Why Choose a Shop Recognized by AAA?

Why should you choose Mountain View Automotive in Thornton, which is approved by AAA, over other auto repair shops? Well, AAA-approved auto repair shops meet certain performance standards and often give members a discount on labor, a free maintenance check (on a paying ticket), written estimates when asked, a warranty on their work, and an easy way to settle a dispute. But what is AAA, and what does being a member mean for you?

Background

The American Automobile Association, or AAA, is a group that helps people drive and travel for fun. It has more than 55 million members who use its services for travel, insurance, money, and cars. The non-profit has been around since 1902, and many people know AAA as a provider of roadside assistance and automotive expertise, a publisher of travel information, a leisure travel agency, an advocate for the safety and welfare of American travelers, a financial products and services organization, a leader in the life insurance industry, and an approved organization for auto repair shops with high-performance standards.

The AAA made the Approved Auto Repair (AAR) program more than 35 years ago. More than 7,100 places in North America now take part in it. A report from IBISWorld says that there are close to 250,000 places in the United States that fix cars. So, you can see that the auto repair shops in the AAR program are an elite group that makes up less than 3% of all shops.

AAA says that dealers, independent repair shops, and specialty repair shops are all part of the Approved Auto Repair program. When the AAR program started, it only certified general mechanical repair shops. Now, it also certifies auto glass shops (called “Approved Auto Glass”), specialty auto repair shops (called “Service”), and collision repair centers (Approved Auto Body).

This Approved Auto Repair (AAR) designation is a benefit for AAA members that helps them find a trustworthy, pre-screened auto repair shop that does good work. All AAR shops, including ours, sign agreements to provide reliable, high-quality service done by technicians who are either ASE-certified or certified by the car’s manufacturer. This makes sure that your repairs and services meet the standards of your field.

What Happens

It’s not easy to get an AAR. AAA has high standards, so when you see our AAA sign in the window, you know we passed the tough AAA process. If an auto repair shop wants to be approved by AAA, a AAA service specialist goes there to check that it is clean, has the right tools, has enough technical training, and has the right certifications for its technicians. They will make sure that the shop has all the right modern tools.

The AAA person will talk to the mechanics and make sure they are ASE-certified in the repairs that the shop does. This makes sure that the mechanics are very skilled and well-trained. The AAA representative will also find out if the shop has any ASE-certified master technicians working there.

The AAA service specialist will also check the shop’s insurance and financial background, as well as its reputation with government and consumer agencies. AAA wants to find out if the shop has the right liability insurance and is honest, reputable, and reliable.

AAA will talk to some of the shop’s customers to find out what they think about how well the shop meets their needs for auto service. At least 94% of customers must be happy with the auto shop.

The shop will be approved if you can meet all of these requirements.

An article from AAA says that AAR shops are still held to the same high standards after they are approved. AAA reps go to the shop four times a year and re-inspect it every year to make sure the high standards are still being met. They make sure that the customers are happy and that the shop still meets the standards set by AAA. Customer satisfaction review cards given to AAA members who use an AAR-approved auto repair shop are used to keep an eye on the shops. Shops must turn in 20 cards every month and keep a customer satisfaction rate of 93% or higher.

Each auto repair shop will get stickers and signs from the AAR that will be put up in a prominent place in the shop. This will show the year that the AAR approval was finished, so customers can tell if the approval is still valid.

Getting Fixed

When people want to find a good place to fix their cars, they can look for the AAA seal of approval to help them decide. And if they are also AAA members, the AAR auto repair shop will give them extra benefits. A AAA article says that this includes:

When their car breaks down and needs to be towed in, they get priority service.
Written estimates can’t be more than 10% off without approval first.
Parts and labor are covered by a warranty for 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
A discount on repairs that cost the full price
A free maintenance check-up with other repairs that cost money (mechanical shops only)
If you ask for the return of replaced parts in advance, AAA will help you settle any repair disputes with the shop.
If you’re not a member of AAA, you won’t get all the special perks that members do, but you’ll know that the repair shop with the sign has met AAA’s strict initial standards and continues to get good reviews from customers like you. You can be sure that they will do a good job and charge a fair price.

So, why choose an auto repair shop that AAA has approved? When you see that Mountain View Automotive in Thornton is approved by AAA, you can be sure that our ASE master-certified technicians will take good care of you and your car.

Bring in your car, truck, or SUV today if it needs work or maintenance. Your peace of mind starts with the fact that we are an AAA-approved repair shop, but it goes even further with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We are also a Bosch Authorized Service Center and a Trusted NAPA Auto Care Center with a warranty.

What You Need to Know About Buying a Car

Buying a brand-new car can be quite a hassle if you don’t know what you’re doing. You might want to buy the first car that you like, but that would be a mistake. Anyone looking for a new car should read this article to learn some useful information.

What can you afford? You have to understand exactly how much money you have every month to not only pay the car lease, but also insurance, licensing costs, gas, and repairs. Every month, you have to pay for everything, or else you’ll have to cut back on how much you spend on the car itself.

You can get pre-approved for a car loan at a bank near you. This one step can save you a lot of time at the dealership and, most of the time, money as well. When you get a loan from your bank, you can better negotiate the interest rate, which will lower your overall payment.

Do you know that you can get a car loan without going to a dealership if you use the Internet? When you buy a car, it takes so long because they have to check your credit score and find a lender. If you’ve already set up your loan, the whole process will go more smoothly.

If you want to buy a new car, you might not want to bring your kids with you. They might have fun taking a test drive or two, but most of the time they will be bored. This will make it hard to concentrate on the task at hand and could cost you money.

Don’t settle for less than the exact color or finish you want if you really like it. Even if the exact car you want isn’t in stock at your local dealership, ask if they can get it for you. Most car dealerships work with other dealerships and trade cars back and forth. Keep in mind, though, that you might end up paying a little bit more to cover some of the costs of the trade.

If you want to know how much your current car is worth as a trade-in, you should take it to a few dealers. You can get a rough idea of how much your car is worth by talking to a few different dealers. This will make it possible for you to turn down lowball offers for your car.

Before you buy a car, you should find out how much it will cost to insure it. Sports cars cost a lot more to insure than other kinds of cars. Even the color of the car can change how much it costs to insure. Do your research so that you won’t be surprised after you’ve already paid for the car.

Find out how much your old car is worth if you want to trade it in. Add that amount to your budget. If you think your car is worth a lot but it isn’t, you might be surprised when you get to the parking lot. The key is to know as much as you can before you leave your house.

If you are buying a used car, don’t get a warranty that makes you accept the car in its current state. You might get the short end of the stick in the end. Don’t agree to buy a used car unless you know it will be covered for at least 30 days. You are in charge of the car after you leave the parking lot.

Don’t buy the warranties that car dealers offer on used cars. They are almost always too expensive and usually don’t cover the more expensive repairs you would want to have done. Instead, buy your warranty from a separate, reputable company that you find on your own. If you don’t know any, ask a friend or member of your family for help.

If a car in a lot has two price stickers, you might want to go somewhere else. This is a sign that the salespeople are trying to get you to buy everything. You can stay if you think you can handle their tricks, but you might not get the best deal there.

Find out how much the car you want to buy will sell in the future. This way, when you want to sell the vehicle you are buying, you will get a good amount of money back from it. You don’t want to be stuck with a car if you still owe more on it than it’s worth.

Check out your dealer’s service department. Talk to some of the people who have used the service department in the past. You can test them by calling the department and asking for help with something you already know. If you choose a dealer who knows what they are doing, this can help you be happy.

Practice bargaining before you go to the lot. You can get ready for the big day by practicing with friends and family. Read online to learn about the different ways dealers try to sell things. This will let you answer any question they ask, giving you the upper hand.

You can buy a car online instead of going to a dealership and having to deal with pushy salespeople. Some car lots even let you do this with brand-new cars, so do your research and find the car you want. You won’t be able to take a test drive, though, if you never go to the lot.

Make sure you know not only about the car business but also about the car dealer business and how it works. They use some tricks to take advantage of customers who don’t know what’s going on. Keep an eye out for things like warranties that you don’t need or insurance that comes straight from the dealer.

As was said at the beginning of this article, if you don’t know what you’re doing, buying a new car can be a real pain. Use the tips in the above article to end up with a car you can be happy with. Just make sure to take your time, and you’ll have a great time.

Buying A Car? Read This To Reduce Stress!

You should be able to get a good car at a good price. With more life experience, you can make sure to get the best deal on a car this time. This article has great advice on how to get the best deal for your needs.

You might as well throw your money away if you don’t bargain with a car dealer. Never pay the price listed for the car. Sticker prices are set to be high on purpose so that they can be negotiated down.

Compare prices online before going to a dealer. You shouldn’t go to a dealership until you know exactly what model and brand you want. Doing research online can help you narrow down your list of possible makes and models and find out things that the salesperson might not tell you.

When negotiating, you should care more about the total price than the price per month. In the long run, the monthly rate doesn’t always tell the whole story. Get the best price you can on the car as a whole. This will help you figure out the best way to handle your monthly payments.

Don’t wait until you go shopping for a car to think about how you’ll pay for it. You need to know ahead of time that you can get a good interest rate on a car loan before you go to the dealership. You will almost always be able to get a better deal than what the dealership offers.

When you buy a new car, make sure it has safety features. You need to make sure that your brakes are ABS or antilock brakes. The car should also have more than one airbag. You’ll spend a lot of time in this car, so safety is very important.

Don’t ever get dressed up to go to a car lot. If you are wearing expensive clothes, it will be harder to make a deal and convince someone that you deserve a better price on a car. Even though you want to look clean and put together, don’t wear anything that makes you look richer than you are.

When looking for a car, make a budget and stick to it. When you find a car you really want, it can be hard to stick to your budget, but buying something on the spot is never a good idea. Before you start looking, figure out how much you can spend so you don’t break the bank.

Bring a friend or family member who sells cars with you when you go car shopping. Car salesmen can be very pushy, but if they know you’re with another salesman, it will be easier for you to get the deal you want and deserve.

If you want to buy a used car, it’s a good idea to find out how much it’s worth on the second-hand market. Look at the Kelly Blue Book value and compare it to the current condition of the car to see if the price is fair.

Before you buy a car, one of the most important things to think about is what kind of car you want. If you decide this before going to a dealership, you can avoid high-pressure sales tactics. It also helps you narrow down your search so you can learn more about a certain brand and model.

Find out how much the car you want to buy will sell in the future. This way, when you want to sell the vehicle you are buying, you will be able to get a good amount of money back from it. You don’t want to be stuck with a car if you still owe more on it than it’s worth.

Practice bargaining before you go to the lot. You can prepare for the big day by practicing with friends and family. Read online to learn about the different ways dealers try to sell things. This will let you answer any question they ask, giving you the upper hand.

Ask the people you know where they bought their cars and how the process went. People’s experiences can teach you a lot, which can save you a lot of time and money. Don’t be afraid of it. Most people like to talk about their experiences, whether they were good or bad.

If a dealer offers to give you a used car that looks like the new car you want, make sure to find out how much that car is worth first. Go home and look at some online price guides to find out what to do. Sometimes these really are good deals, but sometimes they are just a trick to get people to buy used cars.

Be smart when you buy a used car. Even if all the numbers for the brand and model you want to buy are good, you don’t know how well it was taken care of. Get a professional mechanic to look at it for you. They can find big problems that you need to know about before you buy.

When looking for a new car, you should think about what you need. When shopping, seeing a lot of new cars can be distracting, and you don’t want to buy something that isn’t useful. Even though the new sports car looks nice and drives well, it wouldn’t be good for a family.

When you buy a car, you need to know how much gas it will use. You don’t want to drive a car that was cheap to buy but costs a lot to keep going! Find a car that doesn’t cost much to buy outright and doesn’t cost much to fill up. You’ll be happier if your MPG is higher.

Now, it should be easier to find a good deal when you want to buy a car. It does not have to hurt. Use what you’ve learned, and go get the car you’ve always wanted.

How to Get the Car You Really Want

Buying a car should be a fun thing to do. Buying a new, shiny car can be fun, and so should the shopping for it. Most people think it’s stressful to buy a car, but you don’t have to make it that way. Use the tips below to make your shopping trip a good one.

You should be very serious about getting a car. Many people are so excited about getting a new car that they don’t think about how hard it is to do. Buying a car is a big investment of your money, so you should be as businesslike as possible.

When shopping for a new car, you should always bring a mechanic with you. Car dealers are known for selling bad cars, and you don’t want to be the next person they take advantage of. If you can’t take a mechanic with you to look at cars, at least have him look at the one you want to buy before you buy it.

Find out how much your trade-in is worth. You need to do research to find the best price for the new car you want to buy, and you also need to know how much your old car is worth. Do your research and find out how much your trade-in is worth at both retail and wholesale. Try to get the dealer to give you the retail value.

Be strong and aggressive. You’ll have to talk about the price of your car at some point, so don’t be afraid to push a little. Be ready to leave the dealership if you’re not getting anywhere. Give the offer a day or two, and then get back in touch with the salesman. If they know you’re willing to walk away, they’ll be more likely to take your offer or make a better one.

Read all of the fine print that is on the contract for the car you want to purchase. Even if you think the car salesman is being perfectly honest with you about everything involved, you need to make sure you are not signing anything that you will have regrets about later.

If the price of a car isn’t negotiable, see if there are other things you can talk about. Some dealerships will agree to give you free gas for a few months or free oil changes for a year, for example. It never hurts to ask if a salesman can sweeten the deal.

Before you go into the store, you should know your credit score. Your credit score will affect your financing rate, and knowing it will help you figure out how much you will have to pay for your car. Most of the time, people with the best credit scores get the best loan rates. You can be more realistic about your chances of getting the best deals if you know what yours is.

Talk to your bank or credit union before you head out to the dealership when you are in the market for a car. Find out how much of a loan you are eligible for. This will help you figure out how much you can spend and what kind of car you should look for.

Don’t decide which car to buy based on price alone. The price is important, but so is the dealership’s reputation. You want to find a place that is known for having great customer service and standing behind the cars they sell in case you have any problems down the road.

It is against the law for a car dealer to change the mileage on any car they sell. Even if they put in a new engine, it is still against the law. If you think a dealer is lying about a car’s mileage, you should leave and go somewhere else.

Sit down and write a list of what you want in a vehicle. Things that you need and things that you want should be kept separate. You shouldn’t wait to buy a car that meets all of your needs just because it doesn’t have everything you want.

Call the car lot and ask if they have the kind of car you want. If you go there, the salesperson will try very hard to get you to buy that car. When you have your heart set on something specific, like a hatchback, you will waste your time if you go to a dealership that doesn’t have what you want. You should make a call first.

When figuring out how much a car costs, you should think about how much it costs to run. Figure out how much you’ll spend on gas each month when figuring out your monthly car payment based on how well the car uses gas. After you add up how much you’ll spend on gas, a more expensive car that gets good gas mileage and a less expensive car that uses a lot of gas might cost you the same amount each month.

Many people get nervous when they think about buying a car, but as you can see, you don’t need to worry about it. A few tips can help you a lot. By using the advice above, you can get what you really want without having to go through a lot of stress.