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Repair standan Ls vindicated
Page 112
Page 113
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E THE VEHICLE Builders and Repairers Association is delighted with the results of the recent Which? report on vehicle crash repair ("What's the Damage?" March 1990 Which?).
-The report gives full recognition to the high standards of workmanship available from the reputable end of the vehicle repair industry," says Bob McCartney, director-general of the VBRA. "Our independent repairer members in particular, will be pleased to see that the report once and for all dispenses with the myth that franchised garages are the only ones offering quality repairs."
The VBRA is also pleased to see that its ocvn role as the representative body for the crash repair industry is fully acknowledged in the report by the Consumers' Association. McCartney attributes no real importance to the survey's statement that there was no apparent difference between a VBRA repair and any other good repair. "The VBRA has always acknowledged that there are some repairs which can be carried out to an equal standard by all wellequipped repairers.
"However, as the report goes on to point out, with a VBRA repairer you receive the added protection of a guarantee on the work carried out and the right to independent arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the repair. It failed to state that, where appropriate, a VBRA repairer will also maintain your vehicle body warranties under the terms of the VBRA's Code of Practice.
"By the time Which does its next survey we should have a VBRA Standard for Body Repair: a Quality Assurance Manual and have introduced BS5750 for repairers. The difference between a VBRA repairer and the rest should be very apparent."
The VBRA believes the test case put through the garages by Which? was unlikely to reveal great differences between the repairers. "Had the test case been a more complex repair involving the straightening of a severely damaged vehicle then there would have been more scope for differences in repair standards to have shown up," says McCartney.
"The OFT statistics quoted on the proportion of work carried out by VBRA members suggests that they carry out the more complex and difficult repairs, apparently — according to Which? — to the satisfaction of their customers."
He also suggests that the "Is this an insurance job?" question is often misinterpreted by the public. "Quite often the question is asked by the repairer because of the different requirements of insurance companies in handling claims and repairs.
"We don't know in the test which repairers were or were not VBRA members and it is not appropriate for me to comment on whether new parts were necessary: The decision depends on so many factors; skill levels in the workshop; how soon the customer wants the work carried out; the availability of spare parts, etc.
"It is, however, interesting to note that no specific evidence is given to back up concern in the insurance ombudsman's report of replacement as opposed to repair being used to take advantage of insurers."