Garages flock to Block Exemption awareness day

Independent garages gather to find out more about their rights and tackle misconceptions

Garages flock to Block Exemption awareness day
The 'Your Car - Your Choice' awareness event.

The ‘Your Car – Your Choice’ pilot project in Chesterfield has taken another huge step forward following its first ever garage awareness day.

More than 100 people attended the event, held at Bilstein Group, Markham Vale as garages were able to find out more about their rights under Block Exemption Regulations (BER) and hear presentations from automotive aftermarket suppliers supporting their right to service and repair vehicles within the warranty period.

With the next steps being the rollout of the campaign to the people of Chesterfield, it was important to bring as many garages together as possible from the area – invited to the event by IAAF distributors including Autosupplies Chesterfield, Bullseye Car Parts and Road & Rally – to ensure they are fully up to speed with their rights and are confident in challenging any misunderstandings motorists may have.

Block Exemption explained

Under BER, any independent garage can service and repair any car within the warranty period providing replacement parts used are of OE-matching quality and are recorded as such.

Vehicles must be serviced in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer service schedules.

Vehicle manufacturers have a duty to honour the vehicle’s warranty when it is serviced outside of the dealer network, and non-OE parts fitted onto a vehicle is an insufficient reason for the warranty to be declared invalid.

“Misconceptions”

IAAF head of membership development, Mike Smallbone, said: “The event demonstrated that there is a hunger from independent garages for more information so that they can have the confidence in tackling the misconceptions surrounding this issue.

“Garages are the first line of defence in promoting this choice and so it’s important that suppliers, motor factors and everyone involved in the supply chain supports this campaign.”

​Major automotive companies have signed up to support the pilot project, including: Automechanika Birmingham 2019, Bilstein Group, BM Catalysts, Comline, Comma, First Line, Hella, Impression Communications, Kilen, MAHLE Aftermarket UK, National Auto Parts, SMPE, Tetrosyl, TMD Friction, Johnson Controls (Varta), WAIglobal UK and ZF Aftermarket.

No garage went away empty-handed as suppliers and distributors gave away merchandise and participated in the prize raffle, with over £1000 worth of prizes given away.

For more information about the campaign, follow the ‘more details’ link below.

Home Page Forums Garages flock to Block Exemption awareness day

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  • #178483 Reply
    Kate Thompson
    Moderator

    The ‘Your Car – Your Choice’ pilot project in Chesterfield has taken another huge step forward following its first ever garage awareness day. More tha
    [See the full post at: Garages flock to Block Exemption awareness day]

    #178509 Reply
    Rory Armstrong
    Guest

    Would you believe that, even after all these year of BER, our local dealers are still informing sales customers that the vehicle must be serviced within the dealer network of they forfeit any warranty. This also needs to be addressed.

    #178511 Reply
    Pete
    Guest

    Unfortunately dealerships are still holding all of the cards on this. I had customers refused claims under warranty despite correct parts and service annotations. BMW are among the worst, requiring legal action to accept any block exemption warranty claim. They flat out refuse to honour warranty if serviced outside the dealer network and customers rarely know different.

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