You hear it all the time, today's consumers are holding off on big purchases when possible and getting more mileage out of what they've already got. It's certainly true when it comes to cars, which means more trips to the repair shop to keep the old ride running. There are new sites that promise to arm you with all the info you need before you head to the mechanic. Are they worth it?
WATCH JOANNE PURTAN'S REPORT IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHTEbony Hawkins is counting on her 8-year-old Bonneville to keep on rolling.
She feels she's been overcharged in the past for repairs and doesn't really know what to look for when it comes to a fair price, so she hit the web and stumbled upon RepairPal.com.
"I was like, this is great. It tells you how much you should expect to pay for parts and services and it tells you what is all included in the service."
David Sturtz, RepairPal.com, said, "Our goal has been to inform the consumer and educate them before they get the service done and answer any questions that they might have."
The site is one of a handful designed to be a one-stop-shop for information about your car. The sites vary, offering everything from recall alerts and service reminders to customer reviews of repair shops. Others let you ask a certified mechanic for advice and all give estimates for what a repair should cost in your area.
Trevor Traina from DriveSide.com said, “I hear everyday from DriverSide users how much they appreciate finally knowing what a repair should really cost."
The sites take your make, model year or VIN number, the repair needed, and calculate your cost based on databases for your zip code. How do the sites rate with the pros?
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is a non-profit organization that certifies technicians.
Tony Molla from the ASE said, "I think the information is useful just to give you an idea of what you should be spending or what something might cost."
The ASE stresses, though, to get the best estimate possible, a professional needs to see your specific problem.
"If you don't have any basic automotive knowledge, some of those sites assume that you do, you may find those very difficult to use," said Molla.
The sites we spoke to say they only ask for basic information you should know and have had overwhelmingly positive response to features. FairRepair also tells you which shops have agreed to meet or beat its estimates. DriverSide checks for experts by make and model and RepairPal includes certifications.
"Cecause we can't put a video camera under the hood of every car out there and actually observe the work a mechanic's doing, we use accreditations like AAA and Better Business Bureau and ASE,” said Sturtz.
Customer reviews and ratings may also be helpful, but experts say the best way to find the right place is to ask around. That's what Ebony did and when she walked into the repair shop this time, she felt like a smart consumer.
There is no charge to use DriverSide and RepairPal. FairRepair charges a fee of $9.99 for estimates, which can be refunded in certain cases. We also contacted the Automotive Service Association, a non-profit trade organization for the repair industry. They say the most accurate estimate right now comes from a technician looking at a vehicle. The ASE believes, however, the sites have the potential to be a positive consumer tool.
http://www.driverside.comhttp://www.repairpal.comhttp://www.fairrepair.com
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
http://www.ase.comThe Automotive Service Association (ASA)
http://www.asashop.org
