[Matthew Brade]

This can indeed be frustrating. I can’t count the number of times we’ve had a client come in with a print out from one of the big box auto parts stores and the typical “they diagnosed my car and said I need this”.  As Ollie said, what good does a list of generic DTC’s do for anyone, except help the parts store sell more parts. My favorite so far was a client with a late model Ram 1500 5.7l that had a very definite engine misfire with DTC’s p0305, p0303, and p0300.  Client brought a print out from “Slaughter Bone” (names changed to protect the “innocent”) that recommended an engine oil pump replacement (yes, you read that correctly), which the customer bought from the “Bone”.  We have run into this several times with the FIX’D app.  Client brings in a Nissan with fuel trim codes and an O2 sensor (cause that’s what FIX’D diagnosed it as), didn’t want us to diagnose it, just install the part.  Needless to say the O2 didn’t fix the problem, the vehicle had 2 failed injectors.  I find the easiest way to deal with this is to print out the diagnostic tree for one of the DTC’s and show the client the actual steps it takes to actually diagnose said DTC.  Then I close with “the DTC is just a symptom, each DTC has multiple pages of steps to take to accurately diagnose the underlying issue, we can either go through the appropriate steps to discover the cause of theses symptoms for a small charge, or we can install your part with no guarantee that it will correct any issues.”  Just my  2 cents (35 cents adjusted for inflation).

[Matthew Brade]

We have factory scan tool capability for Chrysler, Ford, GM, Nissan and Honda, and also looking to add Toyota in the near future.  Most dealerships also have to pay for the software package and pass that cost along to the customer. The subscription fee ($350 for NERS, $50 for  3 days on Chrysler, $900 annual for Ford, etc..) is something we consider cost of doing business, however if you are selling software updates and reflashes properly you will quickly offset this cost.  At the KCVision conference last year, a whole lot of instructors (read 99.9% of folks who are the top in the automotive field) stated that ALL modern vehicles are software driven and that if  vehicle comes into their/your for a driveability problem we are doing a grave dis-service to our clients if we are not checking that the software on these vehicles ae up-to-date. In fact 80% of these instructors stated that if a vehicle comes in with a driveability issue and the software is out-of-date, they will inform the client that the software must be updated before any further diagnostics can be performed. Why? We have found that a significant portion of drivebility problems are being solved with software updates.  Depending on the number of modules we are flashing we charge between $110 and $330 for labor and $35- $95 for software.

On an end note, you mentioned VW and I can only say good luck.  ALL of the Euro manufacturers will ONLY give you access to a very SMALL subsection of modules (can’t program keys, ignition switch, BCM, SRS, ABS, instrument cluster, etc.. basically anything that would run through he security system on the vehicle is off limits to the aftermarket)

[Matthew Brade]

I hate it when this happens.  I can understand this customer saying “well it did happen”, but a least have the respect/decency to edit the review with the fact that your shop did indeed stand behind the repair and fix whatever problem occurred at no charge.  This is typically what we ask for in a situation like this (I ALSO ask, and don’t think it is unreasonable, for a upgrade from a 1 star to at least a 2 or 3 star).  The owners of my shop have also “claimed the business” on Google, Yelp, etc.. so that they are able to directly respond to these reviews on social media so that in a situation like you’re experiencing, we get to at least tell our side of the story.  You think these reviews are bad, wait till you get a bad review from a “customer” you can’t find in your database or even better a bad review that come from a competitor (we have had both).  Claim your business when you can and set it up so that you can reply to these reviews.  Also remember to post a thank you to those clients that leave you a stellar review.