Tania Wilson, Steering Product Manager at Quinton Hazell, comments on the changing relationship between factors and garages, and what can be done to benefit both parties.
Accounting for around 5% of overall motor factor sales, steering and suspension remains an important product line, and thanks to the common pothole, steering remains a product that continues to grow, regardless of the vehicle model or type.
However, with a myriad of link bars, track rod ends, ball joints and wishbones in demand, saying ‘yes’ to the customer at every enquiry is proving more difficult. As garages are placed under increasing pressure, time is of the essence – a car stuck on the ramp costs money. Additionally, many garages will not compromise on quality, as the secondary cost to replace is fast becoming an issue.
A ‘no quibble’ warranty used to cut it when the cost to refit a part was relatively low, but increasing vehicle complexities means that this is no longer the case. By offering a discount on the next purchase, or some free oil, for example, factors used to be able to easily overcome their problems, but this has changed. Warranty labour is fast becoming a contentious issue, and is often a major reason for a breakdown in the trading relationship between factor and garage.
It’s therefore not surprising that garages are beginning to question what’s in the box. After all, there have been some very cheap suspension parts added to the market in recent times. So cheap, that the price hit rock bottom and then for good measure, started drilling! With almost 75 years’ worth of experience as a supplier to the UK aftermarket, Quinton Hazell (QH) has seen many of these suppliers come and go, and places a high value on quality.
The historic philosophy that QH adopted remains in both the team and, importantly, the overall ethos of the business. We’re still proud to state that we know exactly what goes in our box, and we will never compromise that to hit that sub-rock bottom pricing level. On top of this, we’re so confident in the quality of our products that we offer a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty.
Garages still want to see their independent factors remain true to their roots; we aim to support that in supplying a quality product that’s fit for purpose, at a market-comparable price. The QH steering and suspension range is of OE matched quality, and is supported with BER certification.
To help support businesses, we hold around 7,000 QH steering and suspension references, covering around 95% of the Asian and European car parc. Additionally, the range is available on a next-day delivery basis on single pick orders.
