying nothing unless you count those flogging a dead horse by launching passthru devices (technology that was with us 10 years ago) NONE of them cover DoIP and I believe 98% of them will never get oem approval if they do (at least from what i have heard)

Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #

Posted by Terry taylor on February 7, 2016, 8:16 pm, in reply to "Re: EU lifts restrictions on independent sector #"
Terry Taylor

Hi Steve,and every one else involved with this thread I have thought for a while that the dealers wouldn't be able to cope with every car that needed repairs, 7 year old 3rd owner fiesta no money and blames every one for there troubles. Dealers will not want those cars any where near there dealerships also how many DIY repairs will stop, euro car parts will have a melt down.thanks terry

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