Keane58

I have noticed over the last year or so that many people are putting off necessary repairs. I usually have customers kids' cars in around now while they are on spring break. I have not seen one this year. I do not know if it is related but we were really busy up until the middle of February and now for four weeks it has been pretty quiet. I am not sure how everyone else's business is doing but this is unusual for us. I know everyone goes through this at some point in time but this is really kind of eerie how quiet it is. The people we do have come in now do not have the money or just do not want to do the repair. I had a lady today. A new customer who just got off her "free oil changes" for two years at Toyota and will be coming to us. Like Joe has said, this is really a big problem for all of us. The dealers are sqeezing us on everything. The car manufacturers are removing maintenance and we are stuck on the outside looking in. We really need to brainstorm to come up with some ideas to combat this situation. I talk to customers constantly about their "free" oil changes. They are not free but they do not want to hear about it. They hear free and they jump on it. The dealer has them worked into the price of the car purchase. We know that but they seem oblivious to that fact. I am definitely shaking my head more and more these days and wondering if this field is going to pay the bills. I have done this over 20 years and it is getting worse. Cars are made better and there is definitely a lot less need for repairs than even 10 years ago. I know people are keeping their cars longer but they do not want to do maintenance and only do the bare minimum lately just to get through. Any thoughts from anyone else? Is anyone else seeing this? I have to make a decision by mid summer if this keeps going. Jim