Motorists urged to shout for the good guys!

Motor Codes Garage of the Year 2012 brought to you by Havoline:

• Nationwide competition based on public votes.
• Open to all UK service and repair garages from independents to franchise dealers.
• Finding the country’s best garages based on trust, customer service, quality of work and value for money.
• 6,500 OFT-approved Motor Codes garages across the UK already signed up and waiting for your votes!

Motor Codes, the OFT-approved self-regulator for the automotive industry, has opened its third annual Garage of the Year competition, calling on motorists to champion their local garage and help remove the stress of finding a trustworthy garage for car owners across the UK.

Fast-becoming one of the most prestigious, far-reaching motor industry awards, voting is now open for motorists to nominate their favourite garage – big or small. Reflecting the diverse nature of the businesses that commit to Motor Codes standards, customers can rate their service or repair experience at businesses ranging from the smallest independent garage to the largest main dealer.

As Chris Mason, managing director at Motor Codes explains, the aim is not just to seek out the best but to show that there are garages the length and breadth of Britain that can give motorists peace of mind, “The vast majority of garages out there provide top quality customer service. Garage of the Year helps point out the good guys so that motorists don’t need to worry about making a costly mistake in choosing a garage.”

Over the past two years, thousands of people have voted for their garage and this year’s competition is bigger than ever.

"The Motor Codes network has grown and now covers over 6,500 garages so you can be sure there’s a safe-haven garage near you."

The most important element of the competition is that it’s direct customer involvement that makes the difference, as judging panel member and consumer editor at What Car?, Emma Butcher points out, “What’s great about these awards is that they’re driven by customers. All customer comments – good and bad – are taken into account when choosing the finalists so customers can effectively treat these awards as a word-of-mouth recommendation for the best garages in their region.”

Customers nominating their garage will be in with a chance to win an even more stress-free car servicing experience, with a year’s free servicing on offer, as well as tickets to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The competition opens for voting on 24 February, through www.motorcodes.co.uk. In April, the top 50 large and small garages will be shortlisted and customers of those garages can continue voting, to help decide the Motor Codes Garage of the Year.