Keep the Car in Shape by taking It to a Good Auto Repair Facility
If you see fewer auto repair shops in your town then you are witnessing a trend that is spreading throughout the auto repair industry. The small independent auto repair shop is getting squeezed by both the dealers and the ‘backyarders’ creating shrinking margins and putting many auto repair independents out of economic.
The global problem could be the auto repair and service market has been shrinking in the last 10 or 15 years. Technology has made cars much more reliable with fewer breakdowns, repairs and scheduled maintenances.
Many manufacturers offer the latest 100,000 mile warranty meaning that the independent will get little chance to operate that car for their early 5-10 years it is owned.
As new car sales margins have gone down, VW, Chevrolet, Toyota and other manufacturers are seeking to their service departments to make in the difference.
Additionally many dealers such as Porsche and Saab have been adding other value added benefits such as being a loaner car while repairs are being made. Independents are forced to give courtesy rides to customers in trying to keep on top of the dealers since customers now expect this service.
Furthermore dealers for example Mercedes and Ford are now directly offering specials on services making their dealer prices to be able to independent repair shop prices.
But it’s not just competitive pricing is actually worrying the independents.
The battle for skilled labor all means being won using the dealers: the dealers have been competed for skilled labor and now have become even more aggressive. With fewer young people entering the auto repair profession and opting instead for careers such as health and technology, fundamental talent pool of the superior skilled auto technicians is shrinking.
Increasingly it is becoming more difficult for independents to rent and retain these competent employees. Being an automotive technician, would you rather work for Audi or Joe’s Garage?
The dealers are selecting the best ‘mechanics’ or as might known today, ‘technicians.’ Top-notch end dealer technician earns $100,000 one year with benefits while an independent shop owner would ought to gross during a $1,000,000 a year to make that and still have to purchase their own benefits and social safe practices.
Because of these economic realities many independent owners are now closing their shops all night to work with GM, Nissan and other dealers.
This puts the independent auto repair center at a definite disadvantage when diagnosing and repairing difficult drivability, fuel injection, electronic and computer related injuries.
Additionally, each time a diagnosis is intended and a portion needs replacing the dealer will buy it in stock, not only verifying the diagnosis but greatly speeding within the repair time and increasing customer satisfaction. Big advantage Cadillac and Rolls royce.
But it is not just a skilled employee conflict. Techs cannot fix cars without information and there’s a long and ongoing dispute with the dealers/manufacturers and independents over technical information access and diagnostic techniques.
The manufacturers claim that the technical facts are proprietary in terms of independents claim the information should build up to anyone that owns or fixes help to make of automobile.
Excel Auto Repair & Sales
94 E Falmouth Hwy, East Falmouth, MA 02536
(508) 444-2777
