Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

By Jack Bulko, AutoAid “They did what?!” I couldn’t believe my ears. A new client came in the other day. She was a referral from a steady customer. The young woman had just purchased a used 2014 Hyundai Elantra from a local dealer and needed her 15-month service. The dealership quoted her an astronomical price, explaining that they had a checklist of items that had to be inspected. She had just graduated college and needed the vehicle to commute to and from her new job. She thought she would pay a couple of hundred dollars tops, but was quoted hundreds of dollars at the dealership, and was told it could take hours. She didn’t have the money or the time. “I didn’t think it was going to be so complicated or expensive,” she told her friend who referred her to us. It shouldn’t be. Maintenance should be simple. Beware of Those Long, Expensive Words I’ve been in the automotive industry a long ti ... read more

By Jack Bulko, AutoAid Often, consumers fall into a trap designed by car dealers and some automotive repair shops that overcharge for regularly scheduled maintenance to increase their bottom line. What is the standard rate for car maintenance, and how can you tell if you’re overpaying for it? That’s a great question. I just had a call from a customer with a late model (2017) Audi S5 asking what a 24-month service would cost. He said the dealer quoted him over $800. My mouth dropped open. Then, I asked him what the mileage was on the vehicle; he said about 9000. Just in case you’re wondering, $800 is way out of the ballpark. It’s a tip that something is off. My client proceeded to ask me what AutoAid would charge for the same 24-month service, and I told him about $150. He laughed; I laughed, but in reality, it was far from funny. No one likes to be taken advantage of. You can ... read more