Channel2000.com - Evaluating A Repair Facility

Evaluating A Repair Facility

By Neil Chirico

So, you've got to do the unmentionable and take your vehicle in for service repair. Life sure can be cruel at times, can't it? This is probably the equivalent of going to the doctor or getting a tooth pulled for some of you, but sooner or later you just have to do it. It does not matter where you are taking your vehicle for service, it can be a painful endeavor.

If you don't know the service facility that you are using, then you are plain rollin' the dice, and you don't want to crap out of this dice game, do you? "What can I do?" you ask, to be better prepared for the game of rolling the service facility dice?

Before we go any further you may want to check out the Edmunds.com links to: Dealer versus Aftermarket: The Service Facility Arena, which addresses the pros and cons of servicing your vehicle with either type of facility. Then you may want to educate yourself on: Maintenance Madness and Maintenance Madness II which both address taking your vehicle in for service and clarifying the wide variety of choices involved.

OK, back to our topic. First, make some choices on what facilities you are considering for your service needs. Check your favorite sources, for example ads, yellow pages, or online. Decide on a few service centers and write the name, address, and phone number down on a notepad. Before you even set foot outside your home or office, take a few minutes to make some important phone calls that may save you time and effort later. The first is to the Better Business Bureau to ask about the facility in question and see if they are even BBB members.

Then ask about their service record. You should be able to get both positive and negative feedback. You can follow this up with a call to your local automobile club or AAA for similar information, as they have AAA-approved facilities that continually have to meet high standards of operation in order to retain their AAA rating. Lastly, you can contact you state's Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR); keep in mind that different states may have a different title for this state agency and some may not have one at all.

After you get done making these phone calls you should have a smaller list, which you will now use to make calls directly to the facilities in question. Call each service facility and ask questions such as:

Service hours?
Some facilities may have more convenient service hours than others that fit your into your busy schedule. Are they open until midnight? How about weekends?

Early-bird service available?
It is nice to know this service is available if you ever have to use it. For instance, if your vehicle is towed in after hours, or if you drop it off before work.

After-hours pickup available?
Sometimes you just cannot get back while the service cashier is open. Did your meeting run late? Get stuck in traffic back to the shop? This could be the difference between driving your car home and having to get a ride.

Labor rate per hour?
Price shop just like you do for everything else that you plan to spend a great deal of money on. Prices do vary, but keep in mind that some of the services offered (like loaner vehicles) by a facility could offset the higher labor rate per hour that you are charged. How much is your time worth?

What parts do they use?
This seems minor, but is not. Make sure you are getting good quality name-brand parts. When servicing or repairing your vehicle, cheap prices can sometimes equal cheap quality parts.

Loaners available?
This is a great service that will reduce the logistical nightmare that often goes along with a service center visit. How far in advance do you have to book to use this feature? What other constraints do they have on this service?

Rentals available?
If service loaners are not available, this may be the next best thing, besides using the shuttle service. Bumming rides from friends or co-workers could be hazardous to your relationships.

Shuttle service available?
Next to the loaner service, this is the next-best service, since they are usually free. Check on the mileage range of the shuttle service and at what times and how many shuttles they have. Sometimes waiting to be picked up or dropped off can be a problem if you have time constraints.

Other customer services?
Is there a waiting area? If there is, does it offer amenities like computer hookup, free local phone usage? How about food, drink and TV?

Car wash?
Do you receive a free car wash for servicing your vehicle there? Some dealers have a service available to owners who purchase vehicles from them that allow them a free wash during normal business hours.

Although not all of the amenities listed above may be of concern to you at this time, keep in mind that your needs may change and it would be better to know if these services are available now, just in case the need for them should arise in the future.

Your list should be getting smaller, which means it's time to go and check out some of these facilities in person.

Who says appearances don't matter? The first area we would recommend to visit is the waiting area and observe the amenities or services offered to customers. Many service centers offer magazines, or television, or a children's area. Is it clean and comfortable? How are you treated while you are visiting by the staff? If you are well cared for by the staff and in the waiting area of the facility, typically that means that the dealer truly cares about its customers and also their vehicles.

If you can take a look into the shop area and see what condition it is in that's even better. A clean tidy shop indicates similar care to your vehicle. While you are in the service area, look to see if the technicians have a "wall of fame" as it is known, which displays the certificates the technicians have earned. It is a nice way of showing you just how experienced the staff is that will be working on your vehicle, and will certainly give you some peace of mind.

Last, but certainly not least, is the famous word-of-mouth recommendation. Not many people will go out of their way to recommend a good service experience unless asked, but after having a bad experience they will be telling everyone they know, so the bottom line is to ask for recommendations. Keep in mind that even after receiving a recommendation from someone, we would suggest that you follow up by going through the above process, or use it to confirm what you have already researched. After all, you would not want to be the one who rolls snake eyes.