Could his be the move...

Could his be the move that revolutionises aftersales service in the UK? Mazda has put its money where its mouth is, and given dealers cash to settle owner disputes.

Normally, if you complain to your garage about a problem on your car that could be the manufacturer’s fault, the dealer passes you on to the firm’s customer services team. That can then mean lengthy battles and a three-way conversation between you, the dealer and the maker. But the new policy, which has just been introduced by the Japanese company, means that this may no longer be necessary.

Mazda’s aftersales director Steve Jellis told Helpline: “We have given our dealers the power to spend our money, so they can resolve customer cases for us. We have provided them with some goodwill flexibility and we are relying on them to make the right call.” Unfortunately, the firm would not confirm exactly how much leeway its dealers have, but a spokeswoman confirmed: “There is a sliding scale, depending on the problem.”

Auto Express thinks this is a real step in the right direction, and will hopefully mean a lot less hassle for owners, as well as a speedier resolution to your gripes. What’s more, Mazda says that nipping complaints in the bud early has already saved it money – so everyone’s happy!