Mark Salem - says, “If you have a problem with one of my "Best Shops" AND the BBB agrees with your version of the issue AND the shop refuses to abide by the BBB decision, I will personally carry out the directives of the BBB including repairing your car and/or issuing a refund up to $5,000.”
Who do you use to find a good car repair shop?
Today, there are 11 referral services who promote their ability to send you to the BEST auto repair shop in AZ.
What are all these referral services are missing? | |||
When it comes to any guarantees that you will be protected and happy, here’s the real story:
- AAA - says, We’re at your service if your are a AAA member. Other non AAA members don’t get the same protection.
- Angie’s List - We can’t access their “Terms of Service” but they collect money from Customers and businesses so they can introduce each to the other. The business will pay a monthly fee of approx $2-300 and the Customer will pay up to $10 to sign up and $3.15 a month to $24 a year. That ads up to an annual membership fee for both the Consumer and the shop of in excess of $3,300 AND they insist Customers get a $10 discount.
- GarageFly - “You use links to Third-Party Sites at your own risk”. On January 27, 2012 John Rang, owner of GarageFly, called us and complained. He said we are taking his words out of context. Here is the paragraph in it's entirety.
“The Site may contain links to third-party Web sites ("Third-Party Sites") and third-party content ("Third-Party Content") as a service to those interested in this information. You use links to Third-Party Sites, and any Third-Party Content therein, at your own risk. Garagefly does not monitor or have any control over, and makes no claim or representation regarding, Third-Party Content or Third-Party Sites. Garagefly provides these links only as a convenience, and a link to a Third-Party Site or Third-Party Content does not imply Garagefly's endorsement, adoption or sponsorship of, or affiliation with, such Third-Party Site or Third-Party Content.”
Now you can decide if we miss-represented GarageFly's position. I think third party websites is the members websites, but I could be wrong. You can read all of their Terms and Conditions and decide for yourself if all of this means they intend to provide you any help, assistance, support or even offer arbitration or mediation in the event of a dispute between you and their member . . . or not. By the way, I wonder what that last sentence means. Does it mean GarageFly provides these link only to help you, but don't you dare think this means we endorse or we have an affiliation with the repair shops on our list?
Them damn lawyers, it takes them 3,658 words to say "you're on your own and if you get taken, we will not help you."
It only took me 52 words to describe what I would do for you.
Like Mom said, it takes more effort to do wrong than right.
- NARPRO - Has no mechanism listed on their site to insure their Customer is treated fairly.
- GG - says, “We have done our best to find the top repair shops, but we do not guarantee the services, repairs, or products they provide . . .
- Kudzu - says, "you are solely responsible for any damage or loss you may incur that results from your use of any service".
- Dex / ToFixIt / Yelp - all say, your use of their sites is at your own risk
- YAN - says, "YAN is not responsible for any and all work that is provided by the members."
- RepairPal - has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third party websites or services.
What is missing from all 11 referral services is their promise or guarantee that you will be treated fairly. They have no dispute resolution process set up to make sure you are treated fairly. NO ONE makes the promise I do because on one has a list of shops they can depend on to treat you fairly.
Mark Salem - says, “If you have a problem with one of my "Best Shops" AND the BBB agrees with your version of the issue AND the shop refuses to abide by the BBB decision, I will personally carry out the directives of the BBB including repairing your car and/or issuing a refund up to $5,000.”
Simply put, this means that I hold these ladies and gentlemen repair shop owners and members to a much higher standard than others do and they know right from wrong and they do business that way.