A large number of women still feel uncomfortable when taking their car for repair, according to research by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).
The survey also showed that women are four times more likely than men to get someone else to take their car to the garage.
To combat this issue, Approved garages and AutoCare have put measures in place to ease the concerns of female drivers.
Maria McCullough, network manager for AutoCare and Approved Garages, said: “All our garages sign up to a policy of transparency and clarity when it comes to communicating with customers about the work we do and how much it will cost.”
Every garage that signs up to the networks agrees to abide by a code of conduct that includes committing “to fair and transparent pricing, complete honesty, and to never starting work on your vehicle without discussing it with you first.”
Customer approval
That commitment has resulted in a 99 per cent customer approval rating from the Motor Codes customer review system, higher than any other independent garage network and ahead of the franchised main dealers.
Maria said: “Remember, many of those reviews come from female drivers who are obviously happy with the service they get from our garages, and who appreciate the effort our members put into communicating in a clear and jargon-free way.”
Several network members also organise women-only car maintenance nights, as a way to help female drivers become more confident with their cars and more comfortable interacting with their local garages.
For more information about Approved Garages and to find out how you can join, click ‘more details’ below.