I frequently remind customers, especially those with teenagers or young adults, to make sure the kids make regularly scheduled checkups for their vehicles, especially during the hotter months. Hot weather can damage your car’s battery. Younger drivers are less likely to pay attention to how the car is functioning and more likely to drive a car into the ground. And, because they generally don’t take their parents’ advice, no one is checking the fluids, hoses, oil levels, gaskets, etc.
A few weeks ago, my assistant told me I had a call from Cynthia. I wasn’t familiar with the name but when she mentioned she asked for Uncle Jack, I had a better idea of what this was about. You see, I tell my customers that if their kids ever have car trouble while they are out of the area and they want an honest second opinion on what’s wrong, to call me and ask for Uncle Jack.
I got on the phone with Cynthia, who turned out to be the granddaughter of a customer. She had driven to Las Vegas with some girlfriends and her car died once they got to their hotel. Well, at least they arrived safely.
I asked her to pass the phone to the technician and to introduce me as Uncle Jack. I spoke with the young man on the other end of the phone. I asked him how he had determined it was her battery that had died. He said it was one of the first things he checked when the car was towed in.
“When Cynthia and her friends first came in, I asked them how the car was operating before it died. They all said that the radio wasn’t working well, which was a bummer, and the dashboard lights didn’t seem as bright but it was during the day and they didn’t pay much attention to it.”
“What was your diagnosis? I asked. “The battery died. Not that I was surprised. I’ve must have seen at least five cars this week with dead batteries. We’ve had an extremely hot summer, and hot weather and car batteries are usually not a good mixture.”
“What did the voltage read? I’m guessing it was well under 12.6 volts.”
“Yep. It was 11.80,” he answered. “That’s when I knew there was no way it was going to juice up again.”
Cynthia needed a new battery and I wanted to make sure his pricing wasn’t outlandish. “What type of battery replacement do you suggest?”
The technician said he recommended a battery that was corrosion resistant and one that would do well in colder weather. Cynthia had told him she as attending the University of Michigan.
I thanked him for answering my questions and asked if I could speak with Cynthia again.
“Before I do that, I have to say you know a lot about automobile repair. If you’re not already in the car repair business, you should be.”
I laughed but didn’t directly answer his question either. Instead, I thanked him for taking care of Cynthia’s car situation.
Once I got back on the phone with Cynthia, I told her that the technician sounds like he’s right on the money. “Let him replace the battery so you can get home safely and then bring the car into our shop so that we can check it out, just to make sure nothing else is wrong with it.”
Cynthia agreed to bring the car in the following week.
Her call made my day. I got to help a customer’s granddaughter and now I know a good car repair guy in Vegas to recommend.
AutoAid is the premier auto repair station in the San Fernando Valley located near several freeways and major thoroughfares. We invite you to bring your vehicles to our 5,000-square foot facility with ample parking. Our technicians provide maintenance and repair for a range of Domestic, European, and Japanese vehicles. These services include your car's air conditioning system, brakes, oil changes, engine, windshield, tires, tune-up service, and battery replacement for hybrid or gas-powered vehicles. AutoAid has received AAA’s Approved Auto Repair and Customer Service Award for over 30 years. Our customers love us on Yelp!, Facebook, and Google. Contact us at 818-305-6632 or visit our website’s appointment page. We are here to make auto repair easy, understandable, and convenient. We listen to your needs doing our best to keep you safe on the road.