Demystifying Car Checks: Beyond the "Free Scans"
In an age where vehicles are more complex and technology-driven than ever, there's a startling gap between market perception and the realities of diagnosing today’s cars. The automotive aftermarket is bursting with gimmicks promising to get customers in the door at little to no cost. But what’s the real price we pay? Let’s explore the true costs.
“Every Moment Spent on Vehicle Diagnostics is Valuable Service.”
The Illusion of "Free Scanning"
Free. The word seems enticing. But when repair shops offer to scan vehicles for free, they're creating a misleading narrative. Many customers, led to believe that a magical tool will instantly reveal which parts need replacing, end up disillusioned. How many times have parts been replaced based on a code, only for the issue to resurface immediately?
This marketing approach has conditioned millions to expect diagnostic services to be cost-less, breeding mistrust when they encounter shops that charge for their expertise.
The Real Cost of Professional Diagnostics
Understanding what a vehicle needs post-collision or with regards to drive-ability or driver complaints, isn't uncovered with simple “scan”. It's a culmination of expertise, equipment, and continuous learning. To grasp the depth of this, let's break down the essential tools and their average costs:
The Rationale Behind Each Tool
Without The Experience, Tools Are Just That
We have just listed all of the basic tools that you will need to perform a basic level of diagnosis on just about any car on the road today.? We don’t even list the basic hand, air and battery tools that will be needed in conjunction with these, those as just assumed at this point.? This also won’t allow you to do everything, but it will allow you to get pretty far with an accurate trace of your diagnosis.
Once you start to account for this and recognize that these costs are not one time, they have been constantly evolving since computers were introduced to vehicles.? If it requires a power cord or a battery to be charged, it’s safe to assume it’s going to be superseded faster than you can overuse it.
So this base layer must be accounted for if we want to keep providing a valuable service.
Taking the hard costs mentioned, let’s account for one year.? Our tool investment for the year, including the monthly subscriptions (minus the scan tool, you get 1-2 years free with new purchase), $5400 ($2500+$500+$500+$100+1800).
It costs you $450 a month, your first year at minimum, to be able to perform basic diagnosis services that are needed to fix today’s vehicle.
But tools are just one side of the coin.
Are Any Tools Not Listed I Should Consider
The only tool not discussed in the basics is the scope.? Now, some may argue that it isn’t a basic tool.? They’re not wrong, but I don’t think they’re right either.
Learning to use a scope might feel like a steep curve, but with the right resources, you can ascend from a beginner to an advanced user in about 2-3 years.? It also has its benefits with plenty of Automotive tech groups on Facebook, where many technicians help each other get past some of the most difficult issues you can imagine.
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Nearly all of the people with a scope, get enough help to get them through.? Which means, they aren’t afraid to try and they aren’t afraid to ask for help when putting in the work.
There are also plenty of people offering amazing learning experiences online, where you can learn a ton through their journeys.??
Some people we’re learned from:
ScannerDanner, Super Mario Diagnostics, and we subscribed to Mechanic Mindset as we found tremendous value in his lifetime package with videos on how to go from beginner to advanced in scope capabilities… at your own pace.
What scope do you need to get started?? The cheapest reliable option is the right answer.
We started with the Autel scope on their old MS909 Scanners.? It served us well till we needed to upgrade because our skill sets exceeded the capabilities of the tool.? Thanks to Kris Lewis @ ATG.
Machines Can't Replace Human Touch.
Tools are only half the story. What about the human element??
Passionate, skilled, and dedicated employees are the backbone of a successful diagnostic service. But even the best team needs effective systems to manage workflows and enhance communication.
That’s where quality shop management software becomes invaluable.?
A good shop management system: communicates with your customers, brings transparency to the entire operation, allows for review of performance metrics to continually progress and advance, and more…
Re-imagining the Auto Repair Business
It's high time the industry undergoes a shift from racing to the bottom, to striving for unparalleled service quality. It starts with understanding the value of time, service, and expertise.
My journey towards redefining auto repair began with accounting for time.?
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