WHY FAIRBANKS CAR OWNERS HESITATE TO GET THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED

A recent report stated that over 80% of the vehicles on the road have one or more service item or repair that's needed but hasn't been taken care of. Now that's a lot of undone service. That translates into something over 160 million vehicles in the US alone. Some of the neglected items are minor. Others are serious safety concerns.

There are several reasons Fairbanks drivers hesitate to take care of recommended services – especially services that our friendly and knowledgeable FrontLine Automotive service advisor recommends when we're in for something else, like an oil change.

The first issue boils down to comfort with  car care in Fairbanks. Fairbanks drivers don't always feel we know enough to make good decisions. Fairbanks drivers who don't know as much about cars hesitate to ask questions because they don't want to look ignorant. It's human nature. But there's so much to know in this world, we can't all be experts in everything. So we specialize. It's very important to ask questions of any specialist, whether it's your doctor, financial advisor or your automotive technician.

Your Fairbanks technician wants your questions. He wants you to understand the recommendation and why it needs to be done. That brings us to the next issue. Fairbanks folks say that they don't always know if they really need the service or if they are just being sold something.

At the heart, it speaks to trust. Do you trust your Fairbanks service center and your service advisor at FrontLine Automotive? Trust has to be earned and that takes time and experience. But you can shortcut the process when you realize that most of the recommendations are based on manufacturer's maintenance schedules.

In other words, “You don't have to trust me, you can trust your owner's manual."

Basically, the engineers who designed your vehicle say here's when you need to have it serviced. That's who makes the recommendation, not your friendly and knowledgeable FrontLine Automotive. He's just reminding you.

Now Fairbanks drivers do need to trust the technician's experience and judgment from time to time. When he inspects your vehicle, he may find problems or concerns. He will explain things so that you can prioritize the concern and make a good decision about whether or not to have something done.

That brings us to the third issue. Money. Often the concern is about spending the money to take care of a recommended service. Our money has many places it needs to go. And Fairbanks drivers have another list of places we want it to go. Auto maintenance isn't usually on those lists.

FrontLine Automotive works hard to make sure that they diagnose the problem correctly and fix it right the first time. That's the only way they can maintain their reputation and remain in business. If they're not satisfying you and providing a good value, you won't come back and the service center won't be around for long.

When there is a real budget concern, your friendly and knowledgeable FrontLine Automotive pros can help you prioritize the work that needs to be done and come up with a plan for taking care of it that works within your budget.

Give us a call.