Congratulations AutoZone!

[Joe Marconi]

AutoZone…Mission Accomplished! Your quest to sell parts by offering FREE Check engine light scans has successfully changed the way consumer perceive check engine lights. In the mind of the average consumer, there is little to no difference between a reputable repair shop accessing check engine light codes and a part’s house.

 

At a recent business EXPO in my town, which I attended, dozens of consumers were questioned about the check engine light and if they would take their car to an AutoZone or other parts house if the check engine light came on. Many said they have and would, and many stated “Is there a difference?”

 

So, I guess for you, congratulationsis in order.

 

Obviously I am being funny. But this is no laughing matter. Once the consumer perception is set, it is set in stone. This will make increasingly more difficult for us to explain diag charges.

 

Your thoughts?

[ncautoshop]

Thanks AutoZone…well actually thanks for nothing. Your quest to sell parts by offering FREE Check engine light scans has successfully changed the way consumer perceive check engine lights. In the mind of the average consumer, there is no difference between a reputable repair shop accessing check engine light codes and a part’s house.

 

At a recent business EXPO in my town, which I attended, dozens of consumers were questioned about the check engine light and if they would take their car to an AutoZone or other parts house if the check engine light came on. Many said they have and would, and many said, “Is there a difference?”

 

So, I guess for you, congratulationsis in order.

 

Obviously I am being funny.  But this is no laughing matter. Once the consumer perception is set, it is set in stone. This will make increasingly more difficult for us to explain diag charges.

 

Your thoughts?

Auto zone commercial this week said something to the tine of "fix your own car, you'll be a hero".

Reminds me of cigarette commercials when I was growing up. We don't care about the effects on consumers, we don't care about the effects on companies like ours or any other issue unless it effects our profits. They give consumers false hope, and it's almost like their providing the parts cannon and allowing the end user to fire it!

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Tires Too]

We need to let the "Retail Parts" Houses know how we feel. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. Joe, I know you have been in contact with Advanced Auto and their purchase of Car Quest and World Pac, but I'm having a hard time continuing to buy from them for the same reason. These Retail parts houses continue to put the perception out there that they can buy an alternator for $49.95, brakes are $19.95 etc. They make it seem like it should take 5 minutes to diagnose any problem on a car. Either they are with us or they are against us. They can't have it both ways!

[BrianMac]

There is an AutoZone located up the street from my shop. I have 2-3 people per week referred to me from AutoZone. Of course, after their free scan and part sales that have failed to repair the condition. When I explain to the vehicle owner the process, equipment & experience needed to complete an accurate diagnosis they usually understand. If not I use the analogy of would you hire contractor or a real estate agent to build your home? I then explain they are PARTS SPECIALIST and are quite good at it, however I am a DIAGNOSTIC & REPAIR SPECIALIST. I will then state it takes both of us to meet their needs and neither of us can replace the other in the process of repairing cars.

 

Another increasingly common problem I am finding is big box parts stores selling & installing batteries. I have several vehicles per month come in with strange odors from the car. Upon walking up to the car it is clearly a battery issue. I often find a new big box brand battery installed and the programming/battery reset procedures were ignored. In vehicles that are so electrically dependent with sensitive and very expensive electronics this will become a serious issue in the very near future. Not to mention the potential vehicle damage caused by acid boil over or possibility for battery fires and explosions, especially with batteries mounted on the cars interior.

 

It is a shame that due to corporate greed a persons second most expensive investment is put at risk by these stores.

[Joe Marconi]

We need to let the "Retail Parts" Houses know how we feel. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. Joe, I know you have been in contact with Advanced Auto and their purchase of Car Quest and World Pac, but I'm having a hard time continuing to buy from them for the same reason. These Retail parts houses continue to put the perception out there that they can buy an alternator for $49.95, brakes are $19.95 etc. They make it seem like it should take 5 minutes to diagnose any problem on a car. Either they are with us or they are against us. They can't have it both ways!

 

I like that statement, "Either they are with us or they are against us". There is a lot of truth to what you say. Advance will tell you that they do not target our "ideal" customer. But, as you and I said, the "perception" is perhaps the biggest damage they can inflict on us.

 

Their advertising is heard by all, not just the DIYer.

 

I know many shop owners that feel the way you do. If Advance truly wants our business, which is the reason for the CARQUEST acquisition, they must be more inline with our business model. To say that they want to be part of our success and advertise that they will install batteries free will not win the hearts of guys like you and me.

[xrac]

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[Joe Marconi]

Joe, that us a perception. Yesterday the guy who married my wife's brother widow was telling me a friend had read an oxygen sensor code and put a new oxygen sensor on but with no change on the code. I tried to explain to him you can get an O2 code because the sensor us good and doing it job. I would guess it is a lean condition caused by a dirty MAF sensor or a vacuum leak of some type. This guy was having a hard time it seem grasping that the sensor is not bad.

 

And that's my point! Thanks Frank, great example!

[Dee1234]

I have a repair shop in Raleigh NC. I agree that this misconception is a concern, but not a big 1. I allow customers to bring their own parts if they wish, and do their own diagnostics if they wish. I carefully explain the difference in about 2 sentences. I hand the "print out" back to them when they give it to me and ask them which part they want me to fix. Also give them option to pay me $85/hr to find out problem. Either way i get paid. You are a "know it all" and just want me to replace YOUR PARTS....PAY ME. You want to TELL ME what to fix...PAY ME. You want me to DO MY JOB and thoroughly diagnose the issue...PAY ME. It actually creates an opportunity for me to show the customer why im worth my $85 when i solve a problem that the autozone machine couldnt. And for the customer that is just too cheap to pay me to diagnose the issue...well thats not the customer im targeting anyway...so nothing lost. And the battery thing...i like that too. So many times a customer comes in because car wont run right or at all after battery replacement. Thats fine. My knowledge of relearn procedures makes it the easiest diagnostic fee ever and i look like a hero to a new customer...WIN WIN AGAIN! I like DIYERS, they make me money on the hard problems or come backs bc they were so called "mechanics". Send them all to me :-)

[GENUINE]

Ha. Glad to see im not alone. I was squealing over this some time back on here.

 

http://www.autoshopowner.com/topic/9330-is-it-possible-to-reprogram-or-flash/