We live in a very fast paced, vehicle reliant society. We have high expectations and when it comes to our vehicles, we want to be able to just start and drive them without any problems. The reality is that our
vehicles’ are still just machines, they are now computer controlled, but they still need maintenance and repairs when parts of that machine wear out or break. Unfortunately, due to a very few well publicized incidences, and at times possibly a miscommunication or lack of information, the general consumer feels that they are being taken advantage of when they take their vehicle in for service or repair.
With our current economic situation, we are all more conscious of where and how we are spending our money. For some reason this seems to have accelerated that feeling of distrust that consumers have for the automotive industry. Automotive repair shops whether they are a franchise, dealership or independent repair facility are not in business, to rip off the consumer. These businesses build their clientele by providing a very necessary, service and try to the best of their ability to maintain and repair your vehicle as efficiently and as reasonably as possible.
When you think about it in an unemotional and logical manner, repeat customers are the best way to keep any type of business running and growing. Especially repeat customers that refer all their friends and family to you because they are so happy with the service and product they have received. It costs any business a lot more money to continually have to find new customers. So to take advantage of any customer, would defeat the objective of trying to build customer loyalty and referrals. The unfortunate part of vehicle repair is that it can be complicated, so explanations of what is needed and why can often be misunderstood, and you can not always physically see what was repaired. When maintenance is performed you also do not necessarily feel a difference in the performance of the vehicle.
Building a relationship with a repair facility is crucial to help get over this feeling of uncertainty. Just like you build a relationship with your dentist, orthodontist, doctor, drycleaner, hair stylist and the many others it takes time and perhaps getting to know who you are comfortable in dealing with. Most automotive technicians initially had a love for working on, or tinkering on their own cars and had a natural talent for understanding what makes them work. The continuing evolution of vehicles demands that a technician continue their education on new computer controls and alternate fuel systems. Some of these changes have made it more difficult for the average consumer to even perform maintenance on their newer vehicles. This makes finding an automotive repair facility even more crucial.
Some of the things to look at when you are looking for a repair facility: 1) Are you comfortable with the person you are dealing with. 2) What are the qualifications of the technicians they employ? Look for certifications and education notices that should be posted. 3) What is the repair facilities warranty on parts and labor? The industry standard is 12 months and 12,000 miles. 4) Does the shop have professional designations like ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certified, ASA (Automotive Service Association), or NATA – National Automotive Trades Association. Just to name a few. 5) Check with the Better Business Bureau or Reviews that are posted about the shop you are considering.
Develop a relationship with a repair facility for small repairs and maintenance like oil changes, belt replacements, and brake inspections. This will help you get a feel for the repair facility to see if their quality and service meets your standards. Secondly, do not compare repair facilities just based on prices, estimates given over the phone can be very vague and not necessarily accurate or even the same. Would you get an estimate over the phone to replace the floor in your kitchen? The contractor needs to see the kitchen and subfloor sometimes crawl under the house in order to give you a more accurate estimate. On vehicles different parts or labor options can apply based on certain vehicle details, production date, and what the vehicle is equipped with. So the only way to accurately estimate a repair is to see the vehicle and verify the parts and labor needed. Also, when the repair is larger and you have some tear down involved, much like remodeling, you can find unexpected problems that also need repaired. This usually just involves additional parts, so some shops quote a worse case scenarios before a job commences and some shops quote best case scenarios, so you need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples when price shopping.
Making an assumption that you are getting ripped off every time you visit a repair facility makes these encounters very difficult for you as the consumer. Start with a clean slate, ask questions, get informed about your vehicle and what it needs to keep it running smoothly, efficiently and reasonably. Happy motoring!
Tags: auto repair, Auto Repair Gresham, automotive repair, gresham auto repair, import auto repair, scheduled maintenance services
