If you were handed an estimate to replace a water pump on your auto, 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 don't know what these are, never mind the cost. Yet it is parts like these that are ordinarily used to over charge you, the vehicle correct customer.
We no longer live in a period of trust, so how do we ensure that our car repair costs are legitimate.
How many times have you suspected that you paid too much, but could not prove it? How often did the price appear exorbitant for even easy repairs?
To illustrate just how "At Risk" the common-or-garden car repair client is to excessive car repair costs, here is a up to date real life example from a "reputable?" dealer.
A customer brought her Audi to a permitted Audi dealership for the standard timing belt upkeep 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 lady left the dealer with a bill for $2025.68.
What happened?
According to the fix order, there were no abnormal circumstances, no issues spotted by the technician like rust or any other extenuating circumstances that would have perhaps increased the labor, or added further parts.
In short, it definitely was a straight forward service, but the bill was $450.68 higher than it should have been. There is simply no legitimate reason to have "that much" discrepancy.
How'd they get away with it?
The answer is extremely simple, and it's a point that I don't want any one to miss:
They get away with it because they can!
Think about it. The average person doesn't know how much auto parts cost. And who knows how much work time a repair should take? To what sources does one turn to find out this information? Who even has the time to investigate!
Upon investigation into this lady's fix 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 extra $400. The remaining $50.68 came from the parts, which were billed higher than MSRP.
She was quoted $2,025 for a repair that tops out at $1575. The girl didn't know. She just paid the bill and left.
How many times do people just pay the bill and leave? Pretty much that's all one can do given that there's no accessible information for the automobile fix consumer to adequately question a correct bill. Similarly , only a few even know what questions to ask!
The car repair industry has been over-charging for decades-sometimes subtly, sometimes confidently, definitely frequently. The proof for this is overwhelming; yet, there are no easy solutions available for the automobile fix customer.
Government agencies can't help. The Better Business Bureau cannot do anything. Even supposed "car fix gurus or advocates" lack the knowledge of the breadth and insidiousness of the automobile correct business at all its levels.
A dealership operates differently than an independent repair shop, and a franchise, like Midas, is totally unique. Who really knows what goes on in the underground of such a various and complex industry?
The Solution?
First and foremost, auto correct patrons need access to information on automobile correct costs. Without this, they've got nothing discernible in which to determine fair charges. They also have to be ready to navigate the maze of parts and work charges for car repairs and maintenance.
Like the rest, information is the key to ensure fair treatment. Without it, the automobile correct consumer will continue to "swim with the sharks" without any protection.
