Page 20 - AAA Central Penn – AAA Now! September/October 2015

AAA
Membership Benefits of AAA’s Approved Auto Repair Program
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Ask the Tech
Q. In the old days we did tune-ups every year on our cars, now how often do we need to do tune-ups?
A. Today’s vehicles are filled with high technology, particularly in the engine
bay, and are not like our grandparents’ cars. Cars in the old days had components such as ignition points and condenser
and copper-cored spark plugs to fire the engine and these often needed to be replaced on a yearly basis. Today’s vehicles use more electronic technology with fewer moving parts and spark plugs made with expensive, higher-quality materials such as platinum or iridium to power your engines. These components can often last many years and many thousands of miles.
Other tune-up items that should be checked yearly or every 15,000 miles are the air filter and pcv valves to see if they are clogged up; more often if you live in a dusty environment. Fuel filters normally don’t have a time frame to replace them, but a good rule of thumb is every two years or 30,000 miles to service them.
But the best way to see when your vehicle needs maintenance is to check your vehicle’s owner’s manual and generally follow the service schedule because this will fit most people’s driving patterns. Another way to determine your service needs is to have your vehicle checked at an AAA Approved Auto Repair (AAR) facility, which you can find a list of under AAA/Cars and Driving/Approved Auto Repair.
– Bruce Phillips,
AAR Manager, AAA Central Penn
Bruce has been in the automotive repair world for almost 30 years, either as a working technician, service advisor, service manager, or AAR manager. He is an ASE Master Certified Repair and Body Technician and has both his PA State Safety and Emissions Inspection licenses. He is on the occupational advisory boards for the Cumberland, Perry and Dauphin County Vo-Tech Schools automotive repair programs.
To contact Bruce with questions about the AAR program or auto repair, e-mail him at bphillips@aaacp.com or call him at 717-657-2244, x1004.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
In the mid 1970s, AAA found there was a need
for, and developed, an automotive repair facility recommendation program called Approved Auto Repair. Since then, it has grown to a national program of more than 7,400 facilities that includes not only automotive repair shops, but also body shops,
specialty repair shops such as transmission repair,
and automotive glass installation and repair shops. AAA Central Penn has had an Approved Auto Repair program since the early 1980s and currently has almost 80 shops. The program is constantly expanding to cover the nine counties that make up our club footprint.
What does having an AAR program mean for AAA members? It means you have a reliable method to recognize a reputable auto repair facility that can help you maintain your family vehicle in an efficient and economical fashion. Also, you will receive certain benefits only available to you as a AAA member. All shops in the program are continuously monitored to make sure they meet all AAA requirements.
Requirements include:
• A free maintenance inspection when having other
paid repair work performed. You will receive a written estimate, if requested, of any needed maintenance
or repair work. If the final cost of the work that is recommended exceeds the estimate by more than 10%, you will receive a revised estimate. Also, on most repairs you will receive a 24-month or 24,000 mile warranty, whichever comes first, for both parts and labor (unless you are advised in advance of a different warranty).
• If, at the beginning of the repair, you request all the old parts back, they will be returned to you, except those that may have a core value on them, in which case they will be retained for you to view.
• AAA will assist in investigating a dispute between a AAA member and an AAR facility if formally requested by the member. AAA’s resolution is binding on the facility, but you are not bound by the decision and may seek other recourse.
• All AAR shops offer a minimum discount to AAA members on service of 10% off labor to a maximum discount of $50. Restrictions may apply, so check with the facility.
All AAR repair facilities must meet certain requirements and then be re-certified on a yearly basis during an inspection performed by the AAA club’s AAR field representative, who is typically an ASE-certified master technician with several years of technical experience.
Some of the AAR facility requirements include:
• The facility must employ either National Institute
for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified or manufacturer-trained technicians. It must also have courteous and efficient reception personnel trained to advise customers regarding vehicle maintenance or repairs, and a supervisor must be available to perform quality control checks.
• The facility must maintain a clean, professionally organized appearance, inside and out. Customer areas such as waiting rooms and bathrooms must be safe, clean and comfortable.
• All AAA-approved facilities must pass a background check from the attorney general’s office, the Better Business Bureau, and a financial rating service. They must also receive a 90% or better approval rating on a AAA survey of recent customers, and carry a minimum amount of liability insurance to protect customers and their vehicles.
AAR facilities are continuously monitored throughout the year by numerous field visits, along with an annual re-certification inspection in which all the previous year’s inspections are rechecked for compliance.
All AAR shops provide at least minimum service for diagnosis and maintenance repairs, gasoline engine performance, brake systems, and electrical systems. Other mechanical areas are optional and may not be offered at all AAR locations.
To find a list of AAR facilities, go to AAA.com/AAR and click on driving/approved auto repair, which lists both local and national AAR facilities with contact phone numbers and information about the facility itself, such as hours and scope of service. If you would like to recommend a facility for inclusion in the AAR program, please send an email with their contact information to bphillips@aaacp.com.
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