Car maintenance costs could fall

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With many motorists already benefiting from cheaper car insurance, they may soon be saving money on servicing and maintenance costs.

The Financial Times newspaper has reported that new legislation from the European Union may make it cheaper for new car owners to get their vehicles serviced and maintained.

New rules which should be implemented from June will ban manufacturers from demanding that car owners used authorised workshops or risk voiding the vehicle warranty.

EU officials told the newspaper that they expect this to result in cheaper vehicle maintenance for owners.

With repair bills adding up to an estimated 40 percent of a vehicle's running costs, car owners are likely to benefit from the changes to vehicle manufacturers' 'block exemption'.

This has allowed car makers to keep a tight grip on who can offer parts and services for their vehicles.

Competition rules stop this from happening in most European industries.

From June, 'block exemption' will know longer apply to authorised repair networks with a market share of 30 percent or more.

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