EMERYVILLE, Calif. RepairPal (http://repairpal.com) has launched what it claims to be the only online source of complete pricing information for scheduled maintenance services for the top 40 makes of cars, including the additional services that are most frequently recommended by mechanics and manufacturers. By incorporating the additional services with pricing for parts and labor, RepairPal provides all the information consumers need to easily determine how much they should pay for a regular service.
Auto manufacturers provide several different maintenance schedules for every vehicle — a basic “normal” schedule in the owner’s manual, as well as additional details about “severe” services to address differences in climate, driving habits and other adverse conditions. Because of this complexity, consumers can see a wide range of prices and offerings at local shops and dealerships.
Mechanics often recommend additional services that make standard estimates practically impossible to establish. These extra services are usually based on individual customer’s driving habits, geography (weather conditions can affect which parts may wear out faster) and special uses (such as towing trailers), and can significantly affect the final price of a regular maintenance visit.
“We spent 14 months conducting research and employed sophisticated database modeling to develop our scheduled maintenance estimates,” explained David Sturtz, CEO, RepairPal. “We also consulted with our many experts to determine the other services that are typically recommended at each mileage interval under various conditions. The result of our efforts is a free, accurate and user-tailored product that’s unique within the industry.”
To use the new estimator simply go to repairpal.com, get an estimate for your vehicle, then select one of the service intervals listed under “Scheduled Maintenance” in the top left corner of the service selection pop-up menu. RepairPal provides scheduled maintenance estimates for all of the more than 6,000 vehicles under coverage and includes maintenance intervals up to 150,000 miles.