PHH Vehicle Management Services will launch Autonet at next week's Fleet Motor Show, a new nationwide service, maintenance and repair network which it claims will reduce fleet SMR expenditure by 25%. The savings stem from discounts on both parts and labour, which should axe £10,000 a year from a 100-strong car fleet's SMR bills, according to PHH.

It expects up to half its customers to switch to the Autonet network and card. Through Autonet, cars will be serviced within a maximum three-day lead time, will be collected and delivered, and a report of all work undertaken left in the car. With every service cars undergo a free safety-check, wash and vacuum.

PHH claimed it had no intention of excluding franchised dealers, but said this was the natural corollary of its bid to reduce costs. But it does expect premium and luxury marques to continue to use franchised dealerships because of the technical complexity of their engines and the boost a full manufacturer service history gives to these cars' residual values. A number of fleets are expected to start using the Autonet network immediately.