How to... cut your service bills - Find an independent garage

FOR Cheaper than a main dealer
AGAINST No-frills service - unlikely to offer a courtesy car

An independent garage is almost certainly a cheaper bet than a franchised dealer. This is because labour rates tend to be cheaper - on average £50 per hour, compared with just over £90 per hour at a franchised dealer, according to the 2006 Warranty Direct Garage Labour Rates Survey.

Before 2003, most car makers could invalidate your warranty if you had your car serviced outside their dealer network. That's no longer the case, as long as you follow a few provisos. First, the garage must be VAT-registered. Second, check that the workshop uses manufacturer-approved or 'original equivalent parts' - you can verify this by asking for the serial number and receipt when the job has been done.

How much could you save? The VW Golf belonging to What Car?'s designer, Graham Rolfe, needed a service with a cambelt change. We got a quote from Motorworld Volkswagen in Oxford, who said it would cost £640 to do the job. Denton's Garage, an independent just a mile or so away, quoted us £450 for the same work.

How do you know that the garage will do a good job? Ideally, get a personal recommendation, and check whether the garage is a member of a trade organisation like such as the RMI or Scottish Motor Trade Association.