Cut your servicing bills by 50 per cent

Motorists can slash their car servicing bills by up to half by getting the work done at Kwik-Fit

Auto Express Car Reviews

Tyre and exhaust chain proved to be the cheapest servicing option

By Mat Watson

19th May 2007

The tyre and exhaust seller's maintenance business has boomed since new EU rules were introduced. These mean owners no longer have to get the work done at a franchised dealer to maintain their new car warranty.

And that's good news, as we found Kwik-Fit is on average 41 per cent cheaper. It's also less expensive than choosing a small independent garage or national non-dealer chain. Money-saving website Motoreasy.com compared the cost of servicing five popular models at various outlets in Glasgow, Birmingham and London on behalf of Auto Express. Each quote was for a 36,000-mile maintenance check, carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines. The results are listed in the table below. In London, the average Kwik-Fit bill was half the price that was quoted by franchised dealers.

The biggest individual saving was on a Mercedes C200. While one main agent in Glasgow wanted to charge £450 for the work, the highest price quoted on the car by a Kwik-Fit outlet was £159, and the lowest £139.

"The decision by Kwik-Fit to expand from tyres into servicing has really shaken up the market," said Motoreasy.com's David Gerrans. "The winner is the consumer, who has unprecedented choice nowadays."