Best dealers, insurers, breakdown firms

Which do you rate? Votes of thousands of drivers reveal all

THERE’S much more to car ownership than simply picking up the keys to a new model and driving it away. Over the past 10 pages, we’ve listed some of the best deals on the top 50 performing cars in our Driver Power survey. But bagging a bargain is just one part of the journey.

Your car needs regular maintenance and servicing, and, on some occasions, even repairs. This is where a great dealership experience will make a big difference to how you look upon your time owning a car.

To help you choose the right model with the best dealers in the business, we’ve ranked the top 28 franchised networks in the UK, based on feedback from the owners who used them.

We quizzed drivers on whether there was enough parking on site, how clean and pleasant the waiting areas were, whether staff were courteous and explained all of the work they were doing clearly, and if that work was done well and finished on time.

We also wanted to know if dealers had courtesy cars available, and when it came to value for money, we were interested in hearing whether owners felt their dealer’s rates and fees were appropriate for the work that had been carried out.

As always, the best franchised dealers in the business scored well in all categories, because any slip-up can easily cost a place or two in the ranking.

ON average just 11 per cent of owners told us they had a problem with their dealer. But of those who did, the majority highlighted that their dealer wasn’t able to identify or fix a fault. This could also explain why another 19.1 per cent of customers were dissatisfied with their dealer – if staff struggle to find out what’s wrong with a car, they’re unlikely to be able to complete the work on time.

Another 16.2 per cent of drivers told us that they didn’t like the fact that their car wasn’t clean when it was returned. This may not sound like a big deal to many people, but the dealers that went the extra mile were rewarded this year.

Staff courtesy and attention to detail also played a role – dealers with staff who picked up the phone and were courteous clearly had an advantage over those that didn’t. The same goes for staff who took time to provide proper cost estimates.

WHEN the time came to choose your dealer for servicing, convenience clearly played a big role. Most owners stuck with the dealer they bought their car from, while a convenient location was the second biggest factor in your decision.

However, the rest of the stats make for interesting reading. Dealers that had the right staff and expertise were clearly rewarded with repeat business – even if it meant a longer trip for the customer – plus those that kept their prices competitive were also popular.

Word of mouth still plays a role in a digital age, with four per cent of drivers trusting the recommendations of family and friends. Finally, those with busy schedules and lives appreciated dealers that stayed open late or started trading early.

CLOSE to half of all service visits were for basic maintenance that often included oil and filter changes. And while scheduled services made up the second most visits, repairs due to an accident or other unforeseen circumstance were the reason for nearly one in 10 drivers visiting their dealer.

When the time came to pick which garage to go to, the majority of drivers opted for a franchised branch. Compared with last year, a slightly higher share of drivers opted to use independent garages, while a small minority continue to use specialists that are often a bit pricier than regular independent dealers. But these outlets should have the added expertise in a marque to make the extra worth paying.

“On average 11 per cent of owners told us they had a problem with their dealer”