Let's face it there are few things in life that cause more consternation than paying a visit to a garage, possibly with the exception of major heart surgery or a trip to the dentist, but along with these it's right up there I'll think you'll agree.

During my motoring life I have had numerous confrontations with garages over such things as their exorbitant charges, or failure to fix what I had asked them to. One of the most annoying things that happened to me was when I took my Citroen to a specialist garage (or so-called specialist.) I needed to get some work done on the gearbox which was not cheap, a few days later I had to have the clutch replaced at further expense all because they had chosen not to change it whilst they had the gearbox out.

The other places you have to watch out for are the ones where they offer some kind of free health check and then subsequently find a load of problems with your car that you weren't aware of and that probably didn't even exist anyway.

An old friend of mine went into one such place and they virtually held her and the car hostage until she bought new tyres from them. They told her that her old tyres were not legal and that she could not drive the car until the tyres were changed.

Having said this there are occasions when you can see things from the garage's point of view. Most people hate spending money on their cars especially on consumable items like tyres even though they are fundamental to a car's safety. I bought a second hand car from some people once and I don't think they had it serviced the whole time they had it.

Nowadays everybody expects to see a service history when they buy a car and there are those people who will only buy a car if it has a Main Dealer service history.

A Main Dealer service history is very good if you are in the market for an expensive vehicle as this can preserve its value. Also taking a brand new car to be serviced by some bloke who rents an old railway arch as a garage could invalidate the warranty.

I bought a nearly-new Peugeot a few years ago and would religiously take it back to the Peugeot Dealer I bought it from to get it serviced. It then dawned on me that I was paying about £200 just to have the oil changed by some pizza- faced adolescent. The idea that they would take loving care with it as if it were a cherished work of art was a bit naïve on my part.

The same was true with our most recent car which is a Ford Mondeo. I couldn't face visiting one of those back street garages that is decorated with pictures of nude women, the kind that you see on the walls of a prison cell. Alternatively I didn't want to effectively bankrupt myself every time I needed an oil change.

My salvation duly arrived in the form of Ford's Rapid Fit service. Unlike Mr nudey calendar you could be sure the work would actually be done and unlike Mr 2nd Mortgage Main Dealer you didn't need to book a year in advance. I simply drove-in and they sorted my car out for me while I waited, a revelation indeed. You get can most things done especially stuff like tyres and exhausts, batteries etc and although they only use genuine parts the prices are really competitive.

I'll definitely be returning back to Rapid Fit next time.

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1. How Good Motorcycle Security Means Cheaper Insurance
2. Peugeot Van Servicing
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One of the major risks of motorcycles is theft, causing the increase of motorbike insurance all the time. A good preventative measure is to fit your vehicle with security in order to reduce your insurance cost and to deter thieves from trying to steal your pride and joy.

Security devices generally come in different categories ranging from 1 to 5 (1 being the best and most expensive). Below is a list of the category description:

Cat 1: Electronic alarm and immobiliser combined system

Cat 2: Electronic immobiliser (Upgradeable to Cat.1 with an alarm system)

Cat 3: Mechanical device such as a lock or chain

Cat 4: Wheel locking devices

Cat 5: After-theft systems, such as trackers or datatagging.

Each product is reviewed every 12 months, so the category may depend on the age of the system fitted to your vehicle. Although an alarm and immobiliser may start life as a Cat.1 system, after 12 months it may not be considered to be at this level.

The most effective type of security is locks, chains and especially disk locks. Cat. 3/4 devices or physical devices cause the most problems to thieves as they make the bike immobile when anchored. Rather than an electronic system that is reliant on power, mechanical devices can also be the cheapest to buy, although they are perhaps the most effective.

Many insurers do not offer huge discounts when considering security on a motorbike insurance policy, especially when you compare the cost of the security system to the amount of discount on the insurance. Although, many insurers may make the security a condition of the policy, they will not provide a price without a certain category security system fitted to the vehicle; this can be in relation to the value of the vehicle.

An average Cat. 1 alarm and immobiliser system could set you back as much as 350.00 pounds including fitting. These types of systems can include functions such as an alert to your mobile phone if your bike thinks it is being stolen, or a proximity sensor when someone might get too close to your vehicle. Quite often, an alarm and immobiliser such as this may be included and fitted when purchasing a new vehicle.

Many major manufacturers fit a standard immobiliser to their newer models, manufacturers such as Honda, Kawasaki or Yamaha fit newer vehicles with an ignition security system. Manufacturers such as Peugeot fit many of their newer scooters with mechanical security known as a Boa Lock, which can be pulled out from the rear of the vehicle and secured to an anchor point; all in an effort to reduce the cost of your motorbike insurance, as scooters are the most common type of vehicle to be stolen.

The most effective type of security that will always bring cheaper motorbike insurance quotes is a secure brick built garage. Most insurers can give such a large discount for this that the insurer may add an endorsement to your policy, to state that the vehicle must always be kept in your garage whilst at the home address.

Cat. 5 devices (After-theft products) include devices such as trackers, or tagging systems such as alpha dot or datatagging. These devices are designed to recover the vehicle after a theft has taken place. Although tagging systems normally cost between 30 pounds and 60, pounds tracking systems can be very expensive, in addition to the initial cost of the system you will also have a monthly subscription cost to keep the service running.

Motorcycle security is always a good idea; everything helps against the theft of your vehicle. Insurers will always help by reducing the cost of your insurance in accordance with the type of security fitted and where the vehicle is kept at the home address.

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1. Motorcyclists are being advised to look into the safety of their motorbikes. Additionally they are being advised not to make fake insurance claims
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3. The Global Motorcycle Report