Local authority trading standards officers enforce relevant criminal legislation such as the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, which applies amongst other things to clocking, and vehicle safety legislation. Further details on vehicle safety are available from Department of Transport.

The DTI published the “Be Garage Wise” leaflet providing information on choosing a garage, your dealings with your garage and what you should expect from a good garage.

The Office of Fair Trading web site offers advice on buying a car.

Car Servicing

The DTI published research into car servicing and repair in 2003:

Following the "Report of the Task Force on Car Servicing and Repair" the DTI commissioned research to provide a picture of the service consumers receive in the car servicing and repair market.  207 garages and 58 fast-fit business were mystery shopped between March and June 2002. The results are contained in the "Car Servicing and Repair: Mystery Shopping Research" report.

Market research was commissioned by the DTI as part of the follow-up work to the Report of the Task Force on Car Servicing and Repair to provide information on interest in a national voluntary and self-financing “good garage” scheme of the type described in the Task Force. Our Report "Car servicing and Repairs: Research into trade and consumer interest in a national 'good garage' scheme" contains the results.

For more information about car servicing and your rights visit Consumer Direct