Massive oil change price gaps uncovered
Motorists are infuriated after a survey revealed dramatic differences between prices charged for oil changes at garages in the province of Styria.The Labour Chamber (AK) announced today (Weds) its checks showed some garages demanded up to 210 Euros for changing a cars oil while others invoice only 28 Euros.AK, who tested an overall 57 repair shops run by drivers unions ÖAMTC and Arbö as well as private businesses, appealed to car owners to compare prices in advance to avoid being ripped off.The bodys Vienna branch found earlier this year that some repair shops in the capital charged up to 110 Euros more than others for one hours work.”We tested 39 car repair shops offering services for 14 car brands. Some charge 82 Euros for one hours work, while others demand up to 193 Euros, a spokesman announced.Around 4.4 million cars were registered in Austria last year, two per cent more than in 2008.Insurance agency Generali polled hundreds of its clients to find that only one in 10 motorists could imagine living a car-free life.Meanwhile, the number of natural gas-operated vehicles (NGV) registered in Austria remains relatively low with just 5,500 NGVs in the country, according to a report by federal statistics agency Statistik Austria.