CAT

The Institute of the Motor Industry has launched a new route for technicians wanting to start MOT testing. A new ATA module has been launched to act as a pre-requisite to VOSA’s MOT tester training course. The IMI says this announcement follows months of working closely with VOSA.

More garages should offer car cleaning as part of a service. That’s the result of a new survey from The Parts Alliance, which shows that 60 percent of motorists recommend a garage to a friend or family member based on the cleanliness of their car.

"73 percent of UK internet users are currently using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, can we afford not to get social?" That's what Mill Auto's Damian Milling thinks - do you agree? Click the links above to see what the rest of the CAT Council has to say.

Independent garages are offering exceptional value for money for customers, a new study by the RMI has found. The Labour Rate Survey, which polled over 2000 members of the RMI’s Independent Garage Association, found that the average national labour rate at an independent garage is around £40 per hour.

As you can see, we've had a bit of a spring clean on our website. We're hoping the new layout will make it easier for more readers to find the content that matters. Aftermarket news takes pride of place at the top of our new homepage, while underneath you can find regular updates from the CAT Council, our know-how contributions and a new section

John Ball will step down as MOT Chairman of the RMI in May. Ball says he has enjoyed his time as Chairman of the federation’s MOT wing, and he is pleased to have played a lead role in defeating the frequency challenge. He says his efforts have been more than justified.

Three companies are taking on the infamous three peaks challenge for BEN in the coming months. Throughout June and July teams from KYB, Inchcape UK and Porsche will be taking on the tallest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales to raise funds for the automotive industry charity.

Motor Codes has announced the top 20 garages in the UK. As part of its Garage of the Year competition Motor Codes asked consumers to vote for their favourite garages. From all over the UK nominations flooded in, leading to the top 100 being announced some weeks ago.

Congratulations to all of the CAT team members who ran Sunday's London Marathon for BEN, the automotive charity, and thanks for all of the generous donations so far. We had three direct entrants taking part - David Harris, Jonathan Whitehead and Martin Lee - and all finished.

Codes and licensing is the subject of much debate in the aftermarket. Some argue the industry is mature enough to regulate itself, while others maintain that mandatory garage licensing is the only way forward. This month we ask the CAT Council for their view.