Multi-marque service future
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• Multi-franchise service dealers could be on the way, according to Garet Rhys, professor of motor industry economics at Cardiff Business School, who believes that in future operators will be willing to travel greater distances to buy a truck, but not to get it serviced.
Economic pressures will force truck dealers to cover larger areas than at present, and so more service dealers will need to provide local maintenance. The increasing level of sophisticated diagnostic equipment needed to maintain trucks will also force multi-franchising among the smaller manufacturers' service dealers.
However, during a speech at the Garage Equipment Association conference, Rhys warned that the technological advantages franchised service agents will have will be short lived. The cost of diagnostic equipment will come down to such an extent that every workshop will be able to afford it, he said.
John Berry of the European Commission told delegates that harmonisation of vehicle testing was a long way off. Although HGV testing is common throughout the EC, standards vary and emissions testing procedures conflict. lie told Workshop that the emission limits set by the environment ministers (Workshop April) will be implemented and work is under way to see if the free acceleration smoke test is a reliable indicator.