Drivers advised to shop around

It pays to shop around before getting your car's next warrant of fitness.
A Bay of Plenty Times Weekend survey of 10 outlets in the Western Bay found a 38 per cent price difference between the cheapest and the most expensive places to get a warrant of fitness (WOF).
But price should not be the only factor when choosing a garage, an expert says.
The best price we found was $38 at WOF Testing on Ngatai Rd, followed by Papamoa Automotive Service Centre and BP Workshop Te Puke, both which charged $40.
Bay City Mitsubishi has a March special of $39 for a WOF.
The most expensive place to get a WOF was VTNZ Tauranga, which charged $52.
The Bay of Plenty Times Weekend also checked the price of a "basic service" and found a huge variation in what was included and the price.
Prices given for a basic service varied from $80.50 to $220.
Consumer research and testing manager Hamish Wilson said the organisation advised people to shop around for a service.
"It is important to check what's actually included in the service. Unless you have got comparative things being attended to, the price comparison might not work."
Mr Wilson said there was "some advantage" to getting your car serviced by the dealer - especially if you have a late model European or Australian car.
If you have a service record with the dealer, you have more chance of being able to make a successful warranty claim if something goes wrong - even if it's slightly outside the warranty period.
Mr Wilson said European and Australian cars tended to cause more problems than Japanese models.
When it comes to getting a WOF, Mr Wilson advised taking your car to a different garage to get repairs.
"Often the places that offer a cheaper WOF are doing it as a come-on to get business.
"In some cases we have certainly found that if we take a car to a WOF place that's offering a cheap deal they find a lot of things wrong with it, and [then] you take it to VTNZ and hey presto there's almost nothing wrong with it."
Mr Wilson said WOF outlets which did not do repairs had "no interest in finding faults that don't exist".
"That's probably the sensible approach, unless you have got a garage you have dealt with for years and you know them and trust them."
David Johnston, dealer principal of Ebbett Holden, said there were big advantages to getting a car serviced at the dealer that specialises in that make.
Mr Johnston said the company invested a lot of money in technology and training.
"Nowadays there's so much technology in the car that it's not just a case of knowing how an engine works, it's all the electrics and computers," he said.
"That's where we feel very confident with firstly our own products [Holdens] and also other modern product."
That expertise also meant problems could be quickly diagnosed on older cars, he said.
Another advantage was the use of genuine parts, he said.
Bay City Mitsubishi after sales manager Mark Pound said a service centre that specialised in a particular make of car had knowledge of issues common to certain makes or models.
Trevor Morgan, owner of Papamoa Automotive Service Centre, advised consumers to ask what was included in a basic service, as it could vary hugely between garages.
Service tips

Advice on getting a good service.
Make it clear what you expect from a service. Use the maintenance section in the car handbook to draw up a list of what needs to be done - then give the list to the workshop.
Stick with your usual garage if it seems to be doing a good job.
Check how thorough the servicing is. Try having the spare-tyre pressure a bit on the low side before the car goes in and checking it again afterwards. Or leave the windscreen-washer reservoir low, so there's at least one fluid the garage has to top up. Look to see how dirty the air filter is - then check if it's been replaced if you request a tune-up.
If you have some doubts about the quality of the work, discuss it with the workshop manager.
If you think you've been ripped off, the Motor Trade Association (MTA) has a disputes resolution services for members' customers. Not all garages are members though.
- Source: Consumer www.consumer.org.nz

What to check
Consumer's minimum for a basic service due every six months (or 10,000km on older cars).
Change engine oil and filter and check:
All fluid levels.
Condition of hoses and visible drive belts.
Brake pads - visual check for signs of wear.
Suspension, drive-shafts and steering condition.
Exhaust system condition.
Tyre condition and pressures - especially the spare.
Operation of all lights, the horn and wipers.
Brakes and hand-brake operation (in a test drive).
- Source: Consumer website consumer.org.nz