Traditional tips and suggestions merely put a band-aid over an infected, gaping sore. Strong antibiotics are required to address the root source of the problems in the repair industry. To provide repair customers with the above advice is like sending a soldier into combat dressed in a pink tutu. We have to stop scratching at the surface.

There has not been any “new” advice in decades. More importantly, no one has answered why car repair scams have reached an estimated 40 billion dollars per year. Moreover, why is there still no solution to stop car repair scams?

The first hurdle to conquer is the perception of the frequency of auto repair scams. Many folks just don’t believe that car repair fraud is all that bad. Some even argue that the vast majority of repair shops do an honest day’s work, and that a few bad apples are making the rest look like crooks.

This is an interesting argument, and raises a number of questions.

1) If it is only a few “bad apples,” where are they hiding the 40 billion?

2) If most repair shops are honest, why does every state warn against car repair scams?

3) Why are auto repair shops at the top of consumer complaint lists every single year, in every state?

This is even expanding across the continents. For example, just last week Australia listed car repair scams at number 4 on their top 10 consumer complaint list.

The perception of frequency gets distorted because there are a number of levels to repair scams. There are the blatant rip-offs covered in the news. For a great video visit “Repair Scams Caught on Video” www.repairtrust.com. Then there are the common scams such as exorbitant prices and estimates, and aggressive scare tactics to get service customers to perform services. These occur every day.


The repair scams uncovered by RepairTrust not only found the tactics listed above and more, but a powerful undercurrent of scamming at the foundation of the automotive service industry.


In reality, most car repair scams go unnoticed by the service consumer. Service customers just have no idea that they were ripped-off. This under-the-radar scamming occurs in dealerships, local shops, and franchises. Affiliation with ASE, AAA, BBB, NADA makes no difference.


An ASE patch on a technician's arm, or an AAA or BBB sticker on the door of a service center means absolutely nothing in terms of a scam-free facility. Word of mouth recommendations can be just as devastating, as even shops that "seem" honest aren't.


Check out "Car Repair Prices: There Are No Honest Mechanics" Isnare or RepairTrust for further discussion on this. Also, for NEW and FREE scam prevention tips visit the Car Repair Scam Articles @ RepairTrust.

Traditional tips are ineffective in today’s service industry. Service facilities have found new and ingenious ways of ripping people off. In truth, many of the old tips and suggestions have actually become weapons allowing service centers to indulge in car repair scams more than ever.

The car repair playing field must be leveled. Service customers need solid answers, and they need to be equipped with information, understanding, tools, and an insider’s view of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of price-gouging.

Navigating the dim underworld of today’s service centers with outdated information will cost a fortune.

About Author

Theodore P. Olson (Ted) holds extensive certifications from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GM, and ASE. He is the author of eight books and numerous articles on the automotive service industry. RepairTrust
Making Sense of Car Repair Prices

Tips No. 1 – Battery Needs Change - This is common and known to almost all the car owners. Your car’s battery needs to be changed after a duration of four years. Don’t forget to do that.

Tips No. 2 – Monthly check of the battery’s load test helps you avoid any hassle. Take your car’s battery to your auto mechanic and can load test it. Make sure your car’s battery is able to pass the test. Make sure that it is capable of sufficient charge even at below freezing temperatures.

Tips No. 3 – Just wipe off the battery terminals of any crust. An easy way to do so is to use some baking soda and water. Use a wire brush to clean the crust using this solution.

Tips No. 4 – Always keep the battery cables tightly tied. Make sure the cables are so tight that they do not move.

Tips No. 5 – Keep the battery safe in a tray. Also ensure that battery remains properly in the battery tray so that no damage is caused to the hood.

Tips No. 6 – Excess of cold is not a good condition for the car batteries. Therefore, look for a solution to it. The best way is to opt for an engine or battery heater. This keeps the car’s battery function smoothly. The heater will help in easily starting the battery and would also minimize the power consumed.

Tips No. 7 – Keep a check on when Service is needed – Different cars come with maintenance free battery. Regular check is needed for such automobile batteries. There is a light in maintenance free batteries that goes black when service is required.

Tip No. 8 – For Conventional Car Battery - These batteries come with a plastic cover that can be easily removed to check the water inside. It is important that the water inside the battery reaches the filler necks.

Tip No. 9 – Be Careful While Adding Water – Incase there is less water inside the battery, you may also add distilled water. I guess I should warn you at this moment. You might just harm yourself if you don’t be careful. The battery acid that is highly corrosive might harm your clothes.

Tip No. 10 – During Battery Check – It is important to make sure that you do not keep any kind of open flames near the car battery. Automobile battery contains chemicals that are combustible and hence can be dangerous.

Tip No. 11 – Over Charging Should Be Avoided – This is common and known to everybody that a dead battery can be charged using a battery charger. Improper charging of a battery is something that should be avoided. It might also lead to damage of battery’s as well as car’s parts & components.

These were some of the battery’s maintenance tips that are to be followed in order to keep your car’s battery and electrical system in best condition. The smooth functioning of automobile battery helps you have a tension free long drive. You can try these car parts maintenance (D-I-Y) tips yourself. Have a Happy & Safe Driving!!

Watch the video related to car battery maintenance

When cleaning a car battery, a simple mixture of baking soda and water can help to neutralize the acid buildup on the battery terminals. Find out how to clean a car battery with a toothbrush and a hose by following the instructions ofcar restoration specialists in this free video on car maintenance. Expert: Gary Malec & John Grassi Bio: Gary Malec and John Grassi rebuild cars and boats, do household handyman work, and build computers. Filmmaker: gary malec…

Help answer the question about car battery maintenance

i am going to change my car’ battery. which one should i buy, maintenance free battery (dry battery) or liquid?
i am going to change my car’ battery. which one should i buy, maintenance free battery (dry battery) or one that contains liquid and needs to get maintenance ?

of which company ?

How longer should a car battery last ? if car gets nice tune-ups on time ?

thanks

About Author

I am Fred Clay, a journalist and an automotive industry expert. Automobiles, automotive parts & components and any & everything related to this industry interests me and is my passion. Over the past eight years, i have covered different automotive industry related news and have been writing on the same. As a professional I have reported on myriad topics, my favorite is the automobile industry. I also write for different web portals and websites. Amongst all, my favorite is Automotive Components & Partsthat is an Automotive industry B2B marketplace. This portal – Automotive-online.com provides detailed information on industry overview, news, trends, professional associations, publications, tenders, product catalogs, international trade leads, trade events, worldwide manufacturers & suppliers related to global automotive components & parts industry. I now blog at: Automobile Hotspot

The focus needs to shift from giving outdated and ineffective advice to addressing the “actual” and “specific” charges. Are they legitimate charges? Can they be justified by industry guidelines?

Now car repair estimates can be confusing. So let’s break it down to get a better idea if your auto repair shop is billing you appropriately.

First, a glossary of terms is in order, as the auto industry has a language of its own…

Aftermarket Parts: parts not made by the manufacturer.

MSRP: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. Manufacturer approved parts designed specifically for your vehicle.

TSBs: Technical Service Bulletins. Notes and instructions provided by the manufacturer for known and specific concerns(they are not recalls).

Flat Fees: services such as alignments that don’t get broken down into parts, tax, labor

Miscellaneous Charges: these can include, but are not limited to shop supplies – rags, chemicals, hazardous waste disposal fees, waste oil …etc.

Labor Rate: a repair center’s hourly charge to service your vehicle

Labor Time: the amount of time or hours determined that it will take to fix your vehicle

Labor Description: the step-by-step written details of repairs and/or services

Ok, let’s look at the Anatomy of an Auto Repair Estimate:

There are six basic components to a car repair estimate

1) Customer/Vehicle Information
2) Parts
3) Labor
4) Miscellaneous Charges
5) Flat Fees
6) Summary of Charges

Customer and Vehicle Information

Using a generic “top down” style estimate, the top portion simply contains your personal information and your vehicle’s specifics: year, make, model, mileage…etc, as well as your request or concern.

We also want find the shop’s labor rate. The labor rate is critical in determining if you paid too much. Most repair centers don’t list the labor rate. We’ll discuss why shortly.

Auto Parts

Parts are listed usually with a brief description, as well as the quantity, and the price. There are three types of parts: OEM (parts made by or for a manufacturer). These are the parts installed by a dealer, although many local shops use OEM parts too.

Aftermarket parts are non OEM parts, and there are various degrees of quality, depending on the brand and where they’re made – China versus USA, for example.

Then there are Used parts purchased from a salvage yard.

To determine if you paid too much for parts, first find out what type of parts are being used. With OEM parts, you don’t want to pay more than MSRP, although most people do without realizing it. Premium aftermarket parts are similarly priced across brands, although beware not to pay more than MSRP, which again, many folks do. Used part prices are all over the place, so pick the price in the middle.

Auto Repair Labor

Labor is billed in tenths. So 1.0 equals 1 hour. 1.5 equals an hour and a half.

Labor rates range from $60 to $100 per hour at local repair shops and $80 to $140 per hour at the dealer level. Labor times are based off established industry guidelines, which are frequently abused.

If you don’t see the shop’s labor rate posted on the car repair invoice, ask your service center for the rate. Repair shops can manipulate the labor rate (among other things) with a labor matrix. Matrix pricing is a complicated and ethically questionable practice discussed at length in RepairTrust literature. What you need to know is that you can pay as high as $150 per hour rather than the posted labor rate of $105 per hour.

To ensure that you’re being charged properly, you’ll want to multiply the number of hours billed (which is also often not posted) by the shop’s labor rate.

Most labor descriptions are poorly written and difficult to understand. So ask questions.

Here’s a “clear” labor description for a 30,000 mile service on a Toyota Camry.

Performed 30,000 mile service per customer request, and in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. Changed oil and filter, installed new air filter, cabin filter and performed all necessary tests, checks, and procedures, including road test (miles 30,123 – 30,125). Performed lubrication services and confirmed proper vehicle operation. Set tire pressures, and checked fluids, belts and hoses. Note: vehicle is pulling slightly left. Needs alignment

Miscellaneous Charges

The bulk of your car repair invoice will be parts and labor, but we can’t forget about Miscellaneous Charges. These charges can include, but are not limited to, shop supplies – rags, chemicals, hazardous waste, disposal fees, waste oil …etc. The latter of these may be billed out separately in a summary at the bottom of your repair invoice.

Very few of these “extras” are actually used during regular repairs. Miscellaneous charges are calculated off the amount of labor hours billed, not the amount of miscellaneous items used.

Flat Fees

Flat fees can be another very tricky area. Flat fees are services, such as an alignment, which don’t get broken down into parts, tax and labor. This makes it difficult to determine the real and fair price. On the plus side, most flat fees are competitively priced.

Be warned however, another term for Flat Fee is called Menu Selling. In other words, you might see Tune Up: $99.99 or Transmission Flush: $89.99. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations only, not a dealer’s or repair shop’s menu.

Summary of Charges

The last part of an auto repair estimate is the summary of charges. It’s usually found in the bottom right hand corner of the invoice. Check it against the charges above to ensure that it all adds up mathematically, as well as logically.

This basic estimate outline may differ from your particular invoice, which may have other categories such as “Sublet” or “HazMat.”

A sublet charge is added when your auto repair shop uses another vender to fix or repair your car, such as a glass company that replaces your windshield.

A HazMat charge may include waste oil or other disposal fees. Just make sure that the charges are warranted, as again, they too are often calculated off the labor time rather than actual need.

In sum, understanding the “actual” charges, asking the right questions, and breaking down your auto repair costs is the best way to avoid paying excessive car repair prices.

About Author

Ted Olson is the founder of RepairTrust – a website dedicated to help the auto consumer avoid the pitfalls of the automotive industry. Click Car Repair Prices to learn more…

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Auto Repair Estimates And Car Repair Prices – The Real Information To Avoid Car Repair Scams

If you are a student, you have a great secret weapon for credit repair and free credit repair advice – your school’s financial aid office. If you are a college student, your school’s financial aid office should be one of your first stops at the campus. Few students visit this office regularly while they are in school, and this is a mistake. The financial aid office at most universities and colleges can offer students free credit repair advice to help you keep your credit score in tip-top shape.

Additionally, the financial aid office offers one-on-one financial counseling, information about scholarships, tips on budgeting, books on money, and many more resources. The officers at your university or college financial aid office can offer you help on almost any aspect of financial help – including helping you figure out a financial plan that can keep you out of debt.

Plus, many financial aid offices have workshops that can teach you about dealing with money and credit, and even offer free tax filing services – services that are extremely useful. In fact, the financial aid offices at most colleges and universities are so useful that you may want to call the school you attended in the past to ask whether alumni are eligible for any services at the financial aid office. The free credit repair advice and other resources that you a get from these offices, are simply too good to miss.

Another thing that students can do to protect their credit is to try to pay for education through means other than loans. Student loans are becoming a problem for more and more students. Many parents and students are now waking up to the fact that huge student loans can be a terrible financial burden after graduation. While it is true that most college and student loans do not have to be repaid until after graduation, the time after graduation usually carries some large financial responsibilities.

Many college graduates want or need a car, a good job, and possibly their own home or apartment. Each of these things requires a good credit standing, but too large student loans not only require larger monthly repayments but also may affect credit scores by overextending credit. As tuition fees rise, larger student loans are becoming the norm, leading to financial hardship – and in many cases disaster. To avoid this, you should try to live within your means and rely on such resources as jobs, savings, scholarships, bursaries, and other forms of financial aid to pay for your tuition and living expenses.

Another thing that students can do is save money by taking advantage of student discounts on student life. One of the advantages of student life is that it is inexpensive. Student housing or rooms rented with roommates create inexpensive living, on-campus facilities offer great services at discount rates, and many businesses offer student-only deals.Try to take advantage of these offers to make your student money stretch further.

Look around to find the best student-deal offers, ranging from travel deals to free tax filing services, available from your campus and from surrounding businesses. Make use of the free services on campus – such as renting movies for free from the film department or working out in the school gym – rather than paying for these same services outside the campus.

Many students fall in love with their credit cards. Credit card companies know this, too, and routinely heavily advertise on college campuses, even offering students free food or gifts to fill out a credit application. While the convenience of credit cards is tempting, it is a good idea to stay away from credit cards altogether. This is because studies have repeatedly shown that those who pay cash for items routinely spend less than those charging or using credit cards to pay.

An alternative to using a credit card is a prepaid debit card. Prepaid debit cards are a great asset to students because it can teach students great financial management skills. Using a prepaid debit card for entertainment and other small needs ensures you won’t spend more than you have to and also ensures that you won’t end up paying for months for something that is long gone.

Following the free credit repair advice give in this article can help you with credit repair before it becomes a necessity. More importantly, this information can help you to establish good credit habits early and will help ensure that you have a long (and good) credit history by the time you graduate from college.

About Author

To learn more free credit repair advice and other ways to repair your credit, please visit the Internet’s only premier Prepaid Debit Card site: http://www.debit-card-guide.com/.

You may use the car’s electric systems to excess or you may forget you left your car’s headlights on over night. So batteries problems are quite common and frequent and if you know what to do in such scenarios, reconditioning an old battery or reviving an apparent dead battery is quite easy.

The most important of these actions can be performed by anyone with the proper equipment and the necessary accessories and best of all it will not cost you over $40. In fact, these tips can be put into practice when it comes to various batteries reconditioning, from car batteries to cell phone and even iPod batteries.

You can even take things further, because if you learn how to recondition batteries, you may even find it to be a profitable business venture on a small scale. There are several things you have to take into consideration when reconditioning a battery.

First, batteries of all sorts, car batteries included, are filled with dangerous acid and proper handling is vital to avoid any accidents. If you injure yourself while reconditioning a battery, consult a medic at once, as many dangerous chemical elements are included in a modern car battery. Batteries nowadays are more environmental friendly than a couple years ago, but they still have components that are dangerous to the environment so dead batteries and batteries’ parts should be disposed of in their proper places.

So let us get started and you will see how easy battery reconditioning really is. Modern rechargeable batteries allow users to forget about annoying power cables that hinder the manipulation of power tools and that restrict movement of any device to length of the cable from a power source. Many electric devices are portable and their batteries are very compact as well. When reconditioning batteries, it is important to take on board that an unhealthy battery can have its causes in the chargers that malfunction.

However, more frequently, it is the battery, which is killing the charger. People will go and buy new chargers all the time, without knowing that the problem is in the battery itself.

Every battery has a determined lifespan in which it functions properly and once this period has passed, a battery will require reconditioning. Car batteries are no different. They are charged while the car is moving, but after some years, a car battery will require maintenance as well. New batteries develop a memory effect but reconditioning a battery properly should remove this effect completely.

Another important thing when reconditioning a battery is to know how to accurately measure the charge capacity of the battery in question. This will vary from battery to battery, but once you know precisely how much energy a battery can store at a given time, you can start assessing the amount of improvement you have to do to the battery. Knowing how to revert a reversed cell cannot be overstated as you will not be able to recondition the battery until you have fixed the reversed cell.

Help answer the question about car battery maintenance

Can I replace a car battery cable?
I’m very inexperienced when it comes to car maintenance. I need to replace the positive battery cable on a 1999 Camry. Is this a job for a mechanic or is it D.I.Y. for a novice?

About Author

Dennis runs Car Dealer Check which has independent Car Dealer Reviews written by the car dealerships customers and information on Car Buying Tips.

When it is time to replace them they are all there.

These batteries are similar to those used on cell phones and toy cars children love to drive around in the backyard.Thus, it is not very difficult to get new batteries when we need them.

Actually, electric batteries do not need to be replaced often so replacment of batteries does not happen too frequently.

They cost around $2000 to $5000 , depending on the model and make of your car.

You must be careful about the amount of electricity in the battery before charging it.

Sometimes the batteries have an in built “memory” , and if the battery is not run completely before charging it may lose some of it’s potency.In this situation you may have to spend on a new battery before it is due.

There is alot of research and development underway in the electric cars industry.

New battery technology is being worked on to ensure that your vehicle can get charged faster and hold more power for a longer time.It will not be long before you can drive your car longer without the need for a battery charge.This is really some great news for those who patronise electric cars.At present the cars can run upto 100 miles per charge.There is a strong possibility that by 2010 the car will be able to run 200 miles on new batteries.

Recycling of the batteries can be done when it is time to replace the batteries.

Electric car batteries are recyclable upto 95 percent.Only those who are concerned about the environment and want to protect their wallets against the gasoline price hike will opt for an electric car, since you have, you are sure to be one of them. So, if you can recycle your electric car battery, before buying a new one you have given yourself a new source of power along with peace of mind.

It is advisable to choose the best type of batteries, for the best price, for your car and be assured that you have done the best for yourself and for the environment .

Help answer the question about car battery replacement

how much should a car battery replacement cost?

About Author

Abhishek is an avid Environmentalist and he has got some great Alternative Fuel Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 70 Pages Ebook, “Energy Conservation And Alternative Fuel” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/643/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

An important thing for you to do is clean up your battery. If there is acid around the battery, do not touch it, avoiding damage your clothes. One of the most common problems when it comes to car batteries is the accumulation of corrosion around the terminals. This is evident by a substance that looks almost like powder. If you identify this on your car’s battery, you should clean it off immediately. One of the easiest and most effective measures for doing so is by pouring a little Coca-Cola on the terminals and scrubbing them with a wire brush. It is best to do this when the battery terminals are disconnected from the battery posts. Use safety goggles and gloves when doing this job. Battery acid is dangerous!

Check the water lever of the battery, prying the cell covers off. If the cells inside the battery need to be filled to the top are low on water, it is not maintenance free. It is important that you take some water and fill all of these cells in the battery. Replace the cell covers carefully, preventing cracking or splashing of fluids. Recharge batter if necessary; best done with a slow trickle charge if the cells were empty.

You need check the wires running to and from the battery, figuring out whether or not they are covered and protected. If a bare wire hits the wrong thing under the hood, it can turn into many different types of electrical complications. You need to disconnect the battery terminals, it is absolutely necessary to remove the negative first. When replacing the terminals, attach the positive terminal prior to the negative terminal.

Help answer the question about car battery maintenance

Should I add water to my car battery? It is about 8 years old and I was told to check the water level.?
car battery: maintenance free? How do I check the water level?
What is the average life of a car battery?

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Get recommendations or friendly advice. It is good to ask around for the best mechanic or repair shop and compare notes.  People who use their cars to get to and from work need to keep their vehicles in tiptop shape.  They should get in the habit of asking neighbors, friends, and co-workers for the best and the worst repair shops and check it out for themselves.  When traveling, good sources of recommendations are the local police, motel clerks, or even waiters.

Inspect the equipment. Working on today’s high-tech cars calls for, not just a different set of skills for the mechanic, but also sophisticated equipment like engine analyzers and scan tools.  These gadgets can be connected to the car engine’s computer to exactly locate the problem and make so high-tech troubleshooting.  In addition, a full-service car repair shop must have a complete set of hand tools for each technician.  On the other hand, frequent drivers are advised to invest on car tools for quick repairs on the road.  A set may cost a few hundred dollars but the worthwhile expense could be covered by a small instant payday loan.

Look out for cheats. Automatic transmissions are the favorite cheats of scrupulous roadside mechanics and repair shops.  Usually, the average driver knows little of how this mix of clutches, gears, passages, and seals work.  Another kind of rip-off would be advertised specials that seem too good to be true—and these are usually that.  Some are bait-and-switch ads to lure people in for low-cost maintenance, but once the cars are in, other work would be suggested.

The next time people find themselves in need of car repairs, they better scout for an honest and competent mechanic or repair shop.  And when they do find one, stick with that service even if it costs a bit more to save them from stress.

Watch the video related to car repair advice

www.CSBCards.com ——— Free Information, 24hr Recorded Message, Call (775) 321-9709 CREDIT REPAIR VIDEO Rebuild Credit: Insider Credit Repair Techniques to Improve Credit Score Fast! What’s the fastest way to raise your credit score? To quote the classic magazine salesman from the movie Office Space “That all depends”… While the removal of negative items from your credit report will almost always result in an increase in your credit score, there is a method that works better. Here’s …

Help answer the question about car repair advice

Car repair advice wanted!?
I have a 1989 Toyota Camry, 4 cyl, 220K miles, which I just love!! Problem is, when I drive from Federal way to Seattle and back (40 miles round trip), it drinks a quart of motor oil! Is there a special thick oil additive that would slow down the oil consumption? Note, oil is not leaking from the valve cover or oil pan.

Thanks,
Randy

About Author

Greg Ellis co-founder of Payday Online, Australias preferred short term lender, shares his insights on money matters. Founded in 2005 Payday Online has helped thousands of Australians with their fast  cash loans but thats just the short term solution. Payday Online also help people in the long run by providing budgeting tools, e-books and individually researched  articles on money matters and financial tips. The aim is to assist people in achieving instant and long term financial freedom.