Three Beneficial Automotive Services You Need

There are three automotive services that are often overlooked and seldom up sold because of low profit margins. Don’t worry, we will leave oil changes off the list. See what you should ask for on your next automotive service appointment.

Beneficial Automotive Service

I’ve written a series of articles about package style maintenance items and how they can sidetrack mechanics and service writers when the facilities management team uses spiffs to motivate them. Nothing is better at ruining the symbiotic relationship between a customer and an auto repair shop than commission-based incentive. You can read more details about that particular subject in my recent article about the art of selling automotive service.

Here we’ll discuss three maintenance services that provide an excellent return on investment for motorists. With total cost of each service under fifty dollars the repair facility might put this on the back burner and recommend something with more meat on the bone like a air induction service which sells for anywhere between $119 and $199.

Tire Rotations

They use to recommended rotation all the time, because the service facility wanted to see how much was remaining on the brake linings. Now most automobiles have sport wheels where you can see the brake pad without removing it. This situation has taken away the financial incentive to sell the rotation since average cost is well under fifty dollars. Often when the shop recommends it they’ll add a wheel balance package to make it profitable.

Balancing is important for drivers who feel vibrations at Highway speeds. Not all balancing machines are created equal and it could make things worse if the machine is old or hasn’t been properly calibrated. In my owner’s manual it states to rotate the tires every 5 to 8000 miles. Balancing is recommended on an as needed basis for vibration problems.

Benefits of Rotating Tires

Vehicle manufacturer’s recommend car owners rotate tires to extend their life by achieving uniform wear. The front wear down faster than the back in most cases, because they’re carrying the weight of the engine. Also the front tires do the steering.

It’s common for alignment adjustments to shift as the automobile slams potholes and curbs. Incorrect camber and toe settings will wear them out faster. One reason this provides a lot of bang for the buck is rubber is getting expensive and tire sizes are getting bigger. Large diameter and uncommon sizes are fetching premium prices.

Replacing the Fuel Filter

On some cars a fuel filter is less than ten dollars, making the total cost of replacement relatively inexpensive. When compared to other fuel system operations such as electronic fuel injection cleaning, throttle body service and air induction services, the fuel filter comes in last place as a profit generator. In the shops defense, fuel filter maintenance is a convoluted subject since it’s dependent on the year make and model of the vehicle.

Some automobiles have a small fuel filter with less filtering surface area. These types are often recommended to be replaced every 30,000 miles. Others offer larger canister type filters with extended service life. The best advice here is to know the maintenance history of your fuel filter and also the manufacturer’s replacement interval. Don’t wait to be sold a fuel filter, request one when it’s required.

Benefits of Replacing the Fuel Filter

It’s easy to forget about this component because it’s out of sight and out of mind. As the filter becomes clogged it increases the load on the electric fuel pump inside the gas tank, which is trying to push gas up to the fuel injectors. This can decrease the longevity or cause immediate failure of the fuel pump. When drivers run their fuel tank to the bottom they increase the chances of sucking up dirt from the tank into the filter. Although it’s true that fuel pumped from the gas station into your tank is filtered the quality should be questioned when repeat clogging of the filter occurs.

Replacing Wiper Blades

You don’t want to drive in a sudden torrential downpour with wiper blades that look like shredded licorice. This is one service I’m going to recommend you learn to do yourself. The reason for this is because of the extremely low profit nature of the operation, many repair facilities will use substandard plastic parts in order to pull a few dollars out of the replacement procedure. Car owners can get high quality powder coated metal frames with Michelin rubber blades for about seven dollars apiece at any big retail store. Modern automobiles use quick push locks, connections that make swapping these out a simple operation.