Rise in motorists being misled with unnecessary repairs

Experts are warning of a rise in garages recommending unnecessary and unrelated repair work to motorists.

Analysis of claims work submitted by customers of the industry’s leading provider of direct consumer warranties, Warranty Direct, over the past six months shows the practice of inflating repair bills with additional work is increasing.

The process is more common amongst franchised dealers. In one case, a customer was quoted for work that amounted to 2,200 percent more than the actual repairs necessary.

“It’s a sad state of affairs but some are simply going too far,” says Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct. “We’re finding ourselves policing dealers on behalf of our customers.”

The Company uses independent inspectors to assess quoted work where its engineers have raised suspicions.

In the most extreme case, a Peugeot workshop claimed that a car’s entire fuel system should be replaced at a cost of £2,895.76 after fuel contamination was reported. Following inspection by an independent engineer, it was discovered that only the fuel filter needed replacing at a cost of just £131.71.

The concern for Warranty Direct is simple: the general public do not necessarily have the mechanical knowledge to question quoted work, unless they have access to a qualified second opinion and the protection that a good extended warranty provides.

“Our claims engineers are highly trained and experienced garage workshop mechanics, which is why we’re able to spot unrelated or unnecessary repairs. This won’t be the case for the average owner taking a car in for regular service or a health check,” warns McClure Fisher. “This is a worrying development and we are releasing our findings not only to protect the motorist but also to allow some unscrupulous garages to get their houses back in order in the interests of the industry as a whole.”