Joe Marconi

I hope the public differentiates this situation from the rest of the honest, hard working independents. This form of marketing from mass merchandisers needs to stop. I hear of these things all the time. I have a tire shop around the corner from me that advertises $59.95 brake jobs. When my customer mentions this to me I simply tell them that I REPAIR $59.95 brake jobs. Let’s hope this is a lesson for national chains. It seems that their business model and code of ethics are not the same as ours.

I have the Snap On Solus, it's a nice tool. You will need to buy different modules for the brands of cars you work on. Another nice scanner we have is the new wirelesss Launch. I do not have any first hand knowledge on the OTC or Mac Mentor.

Gonzo, you hit the nail right on the head! We as independents need to keep the dialogue going. That’s what AutoShopOwner is all about. I thank YOU for your contribution. Understanding the true cost of doing business is precisely the reason why we need to charge for analysis work. The problem is that I don’t think enough shop owners have taken the time and calculated a budget or a have done a CODBA (Cost of doing business analysis). Once you do the math, you know exactly what you need to make per job, per week, per day, per minute. That’s a real eye opener. Then you have the other side of the coin with some national mass merchandisers that offer that phony baloney free analysis. This is a form a marketing that prays on people’s emotion just to get masses of customer through the doors. This problem is complicated and we as independents need to stick together on this one.

It is my mission to make AutoShopOwner the "Go To" online forums to voice your opinions, share war stories, knowledge and ideas. We can make a difference if we learn that collectively we are a powerful coalition. Getting back to Diagnostics charges, I believe that if we don’t stick together and charge a decent price for analysis work, it will greatly affect our ability to reinvest in future technology. My shop has a least 6 scanners (I lost count) and every time I turn around I’m buying an update. When I hear that there are shops that are afraid to charge diagnostic charges or remove the charge if they get the work, it makes me crazy. We are all in the same boat; we don’t work for free and need to earn a profit. We owe to our families, employees and to ourselves.

I felt bad for Farve. He got beat up pretty bad, but hung in there. He is one tough SOB. They should have won that game.

Thanks, I think I will check this out.

Using diagnostic work as a lost leader is a business killer. It cheapens the entire process. As far as gioving it away, they don't. It's more of a bait and switch. If you go to the AAMCO site you will see that the Scan is free, that's it. All other testing is priced accordingly. I like to build my customer base. I don't like marketing that gets people thru the door because of a coupon. You have great posts, I am enjoying the conversation.

You are in a tough position. Is there any chance to increase service/repair and maintenance work? I am glad that you see the power of AutoShopOwner.

The automotive service and repair has changed in the past 20 years to a point that it's almost unrecognizable. You know as well as I do that we need to shift to business model based on maintenance service , not waiting for repairs. Complicated diag work is not where your profit dollars come from. Maintenance and service is.

We are lucky to have you Alex, that's a big task for one weekend.

Jet fans are too used to dissapointment, but I was really praying this year. With a rookie QB and Coach it would have been hard. Manning is just too good. He picked apart the Jets like they were a high school team. The Colts should go all the way.

While I am in agreement with what you say, what you are proposing will be difficult. Our industry is filled with shop owners that are just hanging on for their lives. Many do not understand how giving away valuable diagnostic labor is hurting not only their business, but the entire repair industry. Then we need to consider the mass merchandisers like AAMCO and AutoZone that offer their so-called “free” check engine light check, which we know is baloney. We are fighting forces that may not ever be in flux. I too would not be in business if I did not charge a diagnostic labor charge (notice I never mention time). I equate diagnostic labor charges the way a doctor or hospital charges for certain tests. Your doctor never says you need an x-ray which will take 15 minutes and you also need blood works that takes 30 minutes. No, he just orders the tests and you pay for what the tests are worth. We are too caught up on thinking time and selling time that we have forgotten what the job is worth. I tell my service advisors; “An hour of brain surgery is worth more than an hour of cutting a lawn”. It’s not about time; it’s about what the job is worth. We have two issues to deal with, the public perception of our industry and the lack of salesmanship at the front counters of most auto repair facilities. Think about this; Most service advisors have no trouble selling a hour of labor to replace front brakes and rotors on a Honda Civic that takes about 20 minutes but struggle with selling 1 hour for a diagnostic analysis that usually takes anywhere from an hour to two hours. Right? Anyway, I enjoyed reading your article. Great points, keep them coming!

That's great sound advise!

Can you go into a little detail on how the program works?

Wow, I like that!

I'm the opposite. My company is registered as a S Corp, but my property is another company, which is a LLC. You should talk to your lawyer and accountant to see which is best for you.

Your work is strictly wholesale? Do you do any form of advertising? Do you do any other type of work?

Please keep all of us updated. Scanners are a big issue these days. We all need to get it right.

These are all excellent points. The auto service business is getting more and more complicated and it seems that more time will needed on the services that were once considered gravy jobs. But, where are we headed with all this. Technology is great, but someone needs to pay for it. We cannot expect a shop to invest in all the training, tools and equipment and not adjust its price structure accordingly. Will the national accounts get onboard with the rest of the independent shops and charge accordingly? The only way to solve these issues is with proper training, proper tools and proper equipment. There is no other way. I have seen the transition from points to electronic ignition to computer controlled ignition systems. I have no doubt that we will conquer whatever comes our way. As far as nitrogen is concerned, all the issues pointed out will be a big problem until it becomes standard.

The same wise old must have talked to me too, because I agree with it all. We cannot be everything to everyone and not everyone can be our customer. I am a business man, but a man first! There are a lot of great customers out there. It took me years to find them and business is great. We have to realize that everyone has a unique personality and sometimes must be dealt with a little different. The quality and image of our business will help to draw the people you want. We all need to examine our customer base, find out what type of customer we want and market to those customers. Will it be a perfect plan? No, but nothing is perfect. Glad to see so many shop owners on the same page.

Great idea, get him to join in, tell him I am looking forward to it!

First, thanks for sharing this story. Situations like this help everyone. Something does not sound right with this guy. To dispute a $1.00 difference for the analysis charge is a little strange. To start a ridiculous dialogue after the diagnosis is done in that manner, and to suggest that the problem is a fuse is also quite strange. Plus $170.00 sounds like a very fair price. I think your service manager did the right thing. He sounds like a man that can think quickly on his feet and make decisions that are based on what is best, in the long term, for the business. This is a rare quality and if I were you I would support him on this (Please tell him I said that). As far as not charging anything, I agree too. In the big scheme of life, it means nothing. You can’t be everything to everybody. If you try you will end up pleasing no one. Great story! I’m glad to see you get your share of “questionable” people coming thru your door too.

AutoShopowner.com uses this form of ads thru google. I have someone who works with me on this. I could find out more info if you like.

I hope you are right. I want this to be a sign that the tide is starting to turn. This power-hungry administration must wake up and understand that this a nation of free thinkers. To quote Lincoln: "and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts is a clear message that the people are not happy with the current democratic administration. I think the next few months will be very interesting.