Car service costs three times more at dealers

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Drivers in London are cashing in on the price war by turning their backs on franchises.

Instead, they are using established independent dealers and fast-fit outlets, which once dealt only with exhausts and batteries but now offer servicing too.

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The "secret shopper" survey found a routine annual service at a fast-fit centre in the capital typically costs £145.

Franchised dealers charge an average of £300.80 and independent garages £225.

But it also revealed that London is the most expensive place to get a car serviced, with an average bill of £216.88 overall. By contrast, the average cost in Glasgow was just £157.46.

"Competition is forcing prices downwards," said David Gerrans, director of car maintenance firm motoreasy.com, which commissioned the survey.

"The decision by fast-fit chains to expand from tyres and exhausts into servicing has really started to shake up the market.

"Franchised dealers are responding by cutting prices and offering discounts. The winner is the consumer, who now has unprecedented choice."

The survey was based on 60 quotes for an annual service on five popular, three-year-old cars: a Ford Focus 1.6 petrol, a Peugeot 206 1.4 HDi diesel, a Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 petrol, a Mercedes C Class C200 petrol and a Toyota RAV4 2.2 D-4D diesel.

The most expensive quote was £450, from a London Mercedes dealer.

Nationwide, fast-fit outlets charged an average of £ 145.73, compared with £246.93 at main agents and £182.79 at independents.

Competition-between garages has been intensified by legislation that opened up the car-servicing market and prevented manufacturers reneging on warranties if vehicles were maintained at independent garages.

Warranties now remain valid if vehicles are maintained in accordance with manufacturer's recommended service schedules using parts of a similar quality to the originals.

An Office of Fair Trading investigation in 2003 found that drivers typically paid 71 per cent more for servicing at franchised dealers, or a total of £500 million a year extra on bills.