Tag Archive > Cars

Auto Repair Shop Rip-Offs: How To Avoid Them

auto363 » 26 August 2009 » In Auto Repair » No Comments

The current financial problem has caused many people to make a few adjustments in their budget. One of the things that gets affected is the amount of money some people are willing to put in their car repair. Some even resort to doing their own car repairs. Although this might seem such a good idea, any wrong move could actually translate to more expenses in the long run.

Some who seek the help of auto repair shops find themselves wondering whether they have done the right thing. They would often need to return for more repairs than what they had originally planned, and budgeted, for.

So how do you keep yourself from getting ripped off? The first step is to do your assignment. Arm yourself with the needed information before heading to your local auto shop. This comes especially handy when you are having your scheduled service. That way, you would know what to expect and you can easily say no to additional part replacements and services.

You would also need to ask for a full-written estimate from your service repair center. Your local Atlanta auto shop would usually give you an estimate that would indicate your car’s current condition, what needs to be repaired, parts that need replacement, and an estimate of how much you would need to spend. This would usually come with a clause that requires them to get in touch with you and seek your approval before doing anything that is beyond the original estimate.

Seek out the opinion of another technician or someone close to you who might be familiar with cars. This is something that applies not only to medical check-ups but also to your car repair. The various auto repair shops Atlanta, Georgia houses can give your car a run-through and inform you about what could be wrong with it. Make sure that the diagnoses match the symptoms. If you keep experiencing the same problem, you might need to look for another technician or service center.

Lastly, make sure that you do not easily give in. When you go to your local Atlanta auto shop, sales staff will make every effort to sell you parts, services and accessories that you do not need. Before signing anything, make sure you understand everything that is written on the work order or job estimate. Do not be afraid to ask questions concerning your car. Put down only one contact number- yours. This way, you are the only one they can get to when they need approval for additional job.

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How to Easily Afford a New Car

auto363 » 02 August 2009 » In New Cars » No Comments

No car lasts forever, but when they do finally break down for the last time it always seems to happen at the worst possible moment. If you are used to relying on your car to get around, suddenly finding yourself without one can cause major problems. It’s harder to get to work, it takes longer, and trying to do the weekly shopping without relying on the car is almost impossible.

The problem is, it’s not always as simple as popping out to buy a new one. Quite apart from the paperwork side of things, there’s the question of money to consider. How can you get a new car if you can’t afford to buy one? Your first thought will probably be to get a car loan to help you buy your next vehicle, but if you have a bad credit rating your bank is unlikely to look favourably on lending you money.

Of course the amount of money you need will depend largely on what kind of car you want to buy. If you are finding it hard to get the money together then you will no doubt be looking at the cheapest cars you can find. This can be a temptation you might be better off avoiding however. Buying a cheap car can leave you open to the possibility of further break downs and repairs in the near future, as the car is already several years old.

Happily there is another solution. Even car hunters with poor credit ratings can apply and be accepted for personal car finance through specialist lenders and brokers, which has two main benefits over other solutions.

Firstly you’ll often find that the loan is secured on the car itself, which means you won’t need to put up any security to make the loan possible. Secondly you will also be able to afford a much better car than you would be able to otherwise, meaning it will last far longer and be much more reliable as a result.

One of the main problems of having a bad credit history is the task of improving it again. It can be done of course, but it generally takes time and it can hamper your chances of getting credit anywhere else until your rating improves. This is where car finance can come in very useful, because as long as you meet your monthly payments you will be improving your credit rating with every month that goes by. This can have an enormous effect on your future status.

So if your car is looking decidedly shabby and it’s time to find a new one, there’s no need to worry about how you are going to afford it. A personal car loan direct from a car finance company might be the perfect solution.

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How To Choose The Right Shop To Repair Your Vehicle

auto363 » 11 June 2009 » In Auto Repair » No Comments

Over the years, I’ve learned that choosing the right repair shop can be confusing. In fact, people have so

many misconceptions about auto repair shops that I decided to offer this consumer information so when you need to select an auto repair shop, you can make an informed, intelligent decision.

In this report, I’ll share with you four costly misconceptions about getting your car repaired, offer a few suggestions to help you save time, and then I’ll give you seven questions you should ask every auto repair shop before you set up an appointment.

Here’s Misconception #1

Your car manufacturer specifies regular maintenance schedules just to get you to back into their shop to make more money off of you.

No. 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 over 100,000 miles without major service. For instance, most engines have timing belts that must be replaced before they wear out and break and can cause even more expensive damage.

Misconception #2

A shop can give you an accurate price quote over the phone without seeing your car.

NO. 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. Unless they ask you specific questions about your problem. 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.

Misconception #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 68-point 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.

Misconception #4

All repair shops are the same. No. 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 at least a 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty. Now, here are the seven questions that you must ask any auto repair shop before you set up an appointment.

1. Do they have the most up to date training and diagnostic equipment for your particular make of car?

2. If they give you an estimate over the phone, will they absolutely guarantee the price?

3. Do they do a full safety inspection for free to uncover any other potential problems?

4. Are all their technicians ASE Certified?

5. Will they offer you a ride to and from work the day your car is being serviced?

6. Will they provide you a list of satisfied customers that you can call?

7. Do they Guarantee all their work with at least a 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty?

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COSMIC MOTORS – spaceships, cars & pilots of another galaxy

auto363 » 24 May 2009 » In Auto Videos » No Comments

http://www.cosmic-motors.com Former Bugatti & Lamborghini designer going crazy: Come explore the vehicle designs of a futuristic, faraway galaxy where hyper-reality and hyper-speed exist as part of everyday life. Daniel Simon is an internationally established car designer who has worked on futuristic concepts for such automakers as Bugatti and Lamborghini. Cosmic Motors is a design book with 176 pages full of futuristic vehicles, many of them featured in this trailer. Available at http://www …

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Aman Ant1 Cars

auto363 » 19 May 2009 » In Auto Videos » No Comments

The Aman What to do in case of a traffic jam :P

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Cars Sliding Down Icy Hill

auto363 » 06 May 2009 » In Auto Videos » No Comments

Over the course of 3 hours, I was able to film a ton of cars that weren’t able to make it up a hill in our neighborhood. I sped it up and put to “Yakety Sax” by Boots Randolph which makes it much more entertaining.

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NO CARS GO – THE ARCADE FIRE – GLASTONBURY 2007

auto363 » 03 May 2009 » In Auto Videos » No Comments

Classic performance of one of the bands best songs

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Auto Repair Chicago – Know your Quoters in the Windy City

auto363 » 29 April 2009 » In Auto Repair » No Comments

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 $5 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 $850 best case and $1350 worst case, and some other shop swoops in with, “We’ll have you out the door for less than $650″, 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 $35K per year needs to get a brake job. Why would she care about premium parts? What’s that extra $300 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.

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Cars Life is a Highway

auto363 » 29 April 2009 » In Auto Videos » No Comments

Scenes from Disney and Pixar’s “Cars” arranged to Rascal Flatt’s “Life is a Highway”. Spoilers.

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Get a New Car Loan

auto363 » 25 April 2009 » In New Cars » No Comments

A car loan is simply a way for you to go about paying for the car that you are looking to purchase.  You are going to take out a car loan from a financial lending company and bring it to the car dealership with you.  The reason for going about doing this is because the moment that you bring your own New Car Finance to a car dealership you are then considered what is known as any cash buyer in that you can buy the car pretty much out right from them just as if you are paying for it in cash in the first place.  You can then you should car finance in order to either buy the car that you want from them or you can also use it to lease a car through them.

 

 

When you go about getting yourself a great deal on the type of used cars that is going to last you for a long period of time you might end up thinking that it’s something that is based upon a roll of the dice or something to that extent.  The reality is however that it really depends on each exact amount of time and research that you are willing to put in to in order to empower yourself with the knowledge that is required in order to get the best possible deal on a New Car Loan that you can get for yourself.  The bad credit used car loan that you will end up getting for yourself really is going to end up helping you get a very easy to manage and budget priced because the monthly payments are going to be fairly lower than at what you would normally expect from a car dealership as well as the interest rates on it should also be considerably lower than what you would get from used car dealerships.  The reason you and make sure that you do this actually correctly is because you not want to end up having to get locked in to why it is known as an upside down car loan.  This is aware you end up having your New Car Loan being worth more than what the price on a used car but you are trying to purchase or are purchasing it is.  You should not be afraid about this though because there are a few different things you can do that can guide you in finding yourself the best financial deal on a bad credit used car loan.

 

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