If you were handed an estimate to replace a water pump on your car, would you know if the price was fair? Could you trust the price? What about for a tie rod end, mass air flow sensor, or an evaporative emissions sensor?
Most of us do not know what these are, never mind the price. Yet it is elements like these that are frequently used to over charge you, the automobile fix customer.
We no longer live in an age of trust, so how will we ensure that our car repair costs are legitimate.
How many times have you had a suspicion that you paid too much, but could not prove it? How many times did the price seem exorbitant for even simple repairs?
To illustrate just how "At Risk" the common-or-garden automobile repair customer is to excessive car repair prices, here's a up to date real life example from a "reputable?" dealer.
A client brought her Audi to an authorized Audi dealership for a standard timing belt maintenance service.
The price for this service averages $1575 at the dealership level, ( including pulleys, water pumpetc ) and about $1275 at the independent repair shop level.
Yet the woman left the dealer with a bill for $2025.68.
What happened?
According to the repair order, there were no aberrant circumstances, no issues spotted by the technician like rust or any other extenuating circumstances that would have maybe increased the labor, or added additional parts.
In short, it definitely was a straight forward service, but the bill was $450.68 higher than it should have been. There's simply no legitimate reason to have "that much" discrepancy.
How'd they get away with it?
The answer is extremely simple, and it is a point that I don't want anyone to miss:
They get away with it because they can!
Think about it. The average person does not know how much auto parts cost. And who knows how much work time a fix should take? To what sources does one turn to find out this information? Who even has the time to investigate!
Upon examination of this girl's correct order, it was found that she was charged a full four hours "more" than the standard work time. At $100 per hour, this added an additional $400. The remaining $50.68 came from the parts, which were billed higher than MSRP.
She was quoted $2,025 for a correct that tops out at $1575. The woman didn't know. She just paid the bill and left.
How many times do folks just settle up and leave? Pretty much that's all one can do given that there's no accessible information for the vehicle fix buyer to adequately question a repair bill. Additionally , few even know what questions to ask!
The auto repair industry has been over-charging for decades-sometimes subtly, sometimes confidently, definitely frequently. The proof for this is overwhelming; yet, there are no simple solutions available for the automobile fix customer.
Government agencies can't help. The Better Business Bureau cannot do anything. Even supposed "car repair experts or advocates" lack the understanding of the breadth and insidiousness of the car repair business at all its levels.
A dealership operates differently than an independent correct shop, and a franchise, like Midas, is fully unique. Who really knows what goes on in the underground of such a diverse and complex industry?
The Solution?
First and foremost, car repair customers need access to information on car repair prices. Without this, they've got nothing discernible in which to determine fair charges. They also need to be in a position to navigate the maze of parts and work charges for automobile repairs and maintenance.
Like the rest, information is the key to ensure fair treatment. Without it, the auto correct buyer will continue to "swim with the sharks" without any protection.
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