We work on mainly European vehicles and the German manufacturers recommend extended oil services. We use only the approved oils (MB229.5, VW 505.01, BMW LL, etc.) and do not see problems with the longer intervals. But, the correct oil MUST be used and we double check the service information on every vehicle before we do the oil service. Some other makes use an algorythym in the PCM to calculate oil services, others just use a mileage counter. I believe in following the OEM recommendation, as long as whatever oil is being used meets or exceeds the manufacturer's oil specification. Now, since the vehicle doesn't come in for routine oil changes as often, we are able to perform more thorough services and inspection for the customer (battery tests, tire rotations, etc.) and can place added value to their oil service.
When the typical gas and go customer's vehicle is showing the oil change is "due" comes in, there is no oil showing on the stick, tires are low on air,the engine air and cabin filters are dirty and our state inspection is past due.
What effects are the extended oil change intervals having on cars with clogged EGR, secondary air injection, or crankcase vents. I know at our shop, we see a lot of European vehicles with these problems. BMW's and Volvo's with clogged crankcase vents and oil leaks. Mercedes with clogged EGR tubes. BMW and Mercedes with clogged secondary air injection. Mostly with the Japanese we only see clogged EGR. They don't use the premium synthetics and have shorter change intervals. As an industry, there is something we are missing on the service side. The hard part is selling yet another system service in this age of power steering flush, transmission flush, fuel system flush, intake system service, etc. What problems do you experience with these vehicles and do you attribute any of it to extended oil services?
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We seeing quite a few vehicles witgh variable valve timing having problems from lengthy oil change intervals.
Yes Honda is now have problems with their varable timing controls (Cam Phasers etc) and also timing chain tensioners getting clogged up and causing problems. Now we see them going to 0w20 oil only in full syn grades. I tell our Honda customers 5,000 miles or 15% if they want these cars to out last the bank payments. Cheap insurance for sure.
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Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?
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By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By carmcapriotto
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Auto Care Customer service is the backbone of any successful auto repair shop. Tom Petty discusses the critical role of clear, effective communication with customers. And guess what? It all starts with your internal team and company culture. Tom Petty, Petty Motorworks, Waretown, NJ Show Notes
Watch Full Video TST Seminars: https://www.tstseminars.org/ NAPA Auto Care Gold status (00:01:24) Tom Petty discusses NAPA AutoCare Gold status and its significance. Technical training and progression (00:03:13) Tom Petty's technical training and progression through the years. Family business and technical training (00:04:22) Tom Petty's decision to start a family business and his involvement in technical training. Engaging technicians and setting shop culture (00:05:44) Discussion on setting the culture for a shop and engaging technicians in training. Apprenticeship and mentoring (00:08:13) Tom Petty's approach to apprenticeship and mentoring young technicians. Automotive vocational education (00:11:10) Discussion on the need for a specialized automotive charter program in vocational education. Challenges in the automotive industry (00:13:03) Challenges faced by young technicians in the automotive industry and the need for development and support. Starting wage and labor margin (00:14:36) Discussion on starting wage for technicians and the importance of labor margin for business sustainability. Post-education career advice (00:15:31) Tom Petty's advice for students coming out of a two-year automotive program regarding starting wage expectations. Structured Raises (00:15:37) Discussion about implementing structured raises for technicians to prevent wage suppression. Setting Technician Wages (00:19:06) Discussion on the importance of setting technician wages based on experience and productivity. Communication and Customer Service (00:23:53) Importance of effective communication, especially through digital inspections, and its impact on customer service. Training Alliance (00:28:00) Formation of an independent training alliance to improve technical training in the local area of New Jersey. Kidney Donation (00:30:44) Tom Petty's kidney donation. Life Post-Surgery (00:33:14) Tom Petty shares his experiences after kidney surgery and discusses the minimal impact on his daily life. Avoiding NSAIDs (00:33:53) The importance of avoiding certain pain medications for kidney health, with a cautionary example. Recovery and Kidney Function (00:34:31) Insights into the recovery period after kidney surgery and the remarkable adaptability of the kidney.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Auto Care Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
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Are Phone Trees Killing Your Auto Repair Shop's Customer Service? [E162] - Chris Cotton Weekly BlitzBy carmcapriotto
The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
In this podcast episode, Chris Cotton from Auto Fix Auto Shop Coaching addresses the negative impact of phone trees on customer service in auto repair shops. He emphasizes the importance of the human touch and shares his frustration with complex phone systems that deter customers. Chris offers practical advice for revamping phone systems, such as auditing current setups, matching staffing to call volume, and soliciting customer feedback. He advocates for a balance between technology and personal interaction, stressing that each call is an opportunity to showcase excellent service and stand out from competitors. Chris concludes by inviting listeners to contribute to the conversation on maintaining a personal touch in customer service.
The importance of human touch in customer service (00:01:05) Chris discusses the negative impact of phone trees on customer service and the need for a human touch. The drawbacks of using phone trees (00:02:07) Chris explains how phone trees can frustrate customers and lead to missed opportunities. The value of personal interaction in customer service (00:05:21) Chris emphasizes the importance of human connection and empathy in the customer service experience. Balancing automation and human interaction (00:07:31) Chris discusses the need to strike a balance between technology and human interaction in the auto repair business. Practical tips for revamping phone systems (00:09:33) Chris provides practical suggestions for improving phone systems to better serve customers and enhance the overall customer service experience.
Connect with Chris:
[email protected]
Phone: 940.400.1008
www.autoshopcoaching.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
#autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros #autofixautoshopcoachingbook
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CARMandP
For cars that have the automatic oil change intervals (ie. your example) I am telling customers to use this interval. The PCM is monitoring how this vehicle is driven and it knows when to change the oil. 6-8k on the newer Honda's isn't a problem and in fact my Dad will go over 8k on his oil changes. Most new Toyota products say 5k on their severe oil change.
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