fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

My friend caught the back end of a news story yesterday...

It said that there has been an EU ruling that all cars wil have to go back to the main dealer for service and repairs,effectively putting independants out of business..
There is to be an end to block exemption.....

Is this correct??

Anyone expand on this story???

David_Dickson

yeah, its right. only dealerships will be able to service cars, and all independant garages will have to close.

Oh, wait....actually, no thats complete horse**** and totally unworkable.

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

I quite agree,..

Just been lookin round the net and there does seem to be some truth in what has been said..But not as drastic as it may 1st seem..

just doing a bit more digging

GC8

Thatd fall foul of the EUs own anti-competition laws.

Leslie

I have not seen it written down, but I heard something to that effect from someone else yesterday.

Les

Klaatu

Carbon footprint "problems" perhaps? May only be workable with huge "carbon offsets" from the "emissions trading schemes" around right now. LMAO Get ready for some serious job losses in carbon sink deficient countries.

HankScorpio

Completely contradicts this so likely to be snowballed story about something else, EU aren't known for changing decisions.

Rapid - Press Releases - EUROPA

The European Commission has adopted four decisions that legally bind DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, General Motors and Fiat to commitments to provide technical information about car repairs to all independent garages in the EU. The decisions were adopted under Article 9(1) of Regulation 1/2003. The commitments were given after a Commission investigation found that inadequate access to the full range of technical information could drive independent repairers from the market and that the agreements between the carmakers and their authorised repairers would therefore infringe EC Treaty rules on restrictive business practices (Article 81). The resulting reduction in competition between car repairers could lead to less choice and higher prices for consumers: independent repairers are often cheaper than authorised outlets, sometimes by over 50%. In addition, if repairs were carried out without the right technical information, this could lead to vehicles being driven in an unsafe condition, and add to air pollution and wasted fuel. The commitments will be binding until the motor vehicle block exemption (Commission Regulation (EC) 1400/2002) expires in May 2010. By that time, the vehicle emissions regulation (Council Regulation (EC) 715/2007) will have entered into force. This places an obligation upon vehicle manufacturers to provide independent repairers with standardised access to all technical repair information.

mart360

If i recall, it was something along the lines that a car should go back to the

main dealer, so they could keep it in optimum condition, emmisions etc, based

on the fact that the oem has all the correct equipment and diagnostic stuff to

keep the car properly maintained.

It also would prevent cowboys from making bodge repairs on vehicles, and

remove the ringing / cut / shut enterprise that goes on.


it will prolly be implemented to the hilt in the uk, but totally ignored

everywhere else in the EU

mart

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

How does it work with me doing my own servicing ?

Saab main dealer rates, half arsed jobs, no thanks.

I thought my tip top emissions status was taken care of by the MOT ?


Are the powers that be trying to make it impossible to own a car ?

oldsplice

This was in the Telegraph yesterday.

EU plans add to financial burden of UK motorists - Telegraph

mykp

if the manufacturers are also fighting for this then its just going to be another nail in the coffin of buying new cars.

Personally I wouldnt let Mercedes touch ours again as long as I live, the prices are astronomical, the mechanics couldnt give a rats **** and the corporate outlook to their customers is appauling. Basically they treat their customers like something they stepped in.

The garage I take my cars to on the otherhand, are always welcoming, always happy to see you and my cars always come back working better than before they went in.

What I want to know most about this though, is how the hell they expect to police it?

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

So, even more perfectly good vehicles written off due to repair cost being more than they are now (Artifically) worth.

Say an MOT needing wishbones, an exhaust and 2 tyres, probably a grand or more which be the end of many still serviceable vehicles, never mind if and engine goes, a main dealer will probably not re-use a perfectly good engine from a damaged car, a new one will be ordered if its still economic to do so, therefore the crashed car isnt used for parts and the car with the failed engine will be scrapped due to not being economically viable.

How do they think this **** up, first you cant do your own electrics, now servicing you car, why are we being nannied like this, how can people on anything other than mega money afford it, I cant and I earn quite well.

Whats next, you cant paint your own house, mow your own grass or wipe your own **** ?

Leslie

It seems to me that if the car passes the MOT then it does not matter where it was serviced. The standard must have been up to scratch.

Yet another attack from the plonkers of course!

Les

robby

I heard a while back the EU were trying to make it compulsary for new cars to have only factory fitted spec tyres on when replaced so the emmisions are always the same.
Some cars have the michelin and googyear eco tyres so they'd have to be replaced like for like which means numerous makers would go out of buisness within a couple of years
Not sure what the situation would be if you wanted to go for bigger wheels?