Automotive price shopping

by Dalon Pobran

Most of us look for a good deal when it comes time to make a purchase. More often then not, a sacrifice must be made somewhere to receive that upfront savings. I’ve learned throughout the years not just in the automotive industry but in many industries that “cheap” comes with a more expensive price down the road.

For the sake of privacy and respect I will use different names but here are some examples to learn from:

My customer Billy Bob began coming to my automotive shop 6 years ago. Billy Bob called me up last month because his vehicle with only 120k miles was overheating and he believed he had a blown head gasket. As I looked at his maintenance history, we hadn’t serviced his cooling system in three years. I asked him what had happened since we did make the recommendations. Billy Bob was embarrassed to admit that he was having his fluids serviced at a quick lube place to save $30 per fluid flush and that he only comes to my shop for the “big stuff”. His savings of $30.00 elsewhere cost him $2,400.00 because the low quality coolant being used eroded the aluminum in his engines cylinder head and replacement was necessary. A savings of $30.00 yesterday cost him $2400.00 today.

Jack and Jill came in to my other automotive shop last week. The dealer wasn’t satisfying them with service so they were looking for a specialty shop and found us. We learned that last year their vehicle needed a transmission replacement at only 93k miles. Their coupon based service savings resulted in an eventual transmission replacement that cost them $3900.00. We’re seeing our own customers get more than 300k miles on that same transmission type when we service them with our premium fluid, cleaners and conditioners.

Lack of professional maintenance services, quality of parts, fluids and labor all play a major role in how much you spend to operate your vehicle in the long run. If you’re unsure of genuine quality and what kind of automotive maintenance type services can prevent your vehicle from breaking down or facing a costly repair, consult a professional shop that specializes in your vehicle and is known for its honesty and quality. The long term savings can be enormous and the peace of mind is priceless.

Dalon Pobran

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