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SITUATION: You have
been told by a repair facility that your car needs expensive repairs. Should
you repair it or trade it?
This is one of the most significant
financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. From an economic point
of view, a few people keep their car too long, but most trade too often.
A recent study revealed that
an individual would save over $400,000 during their lifetime if they would
keep their cars an average of 10 years. The estimated average maintenance
costs for the life of the car would be between $800 to $1200 per year.
This gigantic savings comes
from absence or reduction in new car buying costs, expensive new modifications
and designs that seem only to benefit the dealer, interest, insurance, registration,
taxes, and the biggest one, depreciation. Even if some of our appetite for
a new cars was curbed, significant savings would result.
Most people don't have the
skills to make a good decision about whether to maintain or trade their car.
This is because they don't have the combined training or experience of a
technician, a car dealer, and a financial analyst. Without these skills,
there is no way to put forth a scientific list that will cause you to make
the right decision in each case.
After great consideration,
there is only one clear answer. The secret to saving money is in relationships.
You need to gain access to the skills and integrity that are needed to help
you make good decisions in this area.
Consider these questions:
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Do you have a repair shop
you trust?
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Do you personally know the
service advisor or technician?
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Have you tested the relationship
enough to know they will tell you when it's time to repair and when it's
time to trade that old car?
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Do you get a second opinion
occasionally, to verify recommendations?
Here at Buehler Automotive
and Transmission, with our well established auto repair facilities know it
is not beneficial to a long-term customer relationship to recommend repairs
on a car that isn't worth repairing. The loss of customer confidence and
trust is just not worth it.
It is critical for every vehicle
owner to find, and build a relationship with an ethical, well trained service
advisor who is surrounded by superior technicians. They will advise you on
when and how to make a wise investment in your car, and when it may be time
to consider investing in a vehicle that will be less of a headache for them,
as well as you!.
It is in the best interest
of our team at Buehler Automotive & Transmission to assist you in the
process of preventing your car from becoming such a problem, inconvenience,
and an EXPENSIVE LIABILITY!
Feel free to contact us at
Buehler Automotive to answer any of your automotive repair questions!
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