Import Specialty Service has partnered with DemandForce to offer our customers an excellent service experience. From making your appointment to your vehicle’s service completion we are working to make your experience exceptional.
Demandforce allows us to offer:
Oil change or maintenance. Aren’t they one and the same?
Ok. Let’s say you don’t have an all-electric car – yet. And you plunked down a chunk of change to buy the car you have. It’s bad enough that you have to put gas in the thing but much more of a pain to think about taking care of it. So if I just go to the cheapest place I can find to get the oil changed I’ll be cool, right? The short answer is probably not. While engine oil is a critical part of a car’s required maintenance it is only a very small part of how all of the systems in your car need to be cared for.
What if you could sit down with the engineering team that designed your car and ask them to give you an outline of a plan whereby youcould maximize your car’s longevity while minimizing your cash outlay in the process? While that isn’t going to happen, there is such a plan provided by that team for every car on the market. It’s called the maintenance schedule. That plan outlines preventive steps that, when followed, are designed to inspect and maintain items at specific mileage and / or time intervals before they become a bigger problem with larger associated costs. It is very important to read the fine print of that schedule, both for warranty consideration and for longevity. They have mileage and time parameters. And it uses terms like normal driving or severe driving. Sometimes they include entire states in their severe category. And if that applies to you, it is possible to follow the schedule according to miles but
still be at risk because it is taking too much time to accrue the miles.
A common misconception is that this schedule only applies while the car is under warranty. It is true that a manufacturer’s warranty has maintenance requirements and it’s reasonable for a manufacturer to stand behind its product only when it is maintained within the parameters set forth by those who designed it. It is also reasonable that a vehicle should last the longest when it has been maintained according to those same parameters.
So back to the idea of just changing the oil to save money. First I must inform you of this fact: every “cheap” oil change is a loss-leader. That means it is costing that business more to change your oil than you are paying. Why would they do that? Because it costs every business real money to get customers in their door (ours included). So spending money to subsidize your oil change is getting you in their door. But they must up-sell you on other services to be profitable. Now consider what level of training is required to get someone to be a “oil change specialist”. Furthermore, you will be relying on that person for the rest of the maintenance recommendations they present to you. I can’t fault the quick oil change industry as a business model. They have collectively done a real job on the general public, programming that all you need for your car’s maintenance needs is what they provide.
Why a specialist? For the very same reason you would go to a medical specialist. Because focused experience and training results in product familiarity and accurate diagnosis. When you take your car to a general shop, frequently they have to spend more time diagnosing and finding parts that fit your car. That can end-up costing you more both in dollars and frustration. And, face it. Ineffective repairs, regardless of price, are not cheap.
So here’s the bottom line. Unless you are imminently qualified to make judgement calls on what your car needs, follow your car’s schedule of maintenance. It will save you money in the long run. And call us. We’ll be glad to keep your Volvo, BMW, Mini, VW or Audi reliably on the road.
Import Specialty Service has serviced Nashville since 1994. We strive to exceed our customers expectations with every service visit. Our technicians and service advisors participate in ongoing training. Our investment in the latest tools and equipment allows Import Specialty Service to stay on the forefront of vehicle repair and maintenance.
We look forward to sharing our expertise with our customers. Our approach is preventative towards preventative maintenance and repair allows you to truly enjoy your vehicles. Customers also enjoy our personal approach to business as we are passionate about customer service.