Brilliant idea! Just what is needed. I wish HEVRA every success!

 

Long term I think we'll see garages replaced with more mobile van-based services - especially since with EVs it's mostly plugging in a laptop. Anyway, good luck!

 

Not sure about that. EVs are lasting longer than predicted 5-10 years ago, so you're going to see lots of servicing of suspension, bodywork, and other mechanical or electrical parts of the car as they age. Some of that can be done via mobile engineers but not all. Also, not everyone has a driveway or garage so the street parking may not be suitable for mobile servicing.

 

Hi Trevor, we do have some mobile technicians as well as garages among our members

 

I'm not surprised - if I wasn't already running a start-up, that's a market I would target.

 

Good luck from me too. I'm in Scotland but outside the Central Belt. If I use one of your members, my choices are East Lothian or Orkney. That is not a viable offering. When I looked at the website for the East Lothian garage, there was no mention of ANY speciality in EV servicing or repairs, not to mention any statements as to peculiar requirements such as Aircon systems.

Note that the quoted IMI Level 2 qualification for "hybrids" has been withdrawn, and the principle aim was only to ensure the safety of the service technician, not giving him the competence to carry out repairs on HV vehicle systems.

A few searching questions should be asked at the time of asking any service body to carry out repair or servicing work.

 

Good luck from me too. I'm in Scotland but outside the Central Belt. If I use one of your members, my choices are East Lothian or Orkney. That is not a viable offering. When I looked at the website for the East Lothian garage, there was no mention of ANY speciality in EV servicing or repairs, not to mention any statements as to peculiar requirements such as Aircon systems.

Hi freddym, thank you for your reply.

Our network is growing all the time, so whilst unfortunately some parts of the country may find themselves some distance from their nearest garage, this is gradually changing.

Some of our garages offer full diagnostic and repair services, others offer more routine maintenance . If in doubt, just ask.

 

This is a great idea. However you need to add more much info about each garage, such as what makes/models they can handle, and what services they offer (servicing, repairs, mot, air-con, warranty repairs, battery diags/repair/replacement, tyres etc). I tried clicking through to their websites but even these did not have enough detail. You shouldn't have to ring them to find out. Just my 2p's worth.

 

Couldn't agree more. Noting this post was from 2018 it is now the tail end of 2023 ... and I'm looking for a local HEVRA affiliated garage as we have given up trying to find a JLR dealership who gives a toss ... for a just out of main warranty (but with extended warranty) ipace ev400 HSE. Have looked at the websites for the two nearest HEVRA garages and not a mention of their capabilities for service or repair of any make of EVs. I therefore phoned the first and got a call back after a cpl of hours. Nice chap - gave him vehicle details and he said he will call back later .... still waiting !

 

I looked at my local area too. It seems that the garages near me can only do me an MOT.

 

Great idea! I checked and found a garage listed only a mile or two from me (Clevely Motors), so popped round to see them just now and they seemed very knowledgeable indeed. My car is currently booked into Bellingers for it's 5th year service and battery coolant change, but I will certainly be trying them for any further work.

They also mentioned they have an open day this weekend on Sat 22nd Sept, with the emphasis on EVs and EV servicing, I'll probably attend to see the Tesla Model S & X they will have on show as well as any other EVs I've not had a close look at before.

 

I had my car MOTd and serviced by a HEVRA garage, the MOT was a joke made my car look like it was a basket case, it wasnt until I got home that I saw that they had actually recorded a failure and then immediately after recorded a pass, no work was done, absolutely no need to do that, I also had a shed load of advisories on all the tyres and front brakes, the rear tyres had 4.7mm of tread on them, they are 6.5mm from new, worst was the service, despite being assured it could be done the in car service history wasnt updated, ended up taking it to a BMW approved dealer to have it sorted, while it was being done I asked BMW to sort the front brakes because of the advisory, no need as only 50% worn. I wont be using them again.

 

If you think the fail was false then report them to DVSA. Also HEVRA too as that standard of behaviour is unacceptable.

 

There is a safety advert on the TV at the moment urging people to go left on so called Smart motorways, the car would fail the MOT if they took it to the same MOT tester I had.

 

Just to feed back on having used a HEVRA garage (Sandhurst MOT) to service my Leaf. Cost of an interim service plus MOT was £114 inc VAT. Breakdown was a reduced price £25 + VAT for the MOT, £74 + VAT for the service and part (pollen filter). When I rang to check on progress they had just done the MOT, which it had passed, and they were about to do the service. An hour later they rang to say the service was done, which corresponds with what most of us have said about how little work there is to do on an EV service.

What I had forgotten to do was ask for a battery health check. They kindly did that on the spot without extra charge - I didn’t get the bar print out that Nissan give you, but I did get a detailed cell by cell voltage print out. I’m going to take a photo of the bars from the info screen to file with it, but we all know that’s just a Nissan con to try and force you to use main dealers.

i don’t get the “free” RAC breakdown cover, but I have cover through my bank account anyway. I didn’t get the car valeted, or a free coffee, or a video of them doing the work, but I did pay about half what it would have cost at the main dealer…

 

Main dealers are often not up to it either. I had a warranty issue with my Renault Zoe so tried to book in with my local main Renault dealer only to be told that "because they don't have any electrically trained engineers" I would have to take it to the nearest dealer who did - 33 miles away! Which led to me thinking what actually do they do at the annual service which I had done recently!

 

I just checked the nearest Hevra garage for us, quoted on the Hevra website and they don’t even mention EVs on their website.

 

The one closest to me on Hevra's list has gone out of business.

How often does Hevra check and update?

 

Anybody used Vulcan hybrid and electric centre, based in waddington, just outside Lincoln? Looking for somewhere that could do in depth repairs to the electrical components should I need to now my ID3 is out of warranty. I emailed them and they said they are capable of this, just wondered if anyone on here has used them? They seem promising.

 

May I ask? Has something gone wrong with the electrical system? Or are just getting contacts in case something does go wrong?

 

great idea, I hope it will work on a large scale

 

First garage I tried contacting in Blackpool - BMC, have been really knowledgeable and helpful so far even though I haven't specifically asked them to perform any work (yet!).

 

I was recently canvassed by the VW dealership I bought the car from to see if they could do my 4th year service on the ID3.

Without prompting by me they said that they could do something on the price and finally quoted about £200 for service plus MoT. I didn't book because the due date is 15 December and it can't be done more than a month early without changing the next service date.

Previous numbers were £370 official VW price and £270 from the nearest HEVA garage.

I will confirm the final figure once it's booked.