Repair Shops See Boom

Last updated Sunday, November 30, 2008 4:37 PM CST in News

By Pamela Hill
THE MORNING NEWS

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“When gas prices are high, you see a surge in smaller car sales. When the economy is bad and unknown out there, people back away from making big investments and make small repairs that they might have ignored otherwise, because they realize they have to keep their cars. It makes you make smart choices, do things you should do all the time,” he added.

Wise said his service department already has seen a 5 percent to 10 percent increase in service and repair work -- and he thinks it’s just the beginning.

“I think in the next six months we’ll see a 20 (percent) to 25 percent increase. It’s good for the service department but not for auto sales,” he said.

Maintenance Matters

How can consumers put off those pocketbook-changing decisions as long as possible? Maintenance is key, experts say.

Jill Notini, vice president of communications and marketing for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, said inspecting appliances is a good place to start.

Inspect washing machine hoses; ensure the dryer venting material is metal, not plastic -- it’s a fire hazard. She advised that venting materials be examined and cleaned by a professional at least every other year.

Vacuum around the bottom and back of the refrigerator to keep the coils lint-, hair- and dust-free so the compressor can cycle and have free air flow, Notini said.

Gaskets on the dishwashers and other appliances should be checked to ensure they’re not dry or brittle or they won’t seal properly, Notini said.

“With all your appliances, keep your thoughts on performance,” Notini said. “If it’s starting to slow down, your clothes are not drying fast enough, your dishes are not clean enough, it’s time to clean something or call a qualified service person.”

David Hatfield, the co-owner with wife, Patty, of Handyman Connection of Northwest Arkansas in Springdale, said people should always check simple things first. If a bathtub isn’t draining properly, check to see if hair has collected under the strainer. If an appliance isn’t working, check to make sure it’s plugged in before calling a service company.

Some service companies like Hatfield’s do home scans that show residents where problems are and what needs to be done to correct them. Such a scan can educate or remind people to service their homes. For example, washing machine water hoses should be replaced every five to six years; standard water heaters should be drained and cleaned of mineral deposits every other year; caulking around windows and weather-stripping around doors should be checked annually, Hatfield said.

“If you drain your water heater every other year, you can extend its life from maybe six or seven years to 10 to 12 years,” he said.

Repair Or Replace?

When it’s time to make the decision to repair or replace, experts say to consider several factors.

“Whether a machine is feasible to fix or not depends on the quality of vacuum it is to begin with,” said Dennis Garrison, owner of Dennis’ Vacuum Center in Fayetteville.

While many times it’s worth the cost of a repair, there is a point at which Garrison recommends replacement.

“Bottom line, it depends on the quality of the vacuum -- the overall condition of it versus what it has to have to make it run. I never recommend paying more (in repairs) than 50 percent of replacement costs,” Garrison said.

Harold Kimrey, owner of Paschal Heating, Air & Plumbing in Springdale, said when trying to decide whether to repair or replace a heating/cooling unit, the deciding factor may be as little as $200 to $300.

Kimrey said new units are so much more energy-efficient than those that were made just a few years ago that most people can benefit by getting a new unit. Savings on utility costs will pay for the unit over time, he said.

Do The Math

Lynn Wetzel, owner of Wetzel Appliance Service in Prairie Grove, said whether to repair often depends on the brand. Some brands are very serviceable and some are meant to be used until they break and then be replaced.

“If you’ve got an $800 dishwasher, it’s probably worth it to spend $200 to repair it,” Wetzel said.

He suggested consumers talk to a service technician who can often recommend certain appliances or brands. The same applies to deciding whether to replace.

“Sometimes, it’s worth paying a basic service call. It pays to spend $40, $50, $60 to get some advice if you can save a few hundred. I see a lot of things people throw away that could have been reasonably fixed,” Wetzel said.

Notini of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers said the expected lifetime of an appliance should play a part in the decision.

“If you’re getting close to that point, to the end of its expected life, it’s generally better to replace,” she said. And for those who can afford to replace sooner, it might be worth it financially because of the increased efficiency, she said.

Notini said customers can often find incentive offers, tax credits and rebates to help defray costs for energy-efficient products. The Energy Star Web site, energystar.gov, describes the different efficiency levels and includes a calculator so customers can calculate their savings with the products. It also details what incentives are available in a shopper’s region.

Under The Hood

Opinions vary as to when to repair or replace a vehicle.

From a sales perspective, it may be best to replace your car with a new or newer model before it has too many miles on it, said Lenny Thurman, sales manager at Superior Ford-Mercury in Siloam Springs.

“Typically speaking, 60,000 miles is sort of the magical number,” Thurman said. “You’ll get the most for your trade up to that point.”

To guarantee the best trade-in value -- and get the most life from a car -- customers should properly maintain and service their vehicles, Thurman said. If the customer can produce all the vehicle’s service records, that’s an added bonus.

Wise of Toyota of Northwest Arkansas said today’s cars are built to last longer than older models. In decades past, the rule of thumb was that a car’s life was about 100,000 miles. Most cars now can get more mileage than that, he said.

Whether to repair or replace may be an issue of what you can afford.

“If a $1,000 repair would make an older Toyota 100 percent safe to drive, that’s equal to two car payments on a new car,” Wise said.

Doug Smith, service manager for Lewis Ford in Fayetteville, said if repairs are going to cost more than $3,000, then consumers should look at the book value of the car to help make the decision. But he said that shouldn’t always be the determining factor. If someone likes their car, and it’s not typically been a “problem car,” it may be worth repair costs, he said.

Smith, like other experts, preached maintenance.

Smith said regular oil changes are vital to the life of a car. Many models have an expanded oil-change schedule, but Smith still recommends the service every 3,000 miles.

Randy Burnett, the “R” of H & R Tire and Auto Inc. in Fayetteville, agreed that maintenance is key.

Burnett said fuel filters should be changed every 15,000 to 20,000 miles. The air filter should be checked at every oil change. Brakes should be checked every 30,000 miles -- sooner if you notice a change in performance or unusual noises. Belts and hoses should be checked at least annually and check antifreeze before cold weather sets in. An overall checkup should be done every 30,000 miles, he said.

Burnett said customers should probably begin to consider replacing their vehicles once a car begins having big problems that require major repairs.

“A lot of people continue fixing their vehicles because new cars cost so much. They’ve about priced themselves out of business. Some people repair because it’s better than a car payment,” Burnett said.

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