A new organisation, R2C (Right to Choose) has been established by independent aftermarket suppliers, distributors and repairers to create greater public awareness of the law and motorists’ rights to choose where to have their vehicles serviced without being penalised.

Many motorists with vehicles under manufacturers’ warranty are under the misguided impression that any servicing, maintenance or repairs must be carried out by the authorised dealer otherwise their warranty is invalidated.
 
The Right to Choose Campaign aims to inform the Motoring Public of their Right to Choose to have their car serviced or
repaired by an independent garage or service outlet without invalidating the vehicle warranty. It is a National, industrywide Campaign, apolitical and aimed at promoting the benefits to the motorist of using the independent aftermarket.
 
Following the successful conclusion to the European-wide Right to Repair Campaign which resulted in revised rules for motor vehicle distribution and repair, motorists can now shop around for the most competitive price and convenient location for servicing their cars.
 
Under the European Union rules, introduced in June 2010, car manufacturers can no longer make the warranty conditional on having the car serviced, or even simple things like oil changes, done in the dealers’ workshops.
Unsurprisingly, dealers choose not to tell car owners that their warranty is still intact wherever they choose to have
their cars serviced, but the ‘RIGHT TO CHOOSE’ campaign aims to put that right.
 
Evidence that franchised dealers are informing their customers that they must have their car serviced by a main dealer or
their warranty is invalidated would be passed by the R2C campaign to the European Commission who is empowered to tackle abuses which bring detriment to consumers.  The Campaign founders are urging all in the independent
aftermarket to support this campaign: parts manufacturers and importers, distributors and retailers and repairers.
Attractive posters and leaflets explaining motorists’ rights and promoting independent businesses will be available; all
bearing the distinctive R2C logo.
 
The campaign will actively promote the independent aftermarket repairers and services through a series of Retail Press
Releases, activities and events around the country. If you want to help your business succeed in today’s climate please
register with the Right to Choose Campaign at:
 
Aftermarket House, 5 Marlin Office Village
1250 Chester Road, Castle Bromwich
Birmingham B35 7AZ.
Tel: 0845 3131 506
Fax: 0845 3131 508

08 November 2011
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