News

by: Mike Najjar

1. Your car manufacturer specifies regular maintenance schedules just to get you to back into their shop to make more money off of you. Although manufacturers are making cars that last longer and require less overall maintenance, they do require some preventative maintenance. If maintained properly, you can expect your car to go well over 200,000 miles without major service. For instance, most engines have timing belts that must be replaced before they wear out and break and cause even more expensive damage.

2. A shop can give you an accurate price quote over the phone without seeing your car. You can waste your time calling 20 different shops and get 20 different price quotes and chances are every one of them will be wrong. Unless the shop has had a chance to examine or test-drive the car in person, there is no way to accurately diagnose your problem and give you an accurate price quote. Beware of any shop that is willing to give you a quote over the phone without seeing the car. Most likely they'll tell you a real low price just to get you to set up an appointment. Then they'll probably hit you with a much higher price once you get there.

3. Most repair shops will recommend extra work just to get you to spend more money. The fact is, any repair shop that doesn't look for potential problems is actually doing you a great disservice. Quality repair shops do a thorough inspection on every car that comes into their shop to uncover those inexpensive repairs that may be needed now, before they turn into major expenses later. Something as simple as discovering and then changing a worn belt may save you the danger and embarrassment of breaking down on a busy highway and an expensive towing charge.

4. All repair shops are the same. In fact, there can be a huge difference between repair shops. The new car technology requires constant training to keep up with all the changes. It also requires the shop to have the latest diagnostic equipment available. The repair shop with the best-trained and certified mechanics and most up to date equipment will usually do the best repair for you. Here are a few suggestions that will help you choose a good, reputable repair shop:

First, ask around. Has anyone you know had a good or a bad experience with a particular repair shop?

Next, try to find a shop that has a lot of repeat customers. Customers are more likely to stay with a repair shop that they trust and one that does a good job for them.

And finally, make sure they guarantee all their work with a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty.

5. If you don’t take your car back to the dealer for your oil changes and other maintenance your warranty will be invalid.

This is the single biggest LIE that is being told to unsuspecting consumers all around the country. The truth is, according to the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act of 1975, a manufacturer CANNOT REQUIRE a consumer to buy parts or services from the manufacturer to maintain warranty status.

You can bring your car to ANY REPAIR SHOP for your maintenance services, and not have to worry about your warranty being invalid. In fact, you are much better off to take your car anyplace BUT the dealer during the warranty. Why? An independent shop will be much more likely to inspect your car thoroughly and point out a potential problem to you while the car is still under warranty. Then you can go back to the dealership and have it fixed FOR FREE. The dealership may not notice a problem covered under your warranty until after the warranty expires.

Please, do not hesitate to contact one of our St. Louis, Missouri or Collinsville, Illinois locations.  A customer service representative or the store manager will be more than happy to assist you in any way possibly.