Aftersales

UK garages are facing mounting pressures from soaring overheads and a shortage of qualified technicians, according to a new survey from Fleet Assist.

New recruitment and skills support schemes for independent garages have been launched by oil firm Castrol, its UK distributor The Race Group in partnership with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

AM100 dealer group HR Owen has announced a new strategic partner for its aftersales operations, Steer Automotive Group.

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has appointed former Polestar and Volvo global director Nick Connor as its new chief executive.

Halfords has now completed 50 upgrades across its garage network with its Chorley location the latest to feature a capacity boost and refocus on customer experience.

UK motorists made nearly 1.4m digital aftersales interactions in H1 2025, a 12% year-on-year rise, with £4.7m in upsells and 70k vehicle valuations recorded.

Berry Group has acquired a former Mazda dealership in Croydon for an undisclosed sum to create a new BMW bodyshop.

Almost two-thirds of car owners would prefer to book their MOT early if given the option, according to a new consumer survey.

Fix Auto UK has expanded its network with the addition of Fix Auto Pembrokeshire, a family-run repair centre located in West Wales.

Private investment firm Sun European has acquired 16-site collision repair group Alton Cars for an undisclosed sum.

The automotive aftermarket has continued to struggle through the first half of 2025, with both sales and revenue falling year-on-year

Issues related to the timing chain of Stellantis' 1.5-litre BlueHDI diesel engines built between 2017 and 2023 have led the vehicle manufacturer to extend its warranty cover.

The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has officially unveiled the finalists for the British Independent Garage (BIG) Awards 2025

Enterprise has named its 2025 Repair Partner Awards winners at a national event attended by 400 industry professionals and collision repairers.

Kia UK is rolling out new technology through Digital INNK to provide the dealer network with more accurate service and maintenance pricing data.

IMI criticises Government's Invest 2035 strategy for overlooking the UK’s 724,000-strong automotive workforce outside manufacturing.

Mechanics at Hedin Automotive's Brooklands, Bromley and Croydon Mercedes-Benz dealerships will strike this month and in July over pay.

Finance provider Payment Assist is partnering with Car Care Plan to offer Nissan drivers an interest-free monthly payment option for a manufacturer-backed service package.

Bumper is flagging a significant change in how customers are paying for vehicle repairs, with a growing number opting to settle bills outside traditional dealership opening hours.

Eurorepar Car Service's new head of network Neil Gibbs wants to help bridge the divide between franchised dealers and the independent aftersales sector.

Wiring looms have overtaken bumpers as the most frequently repaired component following vehicle collisions, according to new data from AA Accident Assist.

Volkswagen Group's TPS trade parts outlets will begin selling other branded parts to support workshops repairing older cars with cost-conscious owners.

Eastern Western Motor Group has acquired a huge 33,000sq ft property to convert into a workshop and PDI factory

AM100 dealership group JCT600 is expanding its Bradford operations with the launch of a new Audi Authorised Repair Centre

Technicians employed at Hedin Group’s Mercedes-Benz dealerships across London are being balloted for strike action in a dispute over pay, according to the Unite union.