Women in the driving seat when it comes to car repairs

IT COULD come as a blow to masculine pride, but new research suggests that garages consistently charge men more than women for the same car repairs.

A mystery shopping exercise carried out on behalf of Sheilas’ Wheels, the insurer specialising in female drivers, found that men were being quoted up to a third more than women for the same basic work. In some cases male customers were charged over £60 more than their female counterparts.

The research also found that blonde women were quoted up to 20 per cent more than brunettes or redheads for some types of work.

Researchers visited 100 independent garages across mainland Britain for the experiment. Mystery shoppers, of both sexes, all claimed to own an identical model of 2011 Ford Fiesta and asked for a quote for new brake pads, a new alternator and a service.

As well as noting the estimates they were given, they were asked to record their general impression of how they were treated during their visit.

Overall, male researchers were quoted an average of £106 for a minor service, compared to £94 for women. The gender gap was widest among older would-be customers. Men aged 60 or over were charged an average of £258 to replace an alternator, compared with £196 for women of the same age.

When asked to record their experiences, almost half of men said they were treated formally by staff compared with only a quarter of women.

In separate polling four in 10 women said they avoided taking their car to the garage because they thought a man was less likely to be ripped off.