Is Having Pep Boys As Our Go To Place For The Elio A Good Idea?

[ross]

I have used the same independent mechanic on all my vehicles for over 30 years (unless it was warranty work, then it went to the dealer). I know him and trust him and suggest if and when you find a good mechanic you trust, treat him fairly, take him all your business, recommend him to your friends and you will be very satisfied. My guy knows about the Elio, Is anxious for me to get mine (2) and will be doing all the service work that I can't handle myself.

 

[Thomas Maule]

It was big news a little while ago that

EM has stated if there isn't a Pep Boys close, they will find you alternate service providers.

i imagine that it is not that difficult to provide a few standard support beam adapters for various lifts.

 

[Ty]

I don't think so since that would require a large up-front investment from a business that hasn't turned a profit in years in an industry with razor-thin margins. I.e. not going to happen.

Based on what I've read, Icahn is looking to sell the service side of the business anyway, so the agreement will likely go with that and be owned by somebody else before this year is out. By the time Elio begins deliveries, service will likely be provided under the Midas, Jiffy Lube, NAPA, or other national brand.

Large upfront investment? Even half of the fleet Elios would only cost $350K. I would think having 50 Elios with a Pep Boys wrap would be great advertising. Nowhere does Elio talk about the price of the first Elios. Can you see the additional foot traffic an Elio would bring to Pep Boys. How about parts delivery? "Pep Boys. Partnering with the American-made Elio to bring you a better tomorrow today. Come see the 84 MPG vehicle taking the country by storm at your local Pep Boys and while there, shop for all your automotive needs."

 

[Ty]

Simple economics: Every car that comes in and takes up time and space has to return $1000 in revenue in order to turn a profit at typical margins. Anything less than that and the repair is on-average a net loss for the shop.

That's why it's almost impossible now to get out of a repair shop, especially a corporate chain shop, for less than $1000.

Also why I do most of my own repair work now. $1000 buys lots of tools and extra parts if I do it wrong once or twice.

WOW. I have NEVER had a repair bill close to $1,000. I guess they've been losing money on me for 30 years.

 

[Ty]

It was big news a little while ago that

i imagine that it is not that difficult to provide a few standard support beam adapters for various lifts.

You guys are thinking about drive on lifts. Most of the lifts I use have the swinging beams that lift the car by its frame letting the wheels hang. You can't change tires if the car is sitting on them.

 

[grampi]

I have used the same independent mechanic on all my vehicles for over 30 years (unless it was warranty work, then it went to the dealer). I know him and trust him and suggest if and when you find a good mechanic you trust, treat him fairly, take him all your business, recommend him to your friends and you will be very satisfied. My guy knows about the Elio, Is anxious for me to get mine (2) and will be doing all the service work that I can't handle myself.

Will we have the option of doing this for warranty work without voiding the warranty?

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

EM has stated if there isn't a Pep Boys close, they will find you alternate service providers.

You answered the question:
What if there isn't a Pep Boys near my area and i need warranty work?

This is not an answer to MY questions.

My questions are:

Is Pep Boys and EXCLUSIVE provider?

Or can anyone set up an Elio service center?

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Is Pep Boys and EXCLUSIVE provider?

He answered your question: "EM has stated if there isn't a Pep Boys close, they will find you alternate service providers."
Parse that sentence and it's obvious they are not "EXCLUSIVE".

Or can anyone set up an Elio service center?

That's a poorly-constructed question.

Do you mean authorized service center? Not without EM's approval, and probably not if there is a Pep Boys within a certain distance.

Do you mean simply a place that can fix Elios? Sure, it's still a (kinda) free country.

 

[lschilders]

My Elio will never see the inside of a Pep Boys. I wouldn't take my Grandson's little red wagon to those people.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

WOW. I have NEVER had a repair bill close to $1,000. I guess they've been losing money on me for 30 years.

Lucky you. You must not keep vehicles very long or use them very much.

Will we have the option of doing this for warranty work without voiding the warranty?

Shops that are not authorized service centers generally can't perform warranty work on a manufacturer's product. If you want warranty work done on your Elio, an authorized service center will have to perform it.

That said, the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act protects you from EM arbitrarily voiding your warranty. If you choose to, say, have a non-EM shop replace a defective water pump with a non-EM water pump and pay for it yourself, that does not void the warranty on the engine or any other part of the vehicle.

It DOES void the warranty on the water pump, obviously. It also MAY void the warranty on the engine if the non-EM pump fails and causes engine damage. Elio can, rightly, claim the unauthorized repair caused the failure of the warrantied part and thus voided the warranty. But again, that would only void the warranty on the engine. The rest of the vehicle is still covered.

If the engine fails and the pump did not cause it, EM can't point at the pump and say "not authorized" and void your engine warranty.