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Posts Tagged ‘Auto Repair’

Sorting through auto repair Chicago can be confusing. In many ways you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle because cars are about as complex an organism as the people who service them. In order to start stacking the deck in your favor, you need to know who you’re dealing with. When it comes to auto repair estimates, what’s almost as important as asking the right qualifying questions is knowing what sort of person you’re speaking to. We’ve been able to identify three major types when it comes to the car repair professionals on the phone. Here’s who they are and how to deal with them.

Auto Repair Chicago #1: The Low Baller

We’ve all been there before holding that coupon in our hands and thinking, “Wow, a oil change? What could be wrong with that?”

The low price leaders will frequently present the possibility of very inexpensive service when the exact opposite is the case. In situations like this, you will want to be very, very careful.

Keep this rule in mind: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For example, if you need to get your engine repaired, and three out of four shops tell you that based on the info, you’re looking at around 0 best case and 50 worst case, and some other shop swoops in with, “We’ll have you out the door for less than 0″, well…

Something is wrong. Inhale deeply, because you will smell a rat.

Low ball car repair estimates are simply tools for pulling unsuspecting drivers through the front door. In situations like this, these predators will almost always find something wrong with your car and the repair will explode to over double what you were expecting.

Frequently the business plan of a technician running this sort of shop reads like this: A Sucker Is Born Every Minute. Avoid these shops like you would a stumbling, rotting zombie.

Auto Repair Chicago #2: Premium Powerhouse

Right next to the low price leaders in terms of completely confusing customers are the premium powerhouses. These are auto repair facilities run by total perfectionists who break out in hives if they have to let a car out of their garage in less than tip top shape.

These shops are fantastic at what they do, and they’ll do everything possible to make sure your car is taken care of.

So what’s the problem? In almost every case they are the “good shops looking bad” because they are completely out of touch with their customers.

Picture this: single working mother making less than K per year needs to get a brake job. Why would she care about premium parts? What’s that extra 0 going to get her – less brake dust? Maybe an extra two months on the life of the pads? In a situation like this you do not need premium.

Another frequent problem is that these facilities have a very difficult time prioritizing a list of needed work. In most cases, they see the situation as everything needs to be fixed!

You will hear statements like, “It’s really not in your best interest to leave this problem lying around right now”

I recommend using shops like this only if you really want that level of attention.

Premium Powerhouses are fantastic for car enthusiasts and anyone else who wants to get zero info on the phone, but have them chat your ear off when you drop off the car.

In almost every case, you will be treated extremely well and your car will run almost better than the day you bought it. But it’ll cost you.

Auto Repair Chicago #3: Middle Mayhem

The last group of shops falls into the Middle Mayhem category. These guys represent the vast majority of facilities out there, and the reason I use the word ‘mayhem’ is because mayhem is exactly what they have created.

Shops like this will frequently be all over the place in terms of estimates, information, reasons they can’t say anything over the phone, and just about everything else you can think of.

Be aware that the reason many of these facilities refuse to give solid info over the phone is because of the insane level of competition they have. Because of that, they like to play their cards close to their chest. (But don’t worry, the good ones will share quality info.)

Auto Repair Chicago Golden Rule:

Middle Mayhem shops are the shops you want to focus most of your time calling. As you call more shops, you will become more comfortable weeding out the Low Ballers and Premium Powerhouses of your area.

While Middle Mayhem is the largest group of shops, you will want to pay special attention to how they are pricing their services. There are almost as many ways to price as there are shops to hand out estimates.

Above all else – If you do not make sure you’re comparing apples to apples and not apples to hairless cats, you could be in for a rude awakening. Check and double check. If in doubt, call back. It is their job to help you out.

Katy Younglove, a.k.a. Ms. Goodwrench, the first ever female to compete in the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition in Warren, along with her teammate, came in third in the auto repair contest. Her partner on the team was classmate Craig Suydam who is also a senior at Monroe High School.

“I was really excited when I found out I was going to be the first female to ever be in the contest,” she said. “I really wanted to show everyone what I can do.” Even if Younglove did not win the auto repair contest competition, she will still make history.

Younglove is the first female to qualify for the Michigan state finals in the competition’s 14-year history. “Coop told me I was the only girl in the competition,” she said, referring to her automotive instructor Ronald Cooper. “I didn’t know I was the first female ever, that’s kind of crazy.” Not only does the team boast the first female competitor, this is the first time that the MHS has had a team qualify for the state finals.

Younglove, 18, and Suydam, 17, both took the introduction to automotive technology class their sophomore years. ‘Ms. Goodwrench’ grew up around cars and knew since her seventh grade year that she wanted a career in the automotive industry. “I wanted to get into auto shop my freshman year,” she said. “I like the program because it’s not only book work but hands on, although intro was a lot of book work.”

To prepare for the competition, the students were given manuals from AAA to review. Momentum Lincoln Mercury donated a 2007 Grand Marquis, a similar model to the one used on the day of competition, to assist in the preparation.

Cooper, the students’ instructor, said that he was pleasantly surprised when he learned that his students qualified for the state finals. “I knew they were capable and prepared. This is one of the finest groups of students I’ve had in my 31 years of teaching.” Cooper intimated that he is proud of his students. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment. They are among the best of the best of high school students in Michigan.”

Younglove said she is excited, but thinks someone else close to her is even more excited than her. “My dad is more excited about this than I am,” she said. “He is taking me out and working on the manuals with me all week and I learned quite a bit.”

Younglove is no longer new to the Lexus cold air intake, Ford engines, and to Toyota technology. “My family’s always been into cars,” she added. “I started helping my dad work on them when I was six or seven.”

Both students said that they are prepared for the competition, primarily because of the structure of their high school program. “I love this program and it’s one of the best in the state,” Craig said. “It’s ridiculous how much time Cooper puts into this program and I have learned to apply the things I’ve learned in here in other classes.”

Robert Kaczor, the assistant vice president of automotive services for the AAA Michigan and the AAA Chicago, said Younglove’s participation in the contest will hopefully start a trend. “You don’t find too many women in the auto repair and service field,” he said. “But it’s nice to see Katy here. I think that this provides an opportunity to bring more diversity into the auto service industry.” The event was held last Wednesday at the Macomb Community College Sports & Expo Center in Warren.

Twenty students from nine Michigan high schools and tech centers vied for top honors in the contest, which pitted two-person teams against each other in a race to correctly diagnose and repair engine problems on identical vehicles. Younglove said that she has always been a gear head.

She also said she was a little surprised at how well her team did. “We were second to the last team to finish – the ninth car to go through the check,” Younglove said. “We were worried about our time, but we just pulled together and took our time and didn’t freak out.”

Alex Dobroy of Clinton and Zachary Hastings of Milan, the team from Saline High School, came in first place with a time of 49 minutes and 50 seconds. Second place went to the team of Joshua Hoeskstra of Hastings and Jeremy Winget of Grand Rapids, which represented the Kent Career Tech Center.

The winners will receive more than ,000 in scholarships and prizes. They will also represent the state in the national finals, scheduled for June 26 at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn.

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Denver auto repair is your best partner in restoring your car. Meeting an accident and ruining your car can be a huge headache. However, it doesn’t have to be the end of your dream car. With the Denver auto repair, they can restore your car to practically as good as new. With their skilled workers and professionals, no one will ever notice the extent of damage your vehicle encountered. Here are the unique features that they offer.

All Insurance Accepted

Your primary assistance when you encounter a road accident is your car’s insurance. However, if the auto shop does not honor your insurance provider, then you could face a huge dilemma. You might have to shell out the money from your own pocket. With the Denver auto repair, they accept all types of insurance from different companies. Whatever policy you have, you can enjoy their services without spending your own money.

Expert Color Matching

Color matching is one of the biggest challeneges that a skilled technician faces. It is quite difficult to match the newly-restored part with the rest of the original color. If you go to unspecialized shops, the damage can be quite visible with the difference in the shade of colors. With the Denver auto repair, you can be sure that the color of the damaged part will coordinate well with the rest of the body.

Free Towing

Once you subscribe to Denver auto repair, you can avail of their free towing services. Without any extra charge, you can have peace of mind knowing that your car is in good hands.

Big Discounts

Denver auto repair provides big savings to car owners by giving monthly promotional offers. You can get discount coupons for every repair work you apply for. When you accumulate certain amounts as payment for their services, you have a guaranteed free coupon corresponding to the varying amounts.