Driving 300,000 Miles Takes More Than An Oil Change: Part 3

Expecting the Unexpected

In this series so far I’ve covered why you should consider driving your car to 300,000 miles and how to maintain it well. In this final post, I want to share some advice on how to deal with inevitable unexpected repairs.

You’ve just been having a blast hanging out with friends. Now you are on your way home, pumping your jams, just taking in the moment of the good time you’ve had today when you hear an awful noise coming from your vehicle. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the car changes. You love this car! It’s your baby! It’s gotten you through college and job promotions, maybe even a job demotion, and you aren’t ready to give up on her yet.

Sometimes the hardest part of making a vehicle last is making the difficult decision to spend a significant amount of money to keep it running. It really helps if you are prepared to expect the unexpected, and here’s how.

Driving 300,000 Miles Takes More Than An Oil Change: Part 2

Remembering the Basics

In part one of this series, I explained why you should consider driving your car for 300,000 miles and beyond. This article includes some practical tips on how to stay on top of the general maintenance of your vehicle.

Driving 300,000 Miles Takes More Than An Oil Change: Part 1

What’s the Point?

As a nineteen year old college student, my parents helped me buy my first car. My dad and I did a lot of research and he wanted his first-born daughter to be safe 4 ½ hours away from home. Being a Chrysler family, we finally settled on a brand new Dodge Neon.

How ignorant I was to believe that once the sale was final, all I needed to worry about was gas, oil changes, and insurance! When the repairs got to be too overwhelming for me, even though I LOVED the Neon, I traded it in for a used PT Cruiser with lower mileage. That car, too, eventually needed repairs while still paying off the loan. I still miss my Neon.

My Life as a Mechanic’s Wife

Let me begin by telling you that I’ve always held jobs where I was just one of many women…teaching, youth ministry, writing and communications. While I’ve never been opposed to working in a male dominant industry, it just never occurred to me (because of my interests and abilities) that I ever would. I grew up in a fairly equal male to female environment and I’m totally cool with relating to men. However, now that I am working alongside Andrew at the shop full-time, I’ve become increasingly aware that I’m a minority in this industry.

Ordering and Picking Up Parts

The first time Andrew asked me to go to a local dealer to pick up a part, knowing my sensitive spirit, he issued a warning, “Just so you know, Jonny can be a bit ‘gruff’ [as many people in this industry are], so don’t be surprised.” However, when I arrived, Jonny greeted me with a smile. “Oh, you’re Andrew’s wife! How’s business?” he asked and other such chit-chat. When I returned and told Andrew of our conversation, he was pleasantly surprised. The more I deal with parts guys, the more I realize they treat me differently (as in more pleasantly) than they treat my husband – a man and a mechanic.

How To Reduce Stress With Your Next Vehicle Repair

My car is acting up, so I make an appointment with an auto mechanic shop. I figure I’ll take my car to them, I’ll describe the issue, and they’ll find what’s wrong and repair the problem. If you are like me, the thought process stops there. But then, I arrive and talk to a mechanic, or maybe a service advisor, and then I get overwhelmed. They ask questions I don’t know the answer to and I’m in a hurry to get to the next thing on my agenda.

Before I married a mechanic, I definitely didn’t know how to make the most of my appointment with an auto mechanic shop, making it a stressful experience. Now that my husband and I own a shop, I’d like to share with you some things I’ve learned that will save you some of the frustration I used to experience.

Do I Need Diagnostic Testing or a Vehicle Inspection?

Your throat feels like you just swallowed a cactus and your head is a balloon that’s about to burst. Your chest is on fire and coughing just makes it worse. Welcome to the cold and flu season! Many of the patients in your doctor’s waiting room probably have similar symptoms, while others are there for completely different reasons, such as their annual physical. You hate going to the doctor but you just keep getting worse, so begrudgingly, here you are.

For several of the patients in the waiting room, the doctor will ask questions and maybe perform tests to determine whether they ail from cold, flu, strep-throat, or something else. She’ll then prescribe treatment once the illness is determined. For others, she’ll ask questions and do checks to make sure they are healthy.

The process is not much different for your vehicle.

Starting the New Year Right for Your Car and Your Wallet

New Year’s Resolutions have gotten a bad rap over the years. Instead of an opportunity to better one’s life each year, this annual resolution has turned into a promise with little hope of completion for many. That’s why I’d like to encourage you to avoid them at all costs. No diet and exercise plans, no promise of kicking that bad habit, of being nicer to your siblings, or of completing that project. Instead, I’d like to encourage you to start every day with 5 minutes to quietly ask yourself, “what can I do today to make wise choices?” Don’t make this a resolution. Don’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t happen every day, just give yourself the gift of 5 minutes.

Life Transitions and Paying Bills in a New Business

Change is abounding at Marinelli Auto Service. I’m leaving my job to help at the shop more, which has caused Andrew and I to reconfigure how we’re going to pay our bills.

A Guide to Buying a Used Car

Buying a car, aside from choosing the right college and buying a house, is one of the most expensive purchasing decisions we make, and yet so many of us are in the dark as to what to look for. It is an investment we usually want to hold onto for many years. How do I know I’m getting a fair deal? How do I know the vehicle is reliable? Do I purchase from a dealer or a private party? We often have more questions than we find answers, so I’d like to help ease your mind a little when making that all important decision.

Here are four steps for making a purchase with confidence:

1. Decide which make and model fits your needs and budget

Asking yourself what your main use of the vehicle will be is a great place to start in deciding what make and model to look for.

City driving?
Country driving?
Freeway driving?
Mainly home to work?
Mainly driving kids around?
Frequent long trips?

Consider scheduling a time to discuss with your mechanic what vehicles do well based on your needs and budget.

Your budget should be about more than just the purchase price. You also have to consider how much you are able to spend on maintenance and repairs every year. For example, we recently had a family in the shop who just bought an SUV at a really good deal. For them, this seemed like a great fit for their driving needs and limited budget. What they didn’t know is that the vehicle’s engine is large with little room to work (think increased labor hours), a complicated timing system, and spark plugs which are known to break easily. So, while they got a good deal on the purchase price, they are likely looking at higher repair bills throughout their ownership of the vehicle.

2. Used Car Dealer vs Private Party

Used Car Dealer Cons:

Some dealers do an inspection and repairs in house and may not let you take the car to your mechanic. If an inspection or repairs were done, they may not have been done to your mechanic’s same standards. When Andrew worked at a used car dealer, he observed that mechanics working under the same conditions had widely varying “comeback” rates. Certain technicians had twice as many vehicles returning for additional service as others.
Dealers may invest into completely refurbishing the vehicle, including cosmetic fixes, raising the sale price. If you are more concerned with functionality than how your car looks, this will be an unnecessary added expense.
Many used car dealers have a set price on each vehicle and their salespeople do not have the authority to negotiate. If the vehicle is not priced reasonably, you end up paying more than market value.

Used Car Dealer Pro’s:

The transaction happens in a public business establishment
You don’t have to worry about legalities. You are buying from a business which must be licensed and adhere to state and federal laws.
The dealer handles the financial, tax, and registration paperwork.
Many times any repairs needed are done in-house and are often under warranty for at least 30 days after purchase.
Many used car dealers have a set price on each vehicle and their salespeople do not have the authority to negotiate. If priced reasonably, this shows they know the value of what they are selling and can save you negotiating time and stress.

Private Party Cons:

You most likely do not have a prior relationship with the seller and must be cautious about when and where you meet them. If possible, meet in a visible public location. If you must meet them at a private residence, do so during daylight hours and bring along a friend.
It takes more of your time to make a wise decision and purchase. From the research, to the pre-purchase inspection, and paperwork to post-purchase repairs, you have to put a little leg-work into it.

Private Party Pros:

You can take the vehicle to a mechanic you know and trust for a pre-purchase inspection. (If they don’t let you do this, see it as a red flag and walk away).
Any needed repairs can be done by your own mechanic after purchase. Plus, you can schedule repairs based on urgency and your budget – unnecessary cosmetic repairs are up to you.
Because you put more legwork into purchasing the vehicle (i.e. paperwork), you save money on the fees the dealer charges for these logistics .
It’s generally easier to negotiate price. If you’ve done your research and have a good idea of the value, this can work in your favor. A reasonable seller may even adjust the price if the vehicle is found to need a substantial amount of work.

3. Do Your Research

When you find a car you think you want to purchase, take some time to research the vehicle.

Search the VIN to be sure it matches up with what’s on the title.
Research price comparisons for vehicles of the same year, make and model through Kelley Blue Book and/or Edmunds. Keep in mind, market value is not always a true indicator of the worth of the car, but it could give you a starting point for comparison.
Consider purchasing a vehicle history report, especially when buying from a private party and/or if the car has had more than one owner.

4. Get a pre-purchase inspection!

One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a used car is not having a thorough inspection by a mechanic they trust prior to purchase.

A few months ago a customer brought in a recently purchased car. His budget was very limited, and he was just looking for something in good enough shape to get him from home to work. So, he got an older car and, while the paint was faded by the Florida sun, it seemed like it would serve his purposes. What he didn’t know was what Andrew had to tell him after an inspection…that it wasn’t just a few small repairs, but several repairs far beyond the customer’s budget or reasonable expense given the vehicle’s condition. A few months later, the vehicle broke down with a seized engine; this pushed the repair cost even higher, and the car was soon towed to a scrap yard. This could have been avoided if the vehicle went through a pre-purchase inspection and the purchaser was advised of the major costs in getting the car safely running.

Marinelli Auto Service is an auto repair shop in Winter Park, Florida. We’ve been serving Central Florida since 2015. We provide maintenance and repairs for a variety of makes and models.

Does Your Car Pass the Mom Test?

“See this? It does not pass the Mom Test,” Andrew told me one afternoon pointing at some rusty doo-hickey as he crouched beneath a vehicle.

“The ‘Mom Test’?”

He explained and it made sense to me…and made me wonder if the Mom Test isn’t what’s missing in the auto mechanics industry.

You see, when we opened Marinelli Auto Service in January, it was the start of what we both hoped, and still hope, would create a small revolution in the big world of auto mechanics for our customers. Let’s be completely honest – people generally don’t trust mechanics. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say of an auto mechanic, “He/she ripped me off!” A good number of you have probably said it or wondered about it at some point or another. Mechanics have a bad rap and we’d like to see that change for those who are honest, doing things right and don’t deserve the stigma so many before them have left you.

We know that we, alone, cannot change the reputation of the whole industry…but we hope to at least change it for those who come through our shop – one car, one customer at a time. We want to be sure everything we do for you is good enough for Andrew’s mom (and Andrew loves his mom!).

What Went Wrong in the Auto Mechanics Industry?

As more technology was implemented, the automobile evolved from a basic machine (by today’s standards) to one of great complexity requiring a myriad of parts, computers, and fluids to keep it running. More is involved to keep your grandparents, your parents…and now you, on the road. Only, you and your family have been left behind as the automobile has sped into the 21st century.

Long past are the days when father and son can tinker on the family automobile on a Saturday afternoon just for kicks. Driveway mechanics is a grueling activity, of which only a select few succeed while still enjoying the process. Mechanics – or more appropriately, technicians – are now expected to be highly skilled laborers requiring countless tools, expensive equipment, and knowledge databases to get the job done right. The average person has little time, money, or capacity to achieve this as a hobby. So, the hope is that they can trust their auto technician to care of them and their vehicle in a way they would want their mom to be treated…but this has not been the experience of many.

As the complexity of automobiles increased, the strain of the heightened demand was felt by technicians and business owners alike; the integrity of the industry slipped to the wayside and moms weren’t someone’s mom anymore – they’re just some woman holding the purse. Cash, check, or credit, ma’am?

Promises of fast and/or cheap surefire fixes lure you into a shop only to return again for over-priced or unneeded repairs later. You decide to try a different shop, a different mechanic, and then another; all the while becoming disillusioned to what it really is to be treated right by a mechanic. Then, when you find a new shop and you think this is the one, you still aren’t sure whether or not you can trust them.

Why the Mom Test Matters

Our goal, then, is to give you confidence in making decisions for your vehicle. We want to help you understand what maintenance or repairs are needed and help you prioritize the urgency so you can budget. We want to be upfront with our prices. We also don’t want to add to your disillusionment by being the cheapest shop on the block with shoddy workmanship, but rather offering quality work and excellent customer service at a fair price.

Andrew often says to me, “You reap what you sow,” and, “I just want to do the right thing.” And so he goes off to crunch numbers as he toils over the cost of parts and labor to determine a fair price for each job. And I, too, spend hours researching in professional automotive forums, passing ideas back and forth with Andrew, and listening to what our customers value so I can bring you a bit of truth about this industry and your vehicle. I hope to empower you with knowledge so you can make good decisions for your car or truck.

Even more than that, we want to provide a service for your car that would be good enough for Andrew’s mom. That is, when evaluating the condition of a car, he occasionally brings me in the shop and points to some doo-hickey and says,

“See that? That definitely doesn’t pass the mom test,” meaning, “if I wouldn’t feel good about letting my mom drive that vehicle, then it isn’t up to my standards.”

Marinelli Auto Service is an auto repair shop in Winter Park, Florida. We’ve been serving Central Florida since 2015. We provide maintenance and repairs for a variety of makes and models.