Having been involved professionally in the automotive repair and service industry since the 60’s I can comfortably say I have seen it all. Over the years a lot has changed… cars are much more advanced and technical than they once were which obviously has made a huge difference in the training and quality of professionalism. Back in the 60’s just about anyone with a few basic tools could perform almost any service or repair needed. Guys from the local gas station with names like Leroy, Bill or Jim could troubleshoot just anything the motorist needed and usually without a charge. As a result of today’s complex automobiles today’s diagnostic skills require far more experience and training than the Leroy’s Bill’s and Jim’s could ever offer.

Other than good service (a term used far too much these days) about the only thing that has remained a constant with regard to the auto industry is the consumers need to be very aware of who is advising them. Of course this topic is one we could write volumes about and the truth is in my opinion besides the fact that there is a legit reason for consumers to be cautious, what really needs to happen is that BOTH auto service/repair facilities AND consumers need to get educated. There is LOTS to learn and teach. It’s very common for a shop to have a good understanding as to what may or may not be required to keep an automobile performing at an optimum and reliable efficiency status but the consumer may not. For this reason the key word is “communication” and educating a consumer as to what might happen after words is also a key factor.
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With one of the wildest winters in years in much of North America, many roads are in pretty rough shape. They say that in Toronto there have been 165,000 pot holes recorded so far this year and it will take until July before they can all be repaired. Those potholes are literally everywhere and are wreaking havoc with your tires, wheels and suspension components. The scary thing is that your alignment can be out of whack without you even noticing a difference behind the wheel.

So why should you have an alignment? Here are ten reasons:

1. You have just installed or are about to install new tires
2. You notice uneven tire wear
3. Your steering wheel is off center
4. Your vehicle pulls to the left or right
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Or are there? Some customers looking for a “deal” many times take it way too far. I agree that customers should in fact “shop” around when searching for an auto repair facility as well as ask questions related to their needs. Those questions should be, how familiar are you with my specific model of vehicle? How long have you been in business and more importantly how long has the tech that will be working at my car been in the business? Do you have references such as the Better Business Bureau and so on. Then give them permission to take a look at what your concerns are and allow them enough of an estimate to do a thorough inspection.

Customer’s should learn it’s very important to not shop all over the place every time they need something. Instead, the smartest way to get the most bang for your buck is to stop looking for the “deal” and begin looking for a shop that is qualified and one that can be trusted. Murphy’s Law says there will be days when something goes wrong, a defective part, improper install or the planets didn’t align or whatever. It’s at those times when the customer who moves around from shop to shop will not get the service they want. Why should a shop go the extra distance when they know this type of customer will probably not return? On the other hand, when a repair facility recognizes a quality customer it is much easier for them to say, “It’s all taken care of. No charge! Thank-you.” In the long run it will pay off ten fold.

Here is one of my favorite examples but keep in mind, this really isn’t all that uncommon from where I sit. One morning a man calls one of my shops and asks, “I have a brake problem on my van. How much to check it out and what will it cost to fix it?” I told him there would be no charge to inspect it but I could not give an estimate until I did. Then I told him, “Bring it in and we’ll check it it.” In retrospect I wish I hadn’t used those exact words. Later that afternoon my manager was standing in the lobby talking to a customer at the counter when all of a sudden all hell broke loose. Without any warning an old Ford van crashed right into the glass front of the store which sent glass… lots of glass, wood framing, a display of wheels and more all in the direction of my manager and customer.
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In last week’s Carnival of Wheels, the semi official pizza wagon guy of The Garage, Kevin told a tale of two garages. Within this tale he brought up the topic of the cash discount. We’ve all heard the bit. “I’ll give you a discount if you can pay by cash.” A little extra bit of discount is always a good thing right? Well, maybe not always.
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Ask anyone how to get good service for your car, and one of the first suggestions you’ll hear is to find a good mechanic. That can be easier said than done, but I guess the first step is to ask around. Find who your friends and family are using. Haunt owners club message boards to see who people with cars like yours are using for service in your area.
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When you are a pro in any industry, you have certain views that can be hard to sway. One of those for me is off brand tires. The P5’s summer boots were pretty much finished, so I started making some calls. The first (and only really) was to Gord Cullen at Tire Depot.
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This may sound like a pretty basic thing, but you would be amazed at how many people do it. They show up at a dealership with some sort of complaint that only occurs on the highway. The nearest highway is 10 minutes away from the dealership. The low fuel warning light is on.

Not only is the technician (or service manager) ticked off at you, but he’s worrying more about the likelihood of not making it back than he is about diagnosing your concern.

Always make sure your car has gas if you want your service facility to fix something that requires a road test.

One of the most common question I’m face with owners of old cars is: It’s a lot of money. should I fix it?
It’s quite a dilemma, and it’s a question with no easy answer.

The scene is almost always the same. The customer is driving a 10 or 12 year old second hand car. A couple of years ago they scraped together to buy it and have done next to no maintenance. They have developed a problem that is beyond the skills of the local major tire chain and they have to come to a dealer. The car has many faults, several of which are not only terminal, but expensive. The car isn’t safe to drive. The repairs needed to make it safe will cost more than the car is worth and they likely don’t address the driveability problem that brought them in in the first place. Then comes the question.
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It may sound like the most basic advice, and it really is. Change your oil. The problem is that I’ve been noticing a troubling trend lately. People aren’t doing it and end up destroying their engine. More often than not, manufacturers are requiring real proof of maintenance, and even one missed oil change means that consumers are having to buy the replacement engine themselves. Even when the car is under warranty.

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Let’s face it. Life is a rush for all of us. We have doctor’s appointments, kids to pick up and meetings to attend. It’s hard to be without the car, so we book the car in with the expectation that it will be completed in almost no time at all. Then, when the car isn’t ready when we thought, we panic. Perhaps worse, we show up unannounced in the service department and make a fool of ourselves when we lose our temper in public.

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