The Industry Standards Weren't Strong Enough
So We Were Forced To Create The Strictest Consumer Protection Bill In The Industry

The 16 Point

Customer

Bill of Rights

for the Automotive Repair Industry

1. Make sure your technician is honest and does not "fabricate" unnecessary repairs

According to the Federal Commission over 40 billion dollars of fabricated repairs are done per year! Customers complain about lack of honesty and integrity:

Our Standards:

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2. Are the technicians trained and equipped to fix the problem right the first time?

In many places mechanics, instead of licensed technicians, are performing many repairs on your car, which results in trial-and-error workmanship.

Our Standards:

We use all leading industry standard equipment and databases (All Data & Mitchell) to diagnose the problem quickly and accurately. All our technicians are licensed and must take at least 8 courses of ongoing training per year. We will not attempt to repair something that others can do better.

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3. Does the technician explain your choices?

Customers have the right to be advised and educated. They should never be exposed to sales pitches. The customer should be in control of making financial decisions every time. Industry results show however that female drivers or less experienced car owners often pay higher repair bills.

Our Standards:

We will always use the 3-Level Approach to educating our customers:

• Advise: Inform the customer about maintenance issues and problems that have no urgency, but that should be brought to the customer's attention and budgeted for the future.
• Recommend procedures that could prevent harm to the car in a short time frame. If the customer is not aware of these recommendations they could face a mechanical breakdown, more costly repairs in the future, higher maintenance costs or loss of the value of the vehicle.
• Severe Safety: Warn about issues that could endanger a life or cause an accident.

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4. Does the garage honour the client's time and never overbooks?

Overbooking is a sign of poor business management. Repair shops who fear losing the sale tell you to bring your car in at any time and it is left standing on the lot.

Our Standards:

We book to a maximum of 80% capacity to accommodate walk-in and emergency repairs. 90% of our repairs are completed within ONE day. We always offer to pick up the client's car or shuttle you to your work place. We guarantee that your car is finished on time. If we can't keep this promise, we'll give you a rental care for FREE.

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5. Accurate records save you money and unnecessary repairs.

Lack of record keeping is a warning sign of poor quality, consistency and warranty.

Our Standards:

We keep computerized records and written hard copies of every visit. This allows us to keep track of previous advisories, remind you of planned services and we will have all your warranty information on hand. You'll also get a printout of your complete service record when you're selling your car, which could allow you to sell your car on average for $350 to $900 more.

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6. Watch out for overcharging, double billing, and unauthorized repairs.

Don't get billed twice for taking the wheels off, when there is work\ on your brakes and suspension. Don't pay a bill if it's over 10% more than the written estimate.

Our Standards:

Charge the actual time needed for combination jobs - always charge a fair rate. Always provide written estimates including all taxes and fees prior to starting a job.

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7. Real warranty

The industry standard for repair services between 3 and 4 months for new parts only.

Our Standards:

Our warranty for any repair is a full 12 months or 20,000 km on parts and labour.* Members of our Care Free Auto Savings Club enjoy the benefits of 24 months or 40,000 km.* **.

* Unless otherwise noted on the invoice.
**Warranty is subject to client maintaining routine maintenance as per AE Auto Plus recommendations.

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8. Honour the manufacturer's warranty

Some repairs are covered under warranty, even if the dealer declines the claim. Some cars are under recall. Some parts have a longer warranty than the original bumper to bumper warranty.

Our Standards:

We inspect carefully what warranties apply to your car before we start the job and if the dealer should do the work for FREE, we'll take your car there for you. No hassle for you and you won't pay extra for this service.

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9. We perform a 28-point maintenance and visual inspection.

Our Standards:

We perform a 28-Point Maintenance and Visual Inspection every single time you bring your car into our garage to ensure good operation and detect warning signs of immediate breakdown. Regular maintenance inspections reduce the overall repair costs by 46% (J.D. Power).

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10. $1,000,00 Insurance - minimum.

Insist to see a valid certificate of insurance for damages while your car is in the garage and for general liability, should you have an accident or encounter problems after a bad repair.

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11. Beware of unrealistic discounts.

Many "special" offers are gimmicks designed to get your car into the shop and then pressure you into repairs that you don't need or don't want.

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12. Show proof of licenses.

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13. Inform about and assume responsibility for sub-contract labor.

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14. Inform you directly about unforeseeable changes - no five o'clock shock.

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15. Return your car cleaner than you brought it in.

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16. Provide maintenance programs that save up to 46% of repair costs.

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