I would guess that most people have no idea of what a DOT number is on your tires. This is perhaps the most important number associated with a vehicle tire, even more important than the price, it’s the age. Watch the following report from ABC news before you kill your family or friends trying to save money and time:
Posts Tagged ‘auto repair’
Deadly contact!
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009Actual Case of a Rip Off in Fayetteville NC
Thursday, September 24th, 2009We recently,September 23, 2009, spoke with an HAE Consumer Member who took their 2004 VW Passat to a repair shop in Fayettteville North Carolina. The car’s thermostat had failed causing the vehicle to overheat. now that’s were everything goes off the charts for rip off. You see, the shop quoted a price of over $450 to complete this repair. They said the labor time for this was 4.5 hours, we looked up the labor time on Alldata, mitchell’s and Chilton and the highest time was 2.5. Now, in explanation of the labor times, this shop to remain nameless, gave the following;
cooling system diagnosis 1.0
verify complaint .1
check coolant condition .1
check coolant level .1
pressure test radiator .1
TSB search (Look up codes in computer) .1
Visual inspection .1
pressure test radiator .1 (That’s right, twice)
inspect belts .1
check cooling fans .1
inspect for proper coolant .1
replace thermostat 2.5
That’s 4.5 hours of labor, for what? Ok, let’s set this aside for a minute. We also looked at the parts pricing model to determine why this overcharge occurred. The following are the prices as listed on the estimate:
Thermostat $50.57, this is twice the manufacturer suggested retail price at the VW dealership.
Coolant $30.90, where is the gold in this fluid? Every parts store in the U.S. has this item for under $15.
The conclusion we came to was the same as you are probably thinking, “They saw him coming!” These shops get away with this because of the previous lack of knowledge of auto repair the public once had to endure. HAE was founded to prevent this type of hideous, out right abuse of the consumer. For further details about the exact shop name and location you can email customerservice@honestautoestimates.com and request the information.
Hey is it just me or did I really see………………
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009Maybe I am old fashion, but I think that auto repair should be auto repaired. So many times we take our cars to a repair shop only to hear, “We have to start with this and hope”, hope? Why not fix! With the level of computer intergration, most vehicles self diagnose. If a shops says this to you, look out wallet! They are telling you they are not sure whats wrong but if you don’t mind footing the bill, we can throw enough parts at the problem until it goes away. I know some problems are difficult to find, but dilligence can be a money saver. The key to getting a direct answer to “What’s wrong with it” is really a 3 pronged appraoch; 1) Technical knowledge 2) Tools 3) Technician. If you have these things going for you, there is a good chance you will only pay for the repair and not that shops training session on your car.
The real world of auto repair
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009In the real world of auto repair shops, the bottom line rules. As the economy has tightened up, many shop have found themselves struggling to make it. Some have turned to overcharging the customers they do get in just to make ends meet.
HAE does not recognize the reasoning of “anything goes, I have to stay in business.” The truth is that it is possible to stay open and NOT overcharge consumers. The key to it all is getting the word out that no matter how bad it gets you will not resort to “Ripping off” consumers. Association such as HAE, BBB and AAA can be valuable resourses for both consumers and repair shops. They can connect “Honest” shops with consumers who don’t mind paying “An honest days pay for an honest days work”. HAE offers shops the ability to connect with it’s consumer members only if they meet the standards set to protect the members. These shops must meet criteria including being subjected to “Mystery Shopper” estimates. HAE makes sure that shops treat every consumer with respect and honesty or HAE will make an example out of that shop.
HAE is considered by many to be the authority concerning auto repair rip offs. We spot them a mile away and expose them everyday to our consumer members so they are not taken. Shop who think “Profit above all” or “Do what ever it takes” will pay the price, but those shops that join HAE and GUARANTEE they will not overcharge will reap the rewards!
Here the secret to not getting over charged!!!!
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009HAE’s: “Don’t be overcharged for auto repair”
4 Steps that can save you a lot of money and headache!
1) Choosing a repair shop:
*Ask friends about their experiences at a shop they may recommend
*Find a shop convenient to your work place; if this is where you spend most of your time during the day.
*Consult the telephone book
No matter how recommended the shop is “Do your homework” and go online to consumer affairs division and look for the number of disputes and how many have been settled unsatisfactory.
2) Make contact with the shop and ask:
*Do you provide a written estimate?
*Do you have certified technicians and in what areas are they certified?
*Do you offer a standard 12 months or 12,000 mile warranty?
*Does your warranty cover parts, labor and towing?
*Do you charge a diagnostic fee?
*Do you have a minimum charge?
*Do you offer to return of old parts?
*Do you charge storage if the vehicle is not picked up the same day repairs have been completed?
3) After you receive an estimate in writing:
*Tell the shop not to complete any repairs until authorized, DO NOT let them press you into saying “Yes”.
*Call other shops to see what they would charge for the same repair or find a resource such as honestautoestimates.com that can check the estimate.
*Make a call to the parts store and compare the parts price.
*If you feel that you are being treated fairly Authorize the repairs and confirm the price by saying “ I authorize this amount for these repairs”.
(For steps 2 and 3 Honestautoestimates can be a good resource to reduce time)
4) When you pick up your car:
*Go over the repairs that were completed asking about the old parts and any other issues that might cause problems later.
*Check over the invoice and look for the “warranty statement”, parts listed (Make sure they are listed as new along with part numbers), labor cost ( Make sure the hours are clearly listed or ask to have them listed)
*Write down the name of the person who has accepted your money.
*Inspect the car for any damage that did not exist before your visit and tell the manager before you leave.