Through time, customers grow very fond of their cars, sometimes falling prey to the illusions surrounding them. Given the task of servicing these older cars as they grow older, I’m happy to offer some valuable education.

In the auto repair industry, we’ve noticed a trend worth addressing. Many a customer loses motivation to spend the necessary money on repairing the aging car. Combine this trend with the myth that older cars are cheaper and easier to fix, we now have a problem. As a shop owner, we find this to be true: While diagnosis on the older cars may be easier, the repair process on older, high-mileage vehicles is far more difficult compared to the newer and lower-mileage counterparts.

Why is it more expensive to repair my older car? The answer is not easy to explain. Often, a faulty part on a car is buried by other components. Time and time again, a tech will begin a repair on an older car by removing these components to gain access to the faulty part. More than not, several components will break under stress of removal, especially since many are made of plastic or low grade metal. Furthermore, there are also many rusted nuts and bolts with which to deal on old cars. And, worse yet, there exists the nightmares of past repairs which were not done properly. No matter what the case, the result is a phone call to the customer explaining the repair did not go as planned, will not be done at the expected time, and at our shop, will most certainly cost more than originally estimated.

In the past, it is often the kind-hearted mechanic who loses, as he or she works tirelessly (and without pay) to repair the problem in hopes of not assuming the blame of another’s poor workmanship or design. By educating our customers and vehicle owners in general, Ashland Automotive Inc. hopes to make transparent the toils and snares which await the skilled mechanic that dares repair the aging machines of yesteryear.

Until next time,

Zach, Owner of Ashland Automotive