[Indalo]

I sympathise with those decent people who entrust their car to a KIA dealership and discover that the prescribed work contained in the servicing schedule has not been completed.

There are many independent garages where servicing is conducted properly and it is very tempting to use those with a first-class reputation, not so much for the possible financial saving but for the assurance that the scheduled work actually gets done.

Providing that fully-itemised invoicing is supplied for every service to ensure compliance with KIA's schedule, then the vehicle warranty will remain intact, just as it would within the KIA dealer network. There are a few benefits from utilising the main dealers, not least the stamp in the service book, but when the manufacturer is let down by shyster dealers, then customers are unlikely to revisit the brand.

My only problem with pontificating about dodgy KIA dealers is that I know that most other marques are little different at dealer level and this disservice will continue until an inspectorate body is deployed to check on work done by these cheats and liars, using stealth tactics and genuine customer cars as bait. It could be construed as entrapment but taking money under false pretences is serious enough, in my view, to warrant it.

Does anyone actually know of any car brand whose franchised dealers are actually above this fraudulent practice? I can't think of one right at this moment.