The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is this week warning motorists about the dangers supplying their own car parts to a garage for fitment.
The trade body suggests that more and more customers are asking garages to fit parts they have supplied themselves, presenting problems for both the garage and the consumer.
Addressing vehicles owners, Stuart James, IGA director, said: “Although we all like to save money, supplying your own parts to service or repair your car is a false economy.
“False economy”
“Let your garage deal with the job from start to finish.
“You and your car are protected, the risk of delay or inconvenience is reduced and most importantly, the safety of you, your passengers and other road users is not put at risk.”
Most garages wisely refuse to fit parts supplied by consumers, as the part being fake is just one of a number of issues which present problems for both parties.
The IGA says consumer supplied parts may not be the correct fitment for the car, some internet sourced parts can be of low quality and there are potentially complex warranty issues if the part fails – especially where provenance is difficult to establish.
Video: Fake vehicle parts are on the rise, government warns
The warning comes in support of a new campaign from Intellectual Property Office (IPO) which hopes to raise awareness about the risks of counterfeit car parts.
The campaign explains the full scale of the problem across the motor industry and offers advice to consumers on how to identify fake vehicle parts, tips for buying parts online and how to report counterfeit goods.
Have you experienced customers requesting that you fit a part they have supplied? Share your experiences below and let us know what policy your garage has when it comes to customer supplied parts.
For further information about the IGA, select ‘more details’ below.
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