Trust 'wins loyal garage customers'

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20 January 2012 at 09:08

New research has shown that when it comes to choosing a car garage, customers are not easily bought.

While motorists might look for the lowest prices or easiest journey when buying car insurance, it is reliable service that wins out when they look for maintenance.

A new study, carried out by garage chain Kwik Fit, shows that almost half of motorists base their choice of garage on trust in mechanics. By contrast, only one in five car owners base their choice on convenience.

Furthermore, almost four in five drivers would rather stay with a single garage if at all possible, while 30% would not change garage at any price.

But motorists' loyalty to a particular garage is not easily earned. Three quarters of the survey's participants said it could take them up to three successful visits to be won over, while almost 5% said they needed at least seven visits before they begin to feel loyal to a garage.

Commenting on the study, Kwik Fit's director of communications, Roger Griggs, said: "It's encouraging to see that even in times of financial hardship, motorists are not abandoning their loyalty to a decent garage."

Copyright Press Association 2012