Consumer Reports: High Prices and Poor Repairs Lead Top Auto-Service Gripes

It's a shame that the irony of both this story along with the Ford park assist technology being displayed on the same page will be overlooked by so many. That park assist feature as well as crash avoidance systems and other new technology today require independent shops to purchase the same scan tools and software that a dealership uses if they intend to service these systems should one of them ever develop a problem. That's a huge expense for just one manufacturer for the independent technician and today we don't even own the tool anymore, we only get a license to use the softwear for a given period of time. Worse yet when the license expires the tool turns off until it's renewed. The problem is, that expense gets repeated for each manufacturer the shop chooses to try and support.

To have stories written like this one where these details are not explained to the consumers and to see the kinds of things that were stressed including the assertion that we are overpriced, when in fact we are barely staying in business because of how much our costs have skyrocketed is an insult. If consumers think repairs take too long now, just wait until you see what the mass reduction in the number of shops and technicians does in the next decade. Combine that with the fact that it takes decades to learn to be the kind of technician that can handle the robotics in todays cars (Yea, robotics, that's what park assist is) and the fact that technician wages and working conditions don't let us routinely attract the kind of talented youth that we really need coming into the trade, and you get to see that this article will be even more self serving in the future. In otherwords if you think it's bad now, just wait till attrition of the current workforce, combined with an ever greater lack of competition for the dealerships which will then be the only place that  you will be able to go for servicing problems with these systems does for the survey. Consumers, you'll get to wait as long as it takes and they will get to charge whatever they want to because they won't have competition and you won't have a choice.

Im sorry that auto repair has come to this as written by katbite below, I remember my shade tree mechanic days with points, plugs and carburetors'. Could do a brake job or timing chain, water pump etc.

Its turned into a big money game again with the tech stuck in the middle, we all do enjoy the latest tech but at what expense.

 Another one sided, biased piece of "journalism''  from MSN. Yes, I'll be the first to admit there are and will always be theives out there, just like in any other profession.

 I can honestly say after 30 years as a dealership technician, I've met maybe a handful of dishonest people and they never last long in this business.

 As far as repair quality, do a lot of consumers realize what makes a modern vehicle run? We are talking up to 50 onboard computers. It might take up to 5 computers to start the engine, turn on the headlights, the A/C or just unlock the doors. The modern technician has to be an expert on navigation, audio, telecommunication, video, cellular as well as the mechanical aspects. I attend at least 100 hours per year in training just to stay current.

 There almost no young people coming into the industry, let alone any with a good work ethic. Think things are bad now? Wait about 10 years when my generation of technicians have retired.

 I can honestly say that I love what I do and I still enjoy it immensely. I have always given my best to my customers, treated them fairly and with respect and will do so until I turn my last wrench.