A long-time client called us recently, worried that a safety recall had been issued on one of her Toyotas. Her concern was ignited by a vague voicemail left by the dealer that sold her the two vehicles. The caller hinted that one of her Toyotas needed service (without specifying which one), gave her the impression it involved a safety recall and left an 800 phone number for a return phone call.

Posted by Jim

At our client’s request, we contacted the dealer and learned there wasn’t a recall on either of her vehicles. Even though we didn’t hear the initial phone message, we saw how much it confused our client and we couldn’t help but think the dealer had been hoping to spur business using the lure of a safety recall. While we certainly appreciate reaching out to clients we haven’t seen for awhile, we think this is a much different tactic than saying, “We miss you. Come back for a visit.”

The danger in vague messages like this one is that they mistakenly led her to believe there was something critical wrong with her vehicle. On the same level, another client recently shared his disgust with us at receiving an email marked, “Urgent notice about your Toyota!” When he opened the email, it was nothing but a generic advertisement for an oil change and maintenance special. (It was coincidental that his experience was also with a Toyota.) If you receive enough misleading ads like this, you may begin to ignore this type of messaging—at the risk of someday ignoring an actual safety recall.

That’s why we thought now would be an ideal time to explain how safety recalls work:

1) As the name implies, safety recalls are issued when there is a safety issue with a vehicle. They are not something you generally want to ignore. The reason for recall can take many forms: a fuel line may fail and cause a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire; an airbag may not deploy during an accident; the engine could stall while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. It can also be as simple as an information label containing incorrect information.

1) If there is a recall on your vehicle, you will almost always be notified by the manufacturer: Acura, Chrysler, Chevy, Ford, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Jeep, etc. You will rarely be notified by the dealer, unless you take it in for service and they mention it at the time of the appointment.

2) Recall notices are currently sent via postal mail, not by phone or email.

3) You can always check for recall notices online at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s web site. They usually announce a recall a month or two before before the carmaker begins to notify consumers. (We post new recalls to our web site each month, too, but if you miss a month, you’ll have to defer to NHTSA.)

Please keep these three basics in mind, too, if you receive emails insisting that you’re due for urgent service or clever direct mail letters from companies hoping to sell you extended warranty contracts. While extended warranties are a different animal altogether—and we generally find the good ones to be a worthwhile purchase, some of the marketing can cause confusion.

Perhaps most importantly, remember that we’re here to answer any questions you may have about any emails, voicemails or letters you receive and any car ownership questions that come up in general. Consider us your untapped automotive resource. We enjoy sharing our knowledge, especially when it directly benefits you.

Most people laugh and say, “No, of course not,” when they hear this question. And in auto repair, we like to use this analogy to explain why it’s also not a good idea to trust your brake service to the cheapest shop in town.

Certainly, we all love a great deal, and we all want a fair price. But when it comes to your brakes, you may get less than you “bargain” for. If a repair shop is advertising $99 brakes, chances are, it’s too good to be true.

First, that price most likely only covers the brake pads. It does not include machining or replacing rotors or replacing the calipers. Those are all additional—and rightly so, but there goes your $99 total. At the very least, you must machine the rotors. Machining these round cast iron or ceramic discs (see photo below of a disc brake system) will produce a flat, even surface, which is necessary for smooth stopping. Skip this step, and you’ll soon find your brake pedal pulsating under your foot every time you stop. (This is because the rotors are scored and uneven from the previous set of brake pads. The surface will only become worse as the new brake pads wear.)

Second, the brake pads they’re installing are the cheapest available. They’re going to be prime candidates for noises—screeching, scraping, rubbing. Take your pick. Do you really want to deal with that for the next 20,000-plus miles? (While the lifespan of brake pads varies greatly according to your driving habits and from one vehicle to another, cheap brake pads are going to have a much shorter life regardless.) The cheaper pads are also more prone to brake dust, which can leave a dirty black buildup on your wheels.

Third, the work will be performed by an entry-level technician. While there are many talented technicians with little experience, you at least want to be sure your brakes are serviced under the guidance of an experienced mentor. Not only is s/he more likely to notice additional developing problems, such as rotting brake lines or brake fluid that’s way past its prime, s/he is also more likely to take the time to clean and lubricate all of the brake component surfaces. This goes a long way to reducing noises and pulsations. And an entry-level technician at a shop that survives on volume of work is going to be discouraged from devoting time to such “optional” tasks.

Usually, when you factor in the additional costs of machining or replacing rotors or installing new calipers, that discounted brake job adds up to the going rate for brake service in your area. Then when you consider the annoyances or inconveniences caused by pulsating, screeching or dusty brakes, it’s much harder to consider this a good deal.

If you’re still not convinced, consider this: 2,000 pounds of metal moving at 60 mph will need to come to a stop somehow. Most prefer it to be a controlled and smooth stop, not a pulsating, shaking or uncertain one.

Think your brakes may need some attention? Here are 6+ signs they do.

After nearly a decade in a service business, I have little patience for poor customer service. I have an even lower tolerance for lousy service when it comes to auto repair because I know it doesn’t have to be that way.

So after a truly exasperating experience with the dealer today, all I could think of during the drive home was: “I want people to know they don’t have to go to the dealer just because their new car is under warranty.”

Posted by Angi

I know this happens all the time because our own clients will tell us, “Oh, you guys are wonderful, but I bought a new car. I’ll be back as soon as the warranty is up.” If this were by choice, that would be one thing. We would be sad to lose them as clients for a few years, but we would understand. Sadly, however, too many consumers switch to the dealer because they believe they have to.

Let me set the record straight: You are never required to use the dealer, even when the vehicle is under warranty. (Once you click on the link, scroll down to the “Tie-In Sales Provisions” section.) Most motorists want the dealer to cover the cost of warranty repairs, which only makes sense, but you may want to go elsewhere for your maintenance. Let me clarify the difference.

Your new car warranty covers parts failures or malfunctions, such as a sunroof that won’t open, a Service Engine Soon light or an antilock brake (ABS) light. In these cases, your dealer will cover the diagnostics and repairs at no cost to you. Your warranty does not cover routine maintenance, such as oil changes, tire rotations, air filters, brake service, fuel filters, or cooling system and transmission fluid flushes. You pay for these out of pocket, and you’re free to have these services done anywhere without jeopardizing your new car warranty. Your choice is protected by federal law, the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975 (scroll down to the section about “Tie-In Sales Provisions”), and you simply need to keep records verifying the maintenance was done.

Some carmakers—such as Audi, MINI, BMW and Volvo (I heard a radio ad today)—add maintenance with the purchase of a new vehicle. (And that, along with a glove box rattle and saggy sun visor, was why I was at the dealership yesterday.) If your dealer includes maintenance or offers free oil changes, I certainly understand why you would make the trek there during the warranty period. I simply want you to realize that you’re free to choose any auto repair shop you like.

In closing, I admit that I have an inherent bias: I’ve worked in the independent (non-dealer) repair side of the industry for more than 12 years and have been with Star Auto Authority for nearly 8 years. But I also firmly believe there are basic principles of customer service and that large and small organizations alike can deliver stellar service if they choose to. And when you find a company—or dealer—that doesn’t seem to care about that, then you deserve the right to take your business elsewhere.

Posted by Jim

A new survey from Consumer Reports magazine shows that—hands down—consumers prefer independent auto repair shops over dealers. (We’ve always thought that, but we are admittedly biased.)

Nearly 350,000 consumers were surveyed, and among those whose cars needed repairs and maintenance, 75 percent were very satisfied with their independent auto repair shop. A mere 57 percent were very satisfied with their dealers. For maintenance alone, 84 percent of motorists surveyed were very satisfied with their independent shop compared to 77 percent at dealerships.

The highest-scoring dealerships were Lexus, Buick and Acura. On the other end of the scale, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Jeep and Nissan owners were far less satisfied with dealer service.

While I often disagree with the auto recommendations put forth by Consumer Reports, this is one survey I can certainly applaud. Subscribers to the magazine can access complete survey results in the June issue.

Like millions of Americans, I drive an older car—a 10-year-old Toyota with 180,000 miles, to be precise. I live in the city, park on the street and only drive a couple times a week, so buying a new car just hasn’t made much sense.

But over the course of the past year or two, I had become painfully aware that it was harder and harder to see at night anytime it rained or I was on dark side roads. My headlights had yellowed with age and were cloudy instead of clear and transparent. If a car was riding next to mine, I could plainly see how much brighter its lights were and how much more of the road was illuminated. It was borderline embarrassing, but I thought my only option was to replace both headlight assemblies at a cost of more than $200 each. As you can imagine, I wasn’t real excited about that proposition.

When I came to work recently and heard that we had a new service to refurbish headlights like mine, I almost flipped a few cartwheels. What a fantastic idea! The restoration service entails using a sanding disc and a special compound to remove the yellowing and surface defects from the lamp lens. This is followed with another step to polish the lens surface. (We use 3M’s system, but a Google search will turn up other similar products.) We charge $89 for the service, and to me, this is a bargain compared to the alternative.

The average car on the road is 9 years old, so I know I’m not alone in this quest for better, brighter lighting. I asked our resident photographer to snap a few photos of my Toyota’s transformation so you could see for yourselves what a difference it can make.

The first night I drove home with my “new” headlights was akin to an awakening. I saw potholes and road features I haven’t seen in ages, and I’ve driven this same road for nearly 8 years. I was thrilled—and shocked at how little I’d been able to see before. My only regret? The fact that a snowstorm kept me from having this done before I drove 600 miles to Pennsylvania over the holidays.