Top 5 Auto Repair Shop Scams

Today we are going to discuss the top 5 scams at auto repair shops and how to recognize them before you'll pay for their "job was done"s. These are shops like franchises, small pop-up shops, everywhere around the Nation and even in different countries. And we hope, this short discussion will help you to not get scammed when you will know what to look for.

1. Fluid "Flush"

The #1 on a list is "Fluid Flushes". This is more of a common thing when you go at some quick lube shop. It's might be not really a total scam, but very often a technician or your service adviser will tell to you that you need to do a power steering fluid flush, or your brake fluid flush, or your differential fluid flush, etc. That is what we are usually recommend: as far as you go to oil change it's usually told what kind of oil they going to use, but what kind of different fluids - you usually don't really know. Especially if you are at some quick lube shop or something like this. Your vehicle does require a special types of those liquids and not all of that places really care of a required specifications. Even if it not so, these guys really want to save some money on a less quality stuff rather than a high quality and manufacturer require fluid types.

Very often they do recommend the Fluid Flushes, but they do not perform the job. If it take an odor or so, there is no chance to do this type of work in this short period of time properly.

So, please, STAY AWAY FROM ANY FLUSHES at any time, unless you are at certified service provider, WHO SPECIALIZED ON YOUR CAR SERVICE, REPAIR, AND MAINTAIN. Here at BMP Auto Service we using only manufacturer recommended fluids for your car's systems. As a professionals we are clearly understand how critical this is for your car.

If your car battery dies and you need a boost call fro the road assistance and do not boost your battery with somebody else, who don't know what he is doing. A lot of electronics in our cars require a lot of alternate the home electronics does. When you have a "dead" battery as soon as it realized that the engine is running it gets full power to try to charge that battery. If you have a boost vehicle it's already doing that. Now you have two alternators to feed a battery which can cause a overpower goes in that delicate electronics and can broke it. If you dealing with road side assistance and they missed it up, you can claim them and get your money back (they all have necessary insurance), rather than a stranger with a booster.

As a conclusion at this topic we are not saying all quick lube shops are providing poor service. There are a lot of good quality places and guys really know what they are doing. But always be sure you exactly know what types of fluids are applying to your car before you go to your next oil change.

2. Parts

The scams usually happened when you've been told a part was replaced but it was actually not or new parts war replaced, but they was used. In both case scenario you are paying for nothing. Also, you are sure you did everything right and you fill safe and confident, but in reality you put yourself in king of dangerous and unexpected situations may occur on a road. And a third scam may occur when you've been charged for a new parts which is a high quality, but installed parts are cheap and bad quality to get more profit. That is why it's very important closer look at your old parts, and ask technician why they need to be replaced. Also ask them what type of part they are using and specifically what brand it is. Good technician or a good service advisor they going to tell exactly what's going on with your car issue, why it's need to be replaced and should be able to show it to you. Make sure you are getting what you are pay for.

At BMP Auto Service we ordering for your vehicle only genuine parts, or manufacturer's certified brands of parts and supplies we are using. That is exactly why we pretty confident in a quality of our work in a most cases we give our customers a warranty.

3. Tuneups

Tuneups a very general statements. So you are really want to know what exactly they will doing of tuneup. A tuneup can be a spark plugs change, changing filters, changing oil, or just looking at stuff. It all depends exactly what they doing of tuneup. Make sure you'll ask them what services being performed. You may also research what kind of service need for your car at specific mileage, etc. Google it! Some of them are very important, so don't mess them, let's say your car is close to 60000 miles and transmission fluid might be replaces. Always visually check your car on leaks, sips and tell your technician about them. At BMP Auto Service we track the record of your car services and maintenance was performed and recommend to do a next step before some serious and expensive problems may occur. We are like a family doctor of your lovely family member - your vehicle.

4. Fuel Injection Service

Fuel injection service you can find at most of quick lube services and small shops around your area. Fuel injection service it's a real thing, a big deal for your car. It involves pull off injectors, sending them to the ultrasonic clean (can be performed at a place, or can be sent to the specific service provider), test them, seals, clean all filters, change the filters, etc. This is how the proper fuel injection service looks like. Adding cleaning liquid selling online or in a public auto care stores are not making big difference, so if you was advised to do fuel injection service, make sure this operation will be performed properly.

5. ASE Certification

Even if a shop has the ASE Certification it's not automatically guarantee this is a good service provider for your vehicle. Let's pretend some shop you are stoped by has an ASE Certification sticker on window, or even a sign on a wall. If there is at least one technician ASE Certificated they hav right to put that sticker on their facility, but other technician can be not certified at all. More than that to get a basic ASE Certificate is very easy, it's not a hard thing to do. So, we just want to say if you see one of those stickers or signs with ASE Certification it does not mean you are guaranteed in good hands. Of course, all our technicians at BMP Auto Service ASE Certified and insured. We are participate in yearly events involving educational points earnings, seminars and classes to be on top of contemporary auto repair and maintenance business.

In a cunclusion we would like to kindly advise you always to be prepared prior visiting any auto care shop. Double check everything they recommend to perform on your vehicle. Ask them specific questions and be knowlegable do your research. If you do not have any trusted place for your car repair and maitenance, give us a call at (916) 334-7371 and we will be more than happy to HELP YOU with always professional and quality service for your vehicle. We are ready to become your car's "family doctor"!