Nearly half of motorists (47 per cent) feel they\u2019ve overpaid for car repairs because of confusing jargon used by mechanics.<\/p>\n
Drivers hearing their \u2018big end\u2019 has gone or they\u2019ve got \u2018mayonnaise\u2019 under their oil cap is causing them to lose faith in their garages.<\/p>\n
MotorEasy, a UK-based cloud-based garage-to-consumer trading platform says that it is calling time on confusing mechanic jargon with the launch of its new \u2018Lost in Translation\u2019 campaign to promote \u201cplain English\u201d in car garages.<\/p>\n
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\nIt\u2019s even worse for women with baffling workshop lingo causing a third (32%) of female drivers to stop using a garage because they felt they were being taken advantage of due to their gender*.
\nGarage mechanics remain one of the least trusted professions in the UK** because consumers are left flummoxed by the terms used by technicians and feel obliged to stump up for parts or work \u2013 even though they don\u2019t know what they\u2019re paying for.<\/p>\n
Car ownership and maintenance service MotorEasy, wants garages to ditch the jargon and use \u2018plain English\u2019 to win owners\u2019 trust back.
\nThe firm has compiled a list of seven commonly used terms that leave drivers baffled and what they actually mean.
\nThe firm\u2019s light-hearted \u2018Lost in Translation\u2019 campaign has been launched to highlight the amusing absurdity of garage jargon, but also the more serious issue of consumer trust in car workshops.<\/p>\n
Seven of the top jargon terms used by garage mechanics<\/strong><\/p>\n Jargon term: Your big end has gone<\/strong> Jargon term: Excessive play<\/strong> Jargon term: Diagnostic check \/ charge<\/strong> Jargon term: Your bushes on the wishbone are going<\/strong> Jargon term: You\u2019ve got mayonnaise under your oil cap<\/strong> Jargon term: Spongy brakes<\/strong> Jargon term: I need to access your CAN-bus<\/strong> MotorEasy founder, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: \u201cGarage mechanics are among the worst around for using phrases and terms that may make sense to them and may even be technically correct, but which mean nothing to the casual car owner.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile some garage customers may be bold enough to ask for an explanation, the majority are very British about it and will simply accept what they\u2019re being told, trusting that the technician knows best. For a full list of garage jargon terms, to contribute your own jargon, see the rest of the \u2018Lost In Translation\u2019 campaign and visit: www.motoreasy.com\/lost-in-translation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nearly half of motorists (47 per cent) feel they\u2019ve overpaid for car repairs because of confusing jargon used by mechanics. Drivers hearing their \u2018big end\u2019 has gone or they\u2019ve got \u2018mayonnaise\u2019 under their oil cap is causing them to lose faith in their garages. MotorEasy, a UK-based cloud-based garage-to-consumer trading platform says that it is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> A large bearing (semi-circular sleeve of metal inside the engine) has worn out and failed. This usually results in further damage to other parts of the engine. If the big end is worn, it can make a loud knocking noise, especially when you accelerate<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> Not as fun as it first sounds, this is typically used in connection to steering or suspension parts and refers to excessive movement of a part that is either moving more than it should or moving when it shouldn\u2019t do so at all<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> The technician may plug a diagnostics system into your car to assess any faults; this sounds technical and can be used to mask the cost of an hour\u2019s labour but it usually entails no more than plugging a laptop into the car, taking minutes<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> Bushes are the little rubber parts attached to suspension parts, including the triangular components called wishbones; because they are rubber, they can perish and wear out. They aren\u2019t an expensive fix however, so bear that in mind<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> If water or condensation under the oil cap mixes with engine oil, it creates a thick, white-coloured gunk that collects there; this could indicate that there\u2019s an issue with the head gasket, which is quite a serious problem<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> There isn\u2019t much resistance when the brake pedal is depressed, indicating that the brakes aren\u2019t working properly, usually due to a lack of brake fluid<\/p>\n
\nMeaning:<\/strong> Jargon term for the electronics system that allows the vehicle\u2019s engine management computer to \u2018talk\u2019 to other parts of the car<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe problem is that this trust is open to abuse and unscrupulous garages could even use jargon to deliberately confuse their customers and even get them to part with more cash unnecessarily.\u201d
\nMotorEasy\u2019s \u2018Lost in Translation\u2019 campaign has been launched to highlight, in a comedic fashion, how workshops could take simple steps to improve the relationship they have with customers and increase customer loyalty as a result.<\/p>\n