I have personally worked in shops that do the bait and switch on you, but you don't even know it. In most cases, there are "grades of quality" parts that can be bought by you, or the shop your car is at. The shop prices the high end "Cadillac" part for your car, and charges you for it, but they buy the generic brand and that's what you get. I'm not kidding.
In some cases, it's worth paying for an Original Equipment part, in other words from the dealership. But an amazing thing has happened in the last few years. The OEM Parts market has dropped dramatically and many times the original manufacturer part is cheaper or equivalent to the parts store parts. A lot of times it really doesn't matter if the part is OEM or not, but there are some cases where it does. That's where experience and honesty come into play.
I don't have any cut and dry answers for you to not be a victim of this practice of pricing higher end parts and installing low end ones. It happens a lot! My thought is to be aware of your surroundings while at the shop. Do you see NAPA or Dealership deliveries being made? Or do you see Auto Zone trucks coming and going? What do you see for parts lying around? Are they GM, or Ford? Or are they generic re manufacturer boxes?
Ask about a parts warranty. Keep your paperwork and make sure that your front end components are being greased at every oil change. Don't be afraid to ask your oil change place about doing it. Sometimes we forget, sometimes we assume that the parts are original in which case many are not serviceable.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Be prepared!
Sorry, it's been a little while since I've posted. My thought for this message is to be prepared.
When you buy your first car or your 3rd car, be familiar with it. Does it have a spare tire? (Some new cars don't even come with spares.) Do you know how to change it? If not, take advantage of the nicer weather and practice in your driveway where it's safe. Read your owner's manual. It sounds obvious but if the manufacturer could save $1.00 per car by not providing it, don't you think they would? There's a lot of valuable information in there, and it pertains to your safety. What certain lights on the dash mean, how to access your jack and accessories and other features your car may have that you may not realize. Read it in the bathroom if need be.
Fluids have changed in the years I've been doing this. Synthetic oils, transmission fluid, brake fluid and even antifreeze has changed. Know what is being put in your car. Is your GM 2012 or newer? It probably takes a special oil called Dexos, and if the oil change place isn't using it, it could void your warranty. Be smart, be educated. I've got 265,000 miles on my jeep for a reason. Original engine and transmission. Don't be afraid to ask your mechanic (I hope you've got one you frequent so there's a relationship built) about your car.
When you buy your first car or your 3rd car, be familiar with it. Does it have a spare tire? (Some new cars don't even come with spares.) Do you know how to change it? If not, take advantage of the nicer weather and practice in your driveway where it's safe. Read your owner's manual. It sounds obvious but if the manufacturer could save $1.00 per car by not providing it, don't you think they would? There's a lot of valuable information in there, and it pertains to your safety. What certain lights on the dash mean, how to access your jack and accessories and other features your car may have that you may not realize. Read it in the bathroom if need be.
Fluids have changed in the years I've been doing this. Synthetic oils, transmission fluid, brake fluid and even antifreeze has changed. Know what is being put in your car. Is your GM 2012 or newer? It probably takes a special oil called Dexos, and if the oil change place isn't using it, it could void your warranty. Be smart, be educated. I've got 265,000 miles on my jeep for a reason. Original engine and transmission. Don't be afraid to ask your mechanic (I hope you've got one you frequent so there's a relationship built) about your car.
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