Honda (UK) almost took top spot in the 2016 J.D. Power Customer Service Index, having been pipped to the post by just one point.

Honda (UK) almost took top spot in the 2016 J.D. Power Customer Service Index, having been pipped to the post by just one point.

On the survey’s 1,000-point scale that ranks each manufacturer on overall customer satisfaction, Honda scored 775 points, exceeding the ‘volume brand’ average of 744 and the ‘premium brand’ average of 761. What’s more, Honda outgunned the top premium brand, which scored 774.

The J.D. Power 2016 UK Customer Service (CSI) Study is regarded as a leading authority on customer service in the UK car market. This year’s survey was carried out between February and April 2016 taking direct feedback from 8,478 customers who registered new vehicles between February 2013 and April 2015.

The study measures the customer service of franchised dealers for maintenance and repair work, examining five weighted measures (listed in order of importance):

• Service quality
• Service initiation
• Service advisor
• Vehicle pick-up
• Service facility

Philip Crossman, Managing Director of Honda (UK), said: “Our dealers consistently score highly on independent customer satisfaction surveys and it’s great to see this excellence quality once again recognised by J.D. Power and our customers. Dealers are the front line for the Honda brand, they are integral to our business and so consistently scoring highly for customer satisfaction is extremely encouraging.”

The study also summarises key findings that significantly contribute to overall customer satisfaction:

• A greeting on arrival from a service advisor can increase service satisfaction by as much as 48 points on the 1,000 point-scale
• A fast and efficient ‘pick-up’ after maintenance or service work is vital. Overall satisfaction is highest among the 53% of customers who said the process of completing paperwork and being handed their keys took less than five minutes
• Transparency on work carried out against the price paid is highly valued. Overall satisfaction averages 742 among the 81% of customers who received an explanation of the charges after service was completed, compared with 653 among those who did not receive an explanation

Honda (UK) is currently offering a five-year or 62,500-mile 32-point service plan for the fixed price of £695 (petrol models) and £995 (diesels), offering potential savings of £505 and £435 respectively. Undertaken by Honda-trained technicians using genuine Honda parts, this offer is available on cars less than eight months old, with fewer than 8,000 miles on the clock. 

The Final rounds of the season for the Ginetta Juniors plus an overview.

With the 2014 season coming to a close, with the final two races at the full GP track at Brands Hatch, the Iconic layout brings both new challenges, and some better racing, for the penultimate round of the Ginetta Juniors, the honours for pole go, James Kellett' team mate at HHC Motorsport, Lando Norris, and with over leader of the standings, Jack Mitchell further back in sixth place, it is looking like a good haul of points for James and Lando, and the team.

With Lando on pole and Jamie Caroline second, it leaves James to take third position at the start of the start of the race, and hopefully a good start, and favourable overtaking will move him forward. And as the flag fell at the end of race one, Jamie Caroline was the winner, James pulled one space forward to take a well deserved second, Lando dropped right back to ninth, with Jack Mitchell moving up to fourth and Jack Rawles from fifth to third, So with just one race left to the season, it is obvious that Jack Mitchell has taken the crown for Driver Championship, and unless something drastic happens in the final race, its almost certain the JHR Motorsports will take the Team trophy.

RACE TWO - Final Race of The Year

With the track still damp on the inside, and around the GP track, race two should be an interesting one, With Lando Norris, Jamie Caroline and James K taking the first three spots, the lights go green, and Caroline goes into the lead with JK third,Jack Mitchell span before druids,  it shoved him straight to the back, and with this the only car not to get around the first lap. Flasherman Finnerman has a flappy bonnet and will come in at the end of lap one.

James Kellet in second is fighting to get past Caroline, with out much success at the present , druids has not more incidents on lap two, with James squirrelling around trying to get past, and trying to avoid the damp patches, the top four are all within a sniff of each other, Zelos, has gotten on the back of JK and as they come around to conclude the second lap,  they are all as close as ever.Zelos goes off track at the exit of druids and Lando has a late lunge on Kellett to take second,  but Caroline has a small lead.

lap three comes to an end with the racing further back as hard and as aggressive as at the front, with a number of these y0oungsters confirmed to be back next year, it is bound to be a great season, but back to the front, the leading four are pulling away, and James has had a spin at Surtee's it has put him way back, with Caroline having a smaller gap and Zelos trailing back in third, Lando is determined to have a go on lap five as they head to Druids he takes the place and Caroline drops back, but Zelos has caught them back, and Caroline goes back into the lead, and then they are right beside each other at 110mph, and Caroline takes the lead.

the racing is amazing, these guys are not afraid of fighting, Caroline loses first to Lando again, and the top three are all now right back together,  as they start lap 6 of 8, there is now a small lead by Lando with Jamie Caroline second and Zelos third, the three leaders are now coming around to complete the sixth lap, with the trio still holding position.

The fighting further back is great, they are all clawing for each place,, Senna Procter Alex Sedgewick both niggling each other for position and Chadwick loses two positions to Senna and A,ex, before taking one back, Jack Rawles and Ryan Hadfield are both fighting each other, not giving an inch, and right on the bumper, this is stunning racing, the final lap has now started with the leading three still in procession, Caroline takes the fastest lap, Lando Norris has a gap on Caroline with Dan Zelos further back, Jamie Chadwick goes off into the gravel, and with only a couple of corners to go, they are still trying to get position.

These kids are not afraid to give it all, and around the final corner Lando Norris punches the air with delight as he takes the final race win of the season, with Jamie Caroline taking second and trailing back Zelos takes third, another brilliant race, from all of the Juniors, and if next year is half as good as this years, it will be thee championship to watch, it was such a shame that JK was unable to finish the last race of the season with a win or big points.

However, it is not as cut and dried as that, when you look at the points awarded for the season as a whole, it is clear that without the lower point finishes, of which there were 6 (16 points awarded or less) for James Kellett, then the race for the title may well have been a lot closer, or even awarded to James, as Jack on had two low point finishes (16 points or less), so, it could well have been a different story albeit for those finishes.

But that's racing, you have to race hard from day one, to the final flag of the season, get ever single point that's going, because at the end of the day, that one point may mean the difference between winning and coming in second, but again, this class, is so full of winners, when most kids are at home playing on play stations, or smoking behind the bike sheds, amongst other things, these guys are out there, racing cars in a professional championship, proving that although they are not fully fledged vote allowing adults, they are just as good as the BTCC drivers, of which this is a support race.

They have shown so much determination, frustration and anger, so many emotions for these young people, emotions that the general public could never imagine, and they still have so much more to learn, so much more to give back, and so many more years of professional driving, each and every single one of the young adults have parents, siblings, family and friends that are so proud of what they have achieved at such a young age, and for most this is just that start, we look forward to seeing them all develop and go on to bigger, better and more focused race series, whether that be the bigger Ginetta's, British Touring Car Championship, One Make Series, Clio Cup, or even onto the World Touring Cars, or even F1, whatever these guys choose as a future career, I am sure that they will all be successful.

Congratulations to all the Drivers, you have provided some of the best racing of the year, your attitudes and determination not to give up, has provided some stunning over taking movements, great wheel to wheel action and some rather funny body destruction moments.

I hope to be at some of the BTCC events next year, I have missed them all this year, which is a real shame, its the first time in years when i have not been to at least one race.

**PHOTOGRAPHY**

John Beardon provides some stunning pictures from the Ginetta Juniors, and the above shot just goes to show how talented this photographer is.

MINI's Countryman gets second place at the "Off Road" awards

Irresistible design and unstoppable progress – the MINI Countryman is winning over fresh target groups and attracting increasing numbers of fans among potential buyers of all-wheel drive automobiles. The latest evidence of this is its outstanding performance in the 2013 "Off Road Award". A reader's vote held by the car magazine "Off Road" has secured a place on the winner's podium for the first MINI with four doors, a large tailgate and the optional all-wheel drive system ALL4. The MINI Countryman was ranked second in the subcompact SUV category.

This once more reflects the huge and remarkably swift success of the British premium brand as it advances into a new segment, extending the model range to include automobiles with all-wheel drive.  "Off Road" readers have clearly got wind of the fact that the MINI Countryman's hallmark brand driving fun is to be had beyond the urban environment, too - and even away from asphalted roads. Their positive vote demonstrates not least an appreciation of the MINI Countryman's drive and suspension technology. Powerful engines of exemplary efficiency, precise steering and specific suspension settings guarantee superb agility.

Then there is the permanent all-wheel drive system specially developed for MINI which uses an electromagnetic centre differential to distribute drive power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. Its electronic management system is integrated directly in the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) control unit, enabling ALL4 to vary drive torque quickly and precisely. The result is not just optimised starting on snow or loose sand and improved forward thrust on slippery surfaces but also enhanced sports-style driving fun on bends.

The MINI Countryman's growing popularity is also reflected in its market success, with over 102,000 sold worldwide in 2012 alone. In fact the successful launch of the 3-door MINI Paceman in March 2013 even gave the brand's all-wheel drive offensive an additional boost. The distinctive Sports Activity Coupé is likewise available with ALL4 as an optional extra. When the MINI Cooper Countryman ALL4 and the MINI Cooper Paceman ALL4 line up for the start as of July 2013, there will be two petrol and two diesel engines for each model available in conjunction with all-wheel drive, with output ranging from 82 kW/112 bhp to 135 kW/184 bhp. Then there are the two extreme sports models MINI John Cooper Works Countryman and MINI John Cooper Works Paceman, each of which transmits its outstanding engine output of 160 kW/218 bhp to all wheels as standard. The all-wheel drive MINI models are all available as standard with a 6-speed manual transmission and optionally with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Presented annually since 1982, the "Off Road Award" is one of the most tradition-steeped prizes in the automotive sector. This year there were a total of 128 current models to choose from in 13 categories.