OCR Text |
Show flifio Sopuicg: GoinplDii Statistics compiled by the California Bureau of Automotive Automo-tive Repair paint a different picture of the automotive service ser-vice repair industry from the often-depicted image of someone gouging unsuspecting unsuspect-ing car owners, according to the Automotive Information Council. THE BUREAU has found that the major reason for its establishment more than two years ago-to stop fraudulent repair practices-has not been a major consumer complaint about automotive service. Figures from the Bureau's - second year as a consumer watchdog for the state-licensed state-licensed auto repair shops showed that from an estimated estimat-ed 20 million repair jobs, 47,110 complaints were received-about two-tenths of one percent of the jobs done. THE BUREAU also found that of the 47,000 complaints, only about two percent alleged fraud, a minute percentage per-centage for 20 million repair jobs. From all of its investigations, inves-tigations, the Bureau revoked only five licenses from the 38,000 registered service outlets. The major consumer complaint area was failure to do the work correctly or to solve the car's problem, ac counting for 27 percent of the complaints, followed by 17 percent for no written estimate es-timate and 15 percent for inconvenience in-convenience (car not ready when promised). FEWER THAN nine percent per-cent of the 47,000 complaints charged shops with exceeding estimates, and less than four percent complained of unauthorized repairs. The Bureau acknowledged in its first year report that automotive service is a highly complex business in which practically every problem encompasses en-compasses a shade of gray, almost none is black or white. In fact, AIC said, the report stated that no two consumer complaints are exactly alike. MISUNDERSTANDINGS concerning service problems top the list of consumer frustration frus-tration with auto service, ac- cording to the Bureau, a . problem both the Bureau and the industry know requires better communications and a . continuing educational program for mechanics to help them stay abreast of constantly changing technology. |