On the skids

The motor trade is still suffering from a negative public image of cowboy car dealers and underqualified, overpriced mechanics. To combat this, the DVLA has undertaken a series of initiatives, as Paul Inskip explains

The Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) informative consumer leaflet, Be Garage Wise, warns the public "don't get taken for a ride when you take your car in for a service".

As well as copious amounts of well-meaning advice, from checking a bill to how to select a garage, the leaflet also provides the layman with a simple guide on whether their brakes really need servicing, and how they can decide if their shock absorbers need replacing.

And here lies the crux of the relationship between the