Don't Get Caught in a Windshield Replacement Scam!

It is estimated that there are an average of 80,000 windshields replaced every month in Arizona! But just how many of these really needed to be replaced??

We have all been approached by persistent auto glass salespeople representing Phoenix auto glass companies at our local car washes:

• "I can repair those chips in your windshield within minutes," they say.


• "We just need your insurance policy information and you will be on your way."

However, repairing minor chips and cracks is one thing; total replacement of your windshield when it's not necessary costs everyone, including you, additional money and possibly even jail time!

In some states, insurance companies are required by law to waive the deductible for damaged or broken windshields in an effort to encourage vehicle owners to make the repairs. However, some companies are using that loophole to convince consumers they can have new windshields for free since they are fully covered.

The dishonest glass companies, also referred to as "glass claims harvesters," will rent parking lot space from Arizona auto repair facilities, car washes or gas stations to seek business through unnecessary auto glass replacements. Once the car owner agrees to the deal, the harvester will subcontract the replacement with another, less expensive glass company and turn a profit from your insurance claim. Some harvesters will impersonate the insured and obtain multiple glass claims.

The following are several windshield replacement scams you should be aware of:

• Replacing expensive windshields which only have a small crack or chip that could easily be fixed. They might also charge insurers to replace several chips when only one chip was repaired. Some con artists charge your policy for several windshield replacements without you knowing it!


• The crooks might convince motorists to participate by offering freebies such as steaks, movie tickets or car washes. In addition, they might offer cash rebates or inflate the repair bill to cover the deductible.

Oftentimes, these "fly-by-night" operators are poorly trained and work out of pickup trucks in parking lots, quickly disappearing after the shoddy repairs. You might see them approach people at car washes, gas stations or conveniences stores. In addition to the safety risk from cheap substandard glass or shoddy workmanship, you could face increased premiums or possible loss of coverage due to multiple hits on your policy.

And the worst possible scenario? You could face jail and fines for insurance fraud!

Everyone else's premiums also increase in the long run due to fraud losses passed onto honest policyholders.

According to Doug Ashbridge, Director of Special Investigations for Farmers Insurance Group, property casualty insurance fraud costs consumers $20 billion each year and is probably present in as many as 10 percent of claims filed.

If you are approached by a salesperson insisting on an unnecessary windshield replacement, just say no! Report the incident to your state insurance department. If you need repairs, contact your insurance agent for reputable glass companies in your area.

When to Replace Oxygen Sensors in Your Car or Truck

What is an oxygen sensor? In the simplest form, it is a sensor that measures oxygen. In a more complex form it accomplishes much more than this. Its role is to provide the engine computer in your car or truck with accurate measurements of the levels of oxygen in the exhaust. Accurate data is important, as this data is used to determine the perfect oxygen to fuel for your vehicle's engine. Without accurate data, a failing O2 sensor can have a negative impact on your vehicle's overall performance.

So this begs the question of when to replace an oxygen sensor in your car or truck. Should you wait until the check engine light turns on, or should you take preventative measures and change the part before it completely fails. How you handle this situation is probably going to reflect your personality. If you are a procrastinator, you will more than likely just wait until the part fails and the check engine light comes on. If you tend to fix things ahead of time to save yourself future grief, you will more than likely replace the part before it fails.

Although both options are feasible, taking preventative measures should win out in the end. Most car manufacturers suggest replacing your vehicle's oxygen sensor between 60,000 and 90,000 miles in order to keep your vehicle's engine operating at optimal performance. This is because a failing oxygen sensor will give inaccurate readings to your engine's computer, which will create an improper air to fuel mixture. Having a fuel to air mixture that doesn't meet your vehicle requirements will lead to excess fuel consumption, as it will create a mixture that has too little or too much oxygen it it. It also leads to excess wear and tear as your vehicle's exhaust system is forced to work under harder circumstances. Also, your vehicle will release higher levels of pollutants into the environment as a result of an improper mixture.

Replacing an O2 sensor is considered a simple automotive repair job for intermediate mechanics. If you aren't certain on how to change an oxygen sensor, just bring your vehicle to your nearest mechanic and they will be able to replace it for you. Now that you know some of the negative side effects of a failing oxygen sensor, you can make your own informed decision on when to replace the oxygen sensor in your car or truck.

Watch Out For Unnecessary Auto Repair Costs

Unnecessary auto repairs are one of the easiest ways in which average consumers lose money every year. If you are not knowledgeable about auto service, you might think you have no way of knowing whether your mechanic is burdening you with unnecessary costs or not. However, if you know what to watch out for, meaning if you keep in mind the most common ways in which sketchy auto shops try to make extra money, you can get better at avoiding the pitfalls.  

Unnecessary Part Replacement

Unethical mechanics will sometimes try to tell you that a certain part of the car needs replacing, when in fact it does not. If an unexpected part replacement is suggested, ask the mechanic to show you the exact part, and mark it in some way so you can check back on it. Request that he give you the old part back, to make sure that it was indeed even replaced. You can then, if you want, take it to a third party so they can check if the part was even broken.

Unauthorized Work

Telling your mechanic to "do whatever is necessary" is like giving him blank check to charge you as much as he wants. Granted, most mechanics will be honest with you, but the point is to not take the risk. Always ask for a repair estimate, or work order, that lists every repair that you have authorized. Double check the itemized list before signing, so that you know exactly how much you are being charged for what. If it ends up being more that the original estimate, you'll know to ask about it. 

Too-Low-Priced Deals

Auto service shops that advertise incredibly low-priced services are called "loss leaders". Meaning that they know they will lose money on the low-priced service, but they do so in hopes that when customers come in for said deal, they [the mechanics] can sell the customers on additional repair that the customer did not know were needed. Always ask the mechanic to explain why a repair is needed. If you're not convinced, go to another shop and ask for a second opinion.

Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnoses are not always intentional. Mechanics make honest mistakes just like everyone else. So when you get a diagnosis, make sure that it matches up with the symptoms you've been seeing in your car, and never be afraid to ask questions to make sure that you understand everything that is being said and done by the auto service shop.

Getting Compensation For Auto Body Collision Repair

If you are involved in a car accident you may be concerned with recovering compensation for your property damage. In addition your out of pocket expenses can include bills for medication, doctors and physical therapy. Aside from the medical issues which you might be facing you will likely have to get your vehicle repaired. There may be problems with the engine, or components which need repaired or replaced, but it is likely that your biggest cost will be the repair and body work on your car. Getting into a collision can cause serious damage to the body of your car, which may cost you thousands of dollars. Speak to a car accident attorney immediately following any car accident to determine your potential avenues of reimbursement for these expense.

In many cases, the insurance company will pay for the damage to your car, assuming that the other driver was insured. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes the insurance company denies your claim and says that they are not liable, either because the accident was not covered under their policy or an issue of fault. An insurance claims adjustor will likely want to look at your car and then talk to you, either on the phone or in person. When the insurance company denies your claim, it can be frustrating because you are stuck with the repair bills.

However, this is not the only case where you will be forced to pay the repair bills yourself. If the other driver is uninsured, then you may get stuck with the bills for the body work and repairs done to your vehicle. This can run into thousands of dollars, or even a brand new car if your vehicle is completely totaled. Although having liability insurance on your vehicle is required by law in California, there may as many as fifteen percent of motorists on California highways that are not carrying any sort of insurance.

If this is the case, then you must pursue action, either against the insurance company, if they have in fact denied your claim unfairly. You may have to prove that the accident was in fact, covered by their policy or you may have to prove fault on the car accident itself. This can be a daunting and difficult task. If the motorist was insured, or if the insurance company was correct in their assessment, you may have to pursue action against the motorist themselves, to recover the money that you now have to pay to fix your car, and the medical bills you face.

An attorney can help you with this task, making the process less scary and more apt to succeed. An attorney can advise you on how to proceed, and who to name in your suit, as well as on settlement amounts and whether or not you will have to go to court. A car accident attorney will have experience in car accident claims and personal injury cases. and southern The car accident attorney can help you to prepare and present a case if you have been injured or had your vehicle damaged in an accident, so that you are not stuck with all the bills.

Locating A TV Repair Shop

Let's say you're in the middle of watching your all time favorite TV show, with perfectly cooked Hot Pocket in hand and then the unthinkable happens; your TV stops working for some unknown reason. After cursing the vengeance of the Gods, what are you to do? You intelligently recall that your TV channels over 30000 Volts at one time or another, so you opt to find a TV repair service. Now what?

Using the provided services from Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Sony and Philips:

Well, you are in luck. Most major TV manufacturers have service centers both online and in their stores. For example, Panasonic's Support can be found on the Panasonic website. It is very useful to have your TV's model number, which can usually be found in the manual if you are lucky enough to have kept it, or somewhere on the TV, probably near the company logo or on the back by the electronics. Oftentimes, it will be written on a sticker which contains a vast amount of other important information. Sony also offers a similar service to that of Panasonic on their support website.

The flip side of that coin is for companies like Mitsubishi TV, Panasonic TV and Philips TV. Instead of offering their own service center, they make public various repair techniques on websites such as eserviceinfo.com. Again, knowing your television's model number is a great help in discovering what you need to do.

When it comes to finding a TV repairman of your own, keep in mind that you will want to pay an actual, trained professional. Your neighbor's son's cousin might be really good with electronics, but unless he's certified and insured through your TV's company and/or warranty, he will not be obligated to buy you a new TV when yours inadvertently bursts into flames. We recommend starting with the good old-fashioned yellow pages, or at least the internet counterpart website of yellow pages. Also, to make certain you come in contact with a reputable repairman, Angie's List However, Angie's List does charge for access to its user-based information and recommendations.

Things to remember:

When getting your television fixed, it's important to remember that sometimes, a professional is required. When choosing the right TV repair professional for you, make sure that they are certified, and that their service is within the parameters of compliance set in your TV's warranty. If you're outside the warranty time frame, just ensure that they are endorsed through the company which made your TV in the first place.

How To Keep Your Car Repair Costs To A Minimum

Like death and taxes, car repairs are an unavoidable part of life and with the costs involved in keeping a car in good shape increasing all the time it is important to know the best strategies for avoiding unnecessary expenses. Some of these savings can be made simply by following maintenance schedules for your vehicle but more importantly knowing how to deal with the repairer when it comes time for a visit to the repair shop.

From being a self employed motor mechanic for the last six years of my life and hearing tales of woe from vehicle owners on an almost daily basis I can comfortably say that there are more dishonest shop owners in our industry than we would care to admit. Unfortunately when the consumer is totally uneducated to the way these repair shops work they are often taken for a ride, simply because they have no choice but to believe what they are being told by the repairer.

The key here is knowledge. Arming yourself even with the most basic information about how your vehicle works and what to look for in a repairer has the potential to save you thousands of dollars on your repair bills. Many repairers will take your lack of knowledge about your motor vehicle as an invitation to fill your head with stories of additional repairs need to be carried out and why these repairs need to be done immediately when this simply may not be the case.

Quite a few workshops also employ tactics that encourage you to take your car in for a discount service that may seem great value on the outside but often times it is merely a way to get your car in their workshop so they can up sell you on a host of other 'necessary' repairs. Don't get me wrong, I am all for making a living from the service you provide but how can you be sure that what you are being told is the absolute truth?

Sure there are honest mechanics and workshop owners out there and if you have been lucky enough to find one I suggest you treat them like gold. If they value your business and their reputation I am sure they will treat you just as good however if you have not been so lucky now is the time to educate yourself and start saving your hard earned dollars instead of lining the pockets of these not-so-honest operators.

Great Auto Mechanic Shops To Trust

When your car breaks down, of course, you would not want just another auto mechanic to lay his hands on your car. Like an investment, all car maintenance that you would like to get done with your car should be done by the expert hands of a trusted auto mechanic. From left to right, there are a lot of auto mechanic shops sprouting here and there which make you more confused on where to entrust your car.

Although there are a lot of car repair shops in almost every area, there are still quite a few that you can trust a hundred percent. There are essential things to consider that will help you on how to look for credible auto mechanic shops:

1. A reliable auto repair shop should be complete with all the necessary equipment for car repair. It is better if the shops have computer technology. This way, diagnosing the car problem only takes a minute, sometimes even less, than deal with guessing game. At least with the help of modern technology, the problem is immediately seen, resulting to proper action that also immediately takes place.

2. Honesty of the mechanics still has a major impact on choosing the best auto mechanic shops. At times, there is no need for fixing, yet, just to acquire more profit some mechanics offer to fix unnecessary things. As a result you will be billed more than what is actually needed. You can ask around for mechanics who work honestly. This is not a toxic thing to do since words of good deeds especially with honesty spread around too often and in no time at all, you will get to meet that honest mechanic.

3. Mechanics should be knowledgeable about their skills. Your car's performance depends on the hands of these mechanics. So it is better to scout some certifications posted around the auto mechanic shops to satisfy your curiosity as to where the mechanics gather their skills and experience. When the mechanics repair your car, it is also note-worthy to ask him once in a while how he gained such knowledge in automobiles. Simple hints will give you a clue about his knowledge on automobiles.

4. Pricing should be fair and square. A great repair deserves an equal pricing but not exuberant or over pricing. Doing your own research and compare the repair estimates from one shop to another will help you seek a great mechanic shop especially if you are tight in a budget.

Auto mechanic shops that have complete equipment, with honest and knowledgeable mechanics, and offers satisfactory pricing on their service seem to be perfect. It is definitely a suitable haven for your car. Once you find the right kind of shop, you will definitely feel good entrusting your car.