It’s because we all want to get rich and retire in the Caribbean at the age of 40. That may be the perception, but the reality is we’re still working, most of us are over 40, and helping people is better than hiding on a beach somewhere. There are many factors that contribute to the cost of automotive repair. Let’s open the shop door and explore what it takes to keep your vehicle properly maintained and see what goes into that expense.
Vehicle Costs: As we are all aware, the cost of purchasing a vehicle has skyrocketed over the last 20 years. New vehicles can cost more than a starter house in today’s market. For example, a Chevrolet Suburban, which first débuted in 1935, originally cost $675 new. Now a well-appointed Chevrolet Suburban can cost almost $85,000. Vehicle manufacturers have made many changes and improvements over time. Today’s vehicles are more reliable, safer, comfortable, quiet, connected, and more efficient than vehicles in the past. Those changes have driven up the cost of the vehicles, which also translates to a higher cost to test, repair, and maintain your vehicle.
Parts Costs: In the past, vehicles required very consistent and regular maintenance to keep them functioning and on the road. Vehicle manufacturers were more concerned with serviceability and low part costs than weight reduction and fuel economy. Many of the vehicles used the same parts and vehicle owners typically serviced and maintained their own vehicles. Now, safety is king, and fuel economy is queen, which leads to components designed to save weight and are serviced as assemblies instead of repaired with individual parts. For example, front wheel bearings were serviceable. You could take them apart, clean them, lubricate them, and reassemble them with only a minor expense for seals and grease. (About $10-15 for parts per wheel.) All it took was a little time. Now, most front wheel bearings are a sealed unit. No additional maintenance required. Just drive the vehicle until they make noise or get loose. Then replace the wheel bearing assembly. Wheel bearing assemblies can cost several hundred dollars per wheel plus labor to replace. Parts have also become more make and model specific. It costs more money to design and manufacture parts for specific makes and models. Many vehicle systems are the same way, which adds significant expense to vehicle repairs.
Technology and Safety Systems: It’s hard to compare early vehicle technology and safety systems to what is currently available in a modern vehicle. The first seat belts didn’t show up in production vehicles until 1956 and the earliest engine computers, used to control fuel injection, débuted in 1968. Today’s vehicles contain more computing power, sensors, and safety systems than what was on the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon. Modern vehicles use networked computers to monitor and control everything from the engine and transmission function to windows and seats. Most vehicles now have advanced driver safety and collision avoidance systems that utilize cameras, radar, and lidar to protect the vehicle occupants.
Vehicle bodies are also engineered to absorb crash impact forces. These intricate systems require specialized knowledge and equipment to test, repair, and re-calibrate.
Diagnostic Equipment and Access to Vehicle Information: Determining what is wrong with your car can sometimes be more challenging and time-consuming than the actual repair. Having access to specific vehicle information and testing equipment is vital to the successful repair of your vehicle. Access to factory testing and repair information, repair databases, and manufacturer engineers comes at a significant monthly expense. Then, we need proper testing equipment to connect and talk to the computers on the vehicle network. Each manufacturer has their own specific scan tools used to communicate with their vehicles. We also use some aftermarket scan tools that communicate to most of the computers on the vehicle network. Each of those scan tools cost many thousands of dollars and they each have regular updates that need to be purchased to keep them up to date.
Labor Costs: The most valuable resource that we offer, like fine diamonds, is access to our Automotive Service Technicians’ time and knowledge. The automotive industry is always evolving and changing. Automotive Service Technicians need to undergo rigorous training, on a continued basis, which is required to stay current with ever-changing technology. They invest their time in training and their money in tools and equipment needed to effectively test and repair customer vehicles. Though not required, many Automotive Technicians undergo regular certification testing, like ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certifications, to prove to the customer that they have the knowledge needed in specific areas of vehicle diagnostics, maintenance, and repair. Keeping a team of these highly skilled Automotive Service Technicians ready for your vehicle needs is an investment. As vehicle systems become more intertwined and complex, the cost of access to skilled Automotive Service Technicians will continue to rise.
Overhead Costs: Automotive maintenance and repair facilities require space and a lot of equipment to effectively maintain and repair your vehicle. Each location requires a significant daily investment just to keep lights on and the doors open and available for your vehicle needs. Businesses survive the test of time by diligently controlling expenses, employing quality people, and providing excellent service. The cost of the overhead is calculated as part of the labor costs and shop supplies.
Vehicle Age, Vehicle Brand, and Operating Environment: These are often overlooked in the cost of the repair calculation. As the vehicle ages, repairs become more time consuming to complete. Fasteners rust together and additional steps are required to complete the repair. This goes along with the operating environment. In Minnesota, we live in an environment with significant temperature swings. The state uses a lot of salt and chemicals to keep our roads safe and clear. Those chemicals have a significant impact on your vehicle by accelerating rust and corrosion of your vehicle body and mechanical components. Which impacts the time required to repair your vehicle. Vehicle brands also affect testing and repair times. For example, BMW vehicles are still primarily manufactured in Germany and most of the parts still come from Germany. Vehicles manufactured and supplied outside the United States can take additional time to test and repair due to repair information availability, part availability, and special tools that may be required to complete the repair.
Warranty and Liability: As a professional repair facility, we stand behind the services and parts we provide. Many part manufacturers only offer a 12-month warranty on their parts. We provide a 3-year, 36,000-mile nationwide parts and labor warranty on most repairs. Should that part fail, and it exceeds the manufacturer's provided warranty, we will still warranty that repair. We also need to carry liability insurance to protect the customers’ vehicles and equipment. Vehicle service and repair still requires a human touch, and although extremely rare, accidents can happen. Our daily goal is to provide you with peace of mind knowing that you’re covered should something unexpected happen.
Inflation: I feel dirty even saying the word as of late, but it is a contributing factor to the cost of automotive repair. As the cost of parts, overhead, and quality employees goes up, the cost of repair must follow to keep the business in operation.
Vehicle service and repair is a complex balance of many moving and ever-changing challenges. For example, picture a highly skilled professional dancer performing a routine that took many years of practice and dedicated study to pull off. Many things must go perfectly for it to look effortless. Automotive repair can be like that sometimes. There are some that say automotive repair costs too much, but when you factor in what it takes to provide quality vehicle maintenance and repair on your vehicle, the numbers fall into place and start to make sense. Then, covering those repairs with a warranty you can count on helps you breathe easy knowing that you made the right choice when getting your vehicle maintained and repaired at Sanderson Auto Repair.