Showing posts with label maintenance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maintenance. Show all posts
Monday, 24 October 2011
I’m a huge proponent of buying used cars over buying new, and especially over leasing (unless you have a business and can write it off), so here are some not-so-obvious tips from my personal arsenal that I want to share to help you find that beautiful previously-enjoyed vehicle:
- Internet Check
If you are shopping for a vehicle of interest or want to go to a particular dealer for service, many dealers nowadays have profiles of their sales and service staff. Go to the dealer websites and browse the faces and names if the websites have links to staff profiles. It’s not always a sure bet when you’re judging appearances obviously (take a look at your Facebook photos!), but if you feel more comfortable speaking to say a female sales rep or service advisor, someone who’s the same race/nationality as you are, someone who can speak the same language you speak, someone who’s similar in age, or maybe you prefer a more docile-looking, baby-face salesman vs. a grizzled or greasy looking creeper, you can go into the dealer knowing who you may see and perhaps being familiar with some faces to start. Some people do judge books by their covers, and sometimes, they are right.
- Sunday Sleuthing
If you want to take your time browsing cars at a large dealer without being approached by a high-pressure salesperson, go browse on a Sunday. Most large dealers will be closed on Sundays, and as long as you behave and don’t touch the cars, visually checking out their condition up-close, peeking inside through the windows, and writing down the VIN to do some pre-emptive investigative work will put you in a better, more prepared position in case you want to return and test drive it.
- Be a Glove Box Fox
If you see a used car that was off-lease or a trade-in, look in the glove box and dig out the owner’s manual portfolio. In the portfolio, it may contain a business card of the original dealership and salesperson from where and whom the car was purchased from, as well as documentation such as the name of the previous owner, his/her address, age, and maybe even stamped service records in their maintenance guide if there is one, or printed service records. Looking into this portfolio could also give you a clue as to what region the car was owned and operated in (i.e. Southern Ontario or Northern Ontario, the latter of which is harsher on cars? Or owned by someone living in an upscale neighbourhood vs. a ghetto?) in order to help you evaluate if its had a previously good life or not.
By finding out which dealer the car was originally purchased from, you could write down the VIN of the car, pay that dealer a visit in person or call, be really nice to the service advisor, and ask him/her if he/she could run a scan on the VIN to see if it’s been serviced there regularly or not. They may not be allowed to give you printouts due to confidentiality rules, but they will be able to verbally tell you whether there are service records or not, and whether they were done within the manufacturer’s recommended intervals or not.
- Mind the Plates
Be aware of newly-issued license plates on a used car you are buying privately inOntario
Hope these help! Drive on.....
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
For most people, going to the dealership for service is about as pleasant as passing a kidney stone, so here are my top 10 pointers to help make your next service visit more pleasant:
- Be Detailed
If there are any issues with your car like strange sounds or vibrations, be as detailed as possible when describing the symptoms. The more info, the better, as the mechanic can better figure out how to diagnose and what to check.
- You Can Say No
When going in for an oil change, be prepared to be up-sold, unless it’s your brand-new car’s first service visit. When pitched, the key is to not feel pressured whatsoever. You can say no to all recommended services, and ask as many questions as you want/need to. If you are a new customer, it would help to bring old receipts of past work done so you could make a decision, and to also gauge whether the shop is being honest.
- Beware of "Free"
When a dealer offers free services like a multi-point inspection or a brake inspection, it’s a strategy to get you in the door so they will pick your car apart and find what repairs and maintenance are recommended to up-sell you. If you don’t really need a brake inspection, don’t bother going and don't let the word "free" cloud your judgement.
- Get Inside Help
If you have a problem with your new vehicle that needs attention, leverage your salesperson who you purchased the car from to bring you to the service department. Someone who is close with a dealer colleague most times will get squeezed in for an appointment sooner, or have a minor problem get checked out without having to pay, but just don’t ask for the world, i.e. if something is going to take a while, just make an appointment, or be patient if you just need nitrogen put in your tires. - Build a Relationship
If you find a good service advisor, maintain a relationship so you could build a more personal rapport. With a personal rapport, he/she will be more honest with you, lobby for you with some repairs or warranty work, and maybe even hook you up with a discount on a huge bill or a major service.
- Don't Settle
Do not tolerate poor service. If the dealer closest to home is convenient but their service stinks, go to another dealer that may be farther, but provides better service. Don’t reward bad service or shops who always try to up-sell you mercilessly. Asking for referrals from friends, colleagues, neighbours, relatives and internet car forums can help too.
- Ask to See
If a dealer is recommending additional services, ask to be chaperoned into the shop so they will show you the worn or loose parts. Even if you know nothing about cars, pretend you do. By asking questions and asking to see things, you will force them to be honest and back up their recommendations. Don’t buy any BS about the shop not allowing customers into the service area. If they say that to you, don’t go to them again.
If you can, I recommend you wait at the dealer while the car is being serviced. Most have wireless internet, so you might be able to bring your work there and have a free coffee. By being there, if they try to up-sell you, you can ask to see the worn parts before making a decision or getting a second opinion. If you leave the car with them, some dishonest shops may try to up-sell services knowing you’re not around to see, and hoping you’ll give them the go-ahead. - Recommended Up-Sells
Preventive maintenance-based up-sells I encourage you to go ahead with if recommended and at the proper intervals are tire rotations, alignments with new tires, engine air filters, cabin filters, fuel filters, fan belts, wiper blades, transmission fluid changes, coolant flushes, differential fluid changes, spark plugs and a brake service. All of the mentioned should be paid attention to at least once a year, with brake services recommended once a year. Most shops do not charge labour to install wiper blades. Services that are less important if the car is otherwise running fine are battery services (most batteries today are maintenance-free), fuel injector services (generally not needed as long as you don’t always drive with an near-empty fuel tank) and brake fluid flushes on 2-3 year old cars. Brake fluid flushes are only recommended if there is 2% water in the brake fluid or if the manufacturer recommends it at a specific interval and mileage. - Ask for Pictures
If you must be at work while the car is in for major service, don’t be afraid to ask the service advisor to snap and upload pictures of your car’s worn tires, brake or under-body parts before giving them the go-ahead to replace, or ask for measurements of the brake pads in millimetres if they are recommending new brakes that are going to cost a fortune. Only ask for pictures if the potential repairs are expensive. Trust them on the filters if they recommend them as they are relatively cheap but important. If they say no, then you say no to giving them business. At least one person in the dealer has a SmartPhone or a cell-phone with a camera that they can upload to their computers to e-mail you.
- Ask About Extended Warranty Privileges
If you purchased an extended warranty, the package may include several free oil changes. If you don’t recall whether the extended warranty package you bought includes them or not, ask the service advisor to check for you – they have access to that info. It may turn out that you do, and if say you had 4 oil changes as part of the package, you save about $200 in maintenance.
Hope these help. Now Drive on....
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