Wednesday, February 1st, 2017

REPAIROPHOBIA: FEAR OF AUTO REPAIRS

Let me ask this question, why is it that most people are more afraid of bringing in their vehicle for repairs than going or the dentist, or worse going to a lawyer? Where has, this fear come from and why is it so rampant?

Has every person that has ever brought a vehicle in for service been ripped off or overcharged?

Let’s go one better, has everyone who has ever had an air conditioning tech at their home, always been told that their system is antiquated and needs to be replaced?

Greggs Automotive – Punta Gorda, Florida

The reason my friends is the media. In their search for big headlines and front page scandals they send out sting teams to shops with rigged cars and ask for instant diagnosis. Many times, they won’t leave that vehicle for any length of time and if an unsuspecting tech or business owner make the mistake of making a blanket statement or misdiagnosing said vehicle he is automatically labeled as a thief.

Growing up in this business through many generations I learned the fears. In the late fifties and early sixties, we wore tiny blades on our rings in in our pockets so that we could cut the belts of vehicles as we checked their oil at the pumps.

Now I’m showing my age, when was the last time anyone checked your oil while you were getting fuel? For that matter when was the last time anyone pumped your fuel for you? Then there was the empty oil can scare, we had empty oil cans placed in the oil rack so when we checked your oil we could sell you an empty can and pocket all that big money.

Why is it that the public is always being warned about unnecessary repairs or services by people that have absolutely no idea what services are needed to maintain an efficient running vehicle? The technology changes and shifts that have come to this industry is the last ten years has been crazy.

Trying to keep up with these changes is even crazier. Have you asked your doctor how many continuing education classes they have gone to in the last year? I know how many my doctor has gone to. Ask me how many hours a year I go to update classes and pay for my employees to attend and I’ll tell you over a hundred. Usually closer to two hundred. When was the last time you sat, and read that novel in your glove compartment, called your owner’s manual? There is a wealth of information in it.

I know because I read them all the time, because there is no way in hell that I can remember every nuance and information for every vehicle that we see.

Owning a vehicle has become almost a job and no longer a privilege, they have become increasingly more expensive and the average ownership has become close to 12 years.

This was unheard of a decade ago. Have the quality and efficiency improved? Of course, therefore periodic maintenance and services are even more important.

The truth of the matter is that 66% of consumers that either own or lease a vehicle THINK that they have been ripped off by a repair facility.

38% of consumers feel that they cannot trust their mechanics.

These are crazy numbers, but they all boil down to a single word. “TRUST”. If you can’t trust the person or the shop that is working on your vehicle, then you need to find someone that you can trust. 41% of consumers polled said that they would rather do their taxes than get their car fixed, and 72% said that the high cost of repairs makes them anxious.

Repairs WILL always cost more than maintenance! Repairs that are put off for any reason will ALWAYS cost more when they are finally addressed.

Social media has darkened this along with many other industries. Buying parts from “stores” without any brick and mortar can always undersell conventional stores that actually stock and have trained personal to explain how parts need to be installed. You Tube videos show condensed versions of repairs and time lapse photography is a wonderful thing. Remember this; 50% of the information found on the internet is either bad or wrong, there is a wonderful amount of really good information on the internet, but look at it with a jaundiced eye as it could cost you a lot more that you might think if you choose the wrong information.

Ask your repair facilities if they have the latest tools to help diagnose today’s vehicles, shops are very proud to show off all the latest tools they have and to tell you just how much they cost.

Look up the word “phobia” on Google. You’ll find 11 pages of them, lets remove one!



PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services

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