At Full Chat

Staff will wear badges reading 'service maintenance technician', 'diagnostic technician' or 'master technician'. I'd like to think that their mugshots along with a description of their skills will be displayed in garage receptions. Customers should be able to arrange for ATA-certified experts to work on specific problems and sign off the car when mended. Fine, state-of-the-art machinery needs professionals to look after it.

Such people should get pay rises for their achievements; I for one would be happy to fork out a little extra for a service if I knew it was carried out by an accredited master technician, rather than a non-accredited grease monkey.

Mechanics will be tested on air-conditioning, brakes, customer liaison, engine electrics, engines, instructional support (any idea, anyone?), supplementary restraint systems (such as airbags), transmissions, electrics, safety and documentation, and wheel alignment/steering. But what about tyres, bodywork, entertainment systems and on-board computers? I'd like to add driving skills to this list, on the grounds that if a mechanic is road-testing my car after working on it, I'd like to know he's capable behind the wheel. Cleanliness is another area of concern, since many of us have taken immaculate vehicles into garages and got them back with oil stains on the trim.

These issues need to be addressed, but the Institute of the Motor Industry should be congratulated for getting the new scheme up and running. Next time I take one of my motors in, I'll be asking for it to be looked after by an ATA-approved person. If there are none on the premises, I'll take my business elsewhere. I suggest you do the same.