See what make’s Benders Auto Care stand out from the rest!

What is it going to cost to repair my car?

That has always been the million dollar question. But it is not as easily explained as one might think. Some consumers are just concerned about price and not service and quality. I do understand, after all I am a consumer myself and am always concerned about price. If I am buying a TV and looking at the same make and model, price would be the determining factor. The service industry is a little more complicated than that and there are some important questions we should ask prior to asking price. Here are some examples;

• How long has the shop been in business, in the same location, with the same owner(s)
• Are the Technicians ASE Certified
• What is the parts and labor warranty
• Is the shop a member of ASCCA, or any trade organization
• Is the shop a AAA approved shop
• Does the shop have customer testimonials

When making a decision on your repair needs these are all important to know. As an example, did you know that the person cutting your hair needs to be licensed by the state, but the person doing brakes on your car doesn’t. Pretty scary when you think about it. Quite often I get potential customers telling me that they were quoted as much as 40% less for the “same job” that I quoted them. Bottom line, it’s impossible to have that much difference without something being different such as parts quality or Technician quality. I read this quote in a popular magazine that I think sums it up;

“it’s unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay to little. When you pay

too much you lose a little money. When you pay too little you sometimes lose

everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing

it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying

too little and getting a lot. It can’t be done. If you use a lower bidder, it is

well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that, you will have

enough to pay for something better.”

My goal is not to offend by this letter but to inform. One of the problems with this industry ( my industry) is that there are people in this industry out to make a quick buck and do not take into consideration the customer’s needs. Doing a job with inferior parts and unqualified technicians does not save money and actually will cost more money in the long run. Be aware of what you are getting for your money by asking the right questions. If the shop doesn’t want to take the time to explain things or is 30 to 40% less then the next closest quote then maybe it’s time to move on, no matter what the price.

We have all considered buying an extended warranty contract when purchasing a new car. The problem is they can be extremely expensive and only cover a certain amount of miles and time. How would you like to have an extended warranty contract on your car for the life of that car and all you have to do is maintain that car. Sounds crazy right? Well BG Products offers just that. Let me explain.

For example: If we were to perform a cooling system flush on your vehicle using BG Products before that vehicle reaches 36,000 miles you would receive up to $4000 towards repairs in the event of a cooling system failure. The parts covered are the radiator, heater core,water pump and freeze plugs. Hoses, thermostat, clamps and engine components are not covered. If you install BG Products between 36,001 and 75,000 miles BG will pay up to $2000 in repairs.

So what’s the catch? All you have to do is service your cooling system every 30,000 miles with BG Products. Servicing your cooling system is a standard maintenance procedure, so why not do it with BG Products. The additional cost, when using the BG Product in your cooling system, is about $30 on top of a standard cooling system flush. When you consider that a water pump could cost as much as $400- $600 on most cars today, $30 every 30,000 mile is inexpensive insurance and offers great peace of mind.

BG Products also has products for your engine, power steering, fuel system, brake system, differentials, transmissions and transfer cases, all with the same great warranty. BG Products are not only good for your vehicle, but they back it up with this amazing extended warranty, which is also transferable if you sell your vehicle. Also, when using BG Products with your oil change BG will give you free roadside assistance.

Go to www.bendersauto.com, go to links at the top of the home page and click on the www.bgams.com link and read all about the products and warranties that are available. Call today and ask about our BG specials.

Did you know that if your car is still under the factory warranty you do not have to take your vehicle to the dealer for its scheduled maintenance and non-warranty repairs.

According to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 manufacturers are not allowed to void the vehicles warranty just because aftermarket parts are used on the vehicle. You also have the option to take your vehicle to any qualified repair facility to do scheduled maintenance. So, for example, lets say your transmission fails and your car is still under the factory warranty. You need to prove that you have complied with the scheduled factory maintenance by producing the service records on that vehicle.

When we are looking at a particular repair on a vehicle, relating to parts, we look at several things to determine where to purchase the part.

First, we look at the quality of the part. Some parts manufacturers are having their products built and assembled overseas. Although that is not always a bad thing some of these parts are poorly built with cheap components. If we are not comfortable with a particular manufacturer we will not use their product, plus it doesn’t hurt to support the good old U.S of A whenever possible. Most manufactures offer a 1 year warranty on the part only. We extend that warranty 1 year and offer a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty on parts and labor. We are able to do this by installing the best parts available.

Second, we look at cost. Some aftermarket parts are as good as the factory part, and less expensive. Some aftermarket parts are better than the factory parts, but more expensive. As consumers we always tend to look at the price first, when dealing with car parts. When we get a vehicle in our shop that has been in another shop with the same problem, it is sometimes workmanship, but most of the time it is a cheap part that has failed. In my opinion putting a cheap part on your car is a workmanship issue, that’s why it is so important to use the part that has the most value.

Third, we look at availability. Sometimes we want a particular manufactures part, but it just is not available so we have to go with the next best option.

It is our goal to repair your vehicle with parts that have the best value for you. That’s not always the most expensive, but sometimes it is. Even the best parts can fail, that’s why we offer a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty to give you peace of mind that if that part does fail we will stand behind it. And the Magnuson-Moss Act gives you peace of mind that your factory warranty cannot be void if we do the scheduled maintenance or non- warranty repairs.

This month I wanted to discuss Factory recalls.

Those of you who have newer cars, or are still subject to factory recalls, need to be aware of information that your dealership may not want you to know.

All of us are aware of the massive recall that Toyota is in the middle of because of the horrific accident that killed 4 people due to a sticking gas pedal. Toyota may or may not have been aware of this problem before this terrible accident. But did you know that all recalls are not announced to the car owner? Most problems never get to the recall stage; that doesn’t mean they’re not problems. It just means that the manufacture has managed to wiggle out of conducting a full recall. In this case Toyota had no wiggle room.

My Own Vehicle

I’ll use my own vehicles as an example. I have a 2006 Ford Fusion that had a ticking noise in the engine. After researching the problem I found a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on that exact problem. I took the vehicle into Ford, with TSB in hand and they fixed the problem under warranty. Because it was not a safety issue they never sent out an official recall. I also have a 2001 Ford F-250 truck that I did receive a recall notice in the mail. They recommended that I have an electrical component replaced due to the fact that it has a tendency to short out and catch on fire. Obviously a vehicle burning to the ground, especially if you keep it in your garage, is much more severe than a ticking engine. If Ford is aware of both problems, you should be advised of both problems, but you’re not.

This is where Bender’s Automotive comes in. When you bring your vehicle in for service or repairs we can check all TSB’s to see if there are any issues with your vehicle. The Dealers are not obligated to do so and actually don’t like doing warranty work, or recalls, because they get paid considerable less by the manufacturer. There have been several times we found problems with vehicles that have been related to TSB’s and referred the customer to the dealer where they were able to get the repair covered under a “secret” recall.

The next time you bring your vehicle in ask myself, Mike or Denise and we will be happy to check for TSB’s on your vehicle.

Surprising to many, we also do car restorations and hot rod service.

So, no matter if you need maintenance, or a complex repair, give us a call.

More information on the auto repair services we provide

More information on the maintenance services we provide

More information on Restorations and Hot Rods

More information on our Machine Shop

We don’t talk down to you or talk in confusing automotive jargon. We take the time to explain things clearly so they make sense to you.  We take the time to answer your questions, patiently.

Much of the time, your find the owner, Tom Bender at the counter to help you.

Auto maintenance is very important.  It is the key to making your car last and giving you the peace of mind you deserve.  So, let us take some of the inconvenience out of it and allow us to shuttle you to your home or office and pick you up when your car is done.  It’s good for you and your car.