Tameside garage flies the flag for the RAC nationwide

Guide Bridge MOT and Service in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester, has become the first of a new breed of RAC Approved Garages when it re-launched this week.

It will effectively become a flagship RAC garage for servicing, repair and maintenance as it is the first in the country to take advantage of the RAC’s new Approved Garages branding package which is a symbol of quality work and exceptional customer service.

The RAC brand is highly trusted among consumers due to the company’s rich motoring heritage which dates back nearly 120 years and the fact that the organisation fights the motorist’s corner on key road and driving issues.

This high level of consumer trust is something that is not lost on Guide Bridge MOT and Service owner Jan Lord who believes the confidence the brand instils in customers will be a long-term boost to her business.

Having been featured on BBC2’s The Fixer documentary series with Alex Polizzi which focussed on helping family businesses succeed, Jan is keen to do all she can to promote her business and improve service for her customers. She feels that wholly embracing the RAC brand in the look and feel of the garage will make a very real difference.

Jan, who runs Guide Bridge with her husband Derek and their three grown-up children, said: “Previously we had partnered with another well-known brand, but I decided to ask 100 people in the street about that brand and the RAC, and the overwhelming answer was that the RAC is unbelievably respected and automatically associated with motoring. It then became a very simple decision to wholeheartedly immerse the business in the RAC.”

As an RAC Approved Garage, Guide Bridge had to meet the RAC’s stringent operating criteria to guarantee every customer receives the same standard of service that RAC patrols deliver to members at the roadside. This requires a high standard of work on all repairs, approval by trading standards institute, an annual compliance check and total transparency throughout.

RAC Approved Garages networks manger, Gary Wrightson-Heyworth said: “We are very excited that Jan and the team at Guide Bridge MOT and Service have fully embraced the new RAC Approved Garage concept. We are convinced it will prove to be an extremely positive move which other garages around the country will be quick to follow. The RAC only has the best garages in the country in its Approved Garage Network so Jan and the family should be justly proud their business is paving the way for others to follow".

New services to help manage MOT and service costs

All RAC Approved Garages carry out a free vehicle health check alongside every vehicle service, to ensure the serviced vehicle can leave the garage in the best condition possible. And to support its network the RAC has created two new products which help motorists manage some of the biggest costs of motoring more easily.

RAC Fixed Price Service Plans and RAC MOT Check & Repair Plans are both designed to take some of the financial pain out of running a car by spreading the cost of a service and protecting against unexpected repairs needed to pass the MOT.

Many roadside breakdowns occur because motorists skip essential vehicle servicing, and RAC research shows that 75% of motorists make no provision to pay for servicing requirements, with over a quarter paying more than £200 for their annual service.

RAC MOT Check & Repair Plans give motorists peace of mind by covering repairs needed should a vehicle fail its next MOT test. They are free-of-charge with a service at any RAC Approved Garage provided an RAC vehicle health check has been completed and any remedial work identified has been carried out. If a vehicle needs repairs to pass its MOT specific parts up to the value of £750* will be paid for under the plan.

RAC Fixed Service Plans enable motorists to break the cost of two years’ vehicle servicing and MOT tests into a manageable monthly fixed price so a vehicle never misses a vital service. Consisting of between 18 and 20 payments, they can be set up at RAC Approved Garages. Costs are based on the engine size of the vehicle to be covered. All work has to be carried out at RAC Approved Garages by experienced and trusted technicians.

RAC Fixed Service Plans start from just £16.99 a month for a vehicle up to 1400cc and go up to £28.99 a month for a vehicle over 3001cc.

Gary Wrightson-Heyworth added: “By developing two highly beneficial products for motorists we have given RAC Approved Garages the tools to develop their businesses for the future. Some are naturally more focused on being places where patrols take stricken vehicles to be repaired, but others can now take advantage of these compelling products to enhance their retail business.”