Spence

We do not use it. I went to their website and looked high and low for pricing and found nothing. Big turn off so I stopped looking.

Reznor is what we have been using for 7 years now. Make sure it is serviced at the beginning of the season and you'll be good to go.

Great post Gary! Well said.

Nice write up.

We'd be looking forward to putting them bad boys on a cut! Gotta get me some of them.

We have more then one digital camera at our shop. Plenty of photos and yes I do use them to market our shop. It goes a long way to help show why something cost so much when a customer comes in to pay a bill. Put their vehicle on a computer monitor with some pictures of what it took to do the service on their vehicle goes a long way. We also email pictures to customers from time to time to help sell jobs. It's easy and works great. I don't do the photos as much for insurance companies unless I need to make a point or cover my ass.

It's just under 15% of an increase. You say in your opinion it's way below what's needed. What do you think is needed? Gunder mentioned in the article he raised it to what he thought was necessary. I look at our P&L twice a month to keep an eye on things. I look more at the quarter marks and look for trends and make adjustments as necessary. We are mechanical not body so I do not have a handle on what a body shop needs like I do with a mechanical. We have had adjusters come in when there is a body shop repair at our shop. We also have had discussions with adjusters when they do not wish to pay our rate. Some good... Some not so good... It goes something like if you only pay to this amount then the customer will just have to pick up the rest. It's an interesting conversation (so to speak) when an adjusters thinks he can tell me what I am going to charge the insurer... Thanks for the link to the article.

Liked the use of "mechanic" through out the story. You changed it to "tech" in the next to last sentence. When "tech" started to be used in place of mechanic I just couldn't hang on to it. I have used it but not often. The public might like to hear Tech but as you said we are mechanics. At least us with many years in this business. The article started having me count my battle wounds... ugh...

Are you new to alignments and by that I mean actually doing them or have you been doing them for how long?

Do you feel this bill will cost customers? On the other hand Can they afford not to...

Thanks for the reply Joe. I was hoping it would be taken ok.

Have a good day Spence

Maybe more later but gotta go for now Spence

Nice lookin dog Gonzo. Adjusted many of those hood latches on GN's because the guys hated hittin there hoods. I have a shephard too. I think he is easier to train then a newbie. I show then until they say they got it. From there I'm letting them struggle at times with a leash that keeps them (and more so the customers car) out of trouble to help it sink in. Going over the path taken to see it there were un necessary steps is something I not only do for/with them but also myself. Enjoyed reading it. Have a good day. Spence

Ours is their personal cars being, their own, their wife's, their children and their parent's vehicles. It includes they can get the parts at our cost. All others are through the shop's normal business.

We leave it in and pull it out in front of the customer when we pull their car up. It shows we care but would not want them to have to throw our trash out. Spence

1st off what does this vehicle need to put it back in service? 2nd You came across this bulliten after you serviced it? The issue was there before the service correct? 3rd My thought is to let BP pay for they problem and the customer for theirs. If you feel you did something wrong then cover your part. If your reputation is your livelyhood then step up to the plate and go the extra mile. It will pay off dividends. Spence

The target systems have had an issue for a long time. It may be cleared up soon but I'm not sold on them just yet. They have been pushing speed but not accuracy. This has been the main reason I have held back. 2nd, not much has really changed with doing an alignment that requires new. I have chossen to spend my equipment dollars on equipment that has. Spence