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Category Archives: Service Standards

What Colorado Springs Customers like About Us at Lighthouse Automotive

A big part of the service we provide at Lighthouse Automotive for our Colorado Springs customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions. And we're always open to questions from our valued Colorado Springs area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our Lighthouse Automotive automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask. We've found our Colorado Springs customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that Lighthouse Automotive is not just pulling them out of the air. We know that people in Colorado Springs live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our Lighthouse Automotive service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't ... read more

How Does Lighthouse Automotive Know What to Recommend?

When you drop your vehicle off at Lighthouse Automotive in Colorado Springs, they don't just poke around under your hood looking for stuff to do. Lighthouse Automotive professionals have lists and procedures they follow for different types of service. First of all, your Colorado Springs service center will note the mileage on your vehicle. They'll then check to see what inspections and services the vehicle manufacturer recommends for a vehicle of your make, model and mileage. If you are a regular customer, they will also check your vehicle's history.If the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations go beyond the services you've ordered, they'll let you know. They'll also indicate whether those services are urgent or if you can wait a while to take care of them. The Lighthouse Automotive pros won't do work that you don't agree to.They will, however, perform inspections while they're servicing your vehicle. They'll check belts, filters and fluids. They'll check your win ... read more

What You Need to Know from Your Lighthouse Automotive Service Advisor

Colorado Springs drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren't sure how to ask. They don't want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don't want to make the service technician feel that they don't trust him.If your service advisor at Lighthouse Automotive uses a term you don't understand, just ask him to explain. Remember, they are the auto service experts. If they came to your place of work, they probably wouldn't understand the jargon, either. When you take your vehicle in to be serviced, make sure you understand the financial issues up front. Ask about payment policies, warranties and, of course, the cost of the work being done.It helps to understand basic services your vehicle needs. Know the difference between a quick check-up and a thorough inspection, which you are getting and which you are asking for. Understand that diagnosing a problem takes time, and time isn't free. If you have concerns ... read more

Ethics of Automotive Repair in Colorado Springs

We're going to be talking about the ethics of automotive repair. It seems like news outlets really like hit-and-run reporting; they hit everyone from groceries stores to retail to physicians. And the Colorado Springs automotive service and repair industry hasn't been given a pass either.Unfortunately, every profession in Colorado Springs has some bad actors that hurt the reputation of everyone else. On the automotive side, industry associations and professional licensing organizations are very committed to high ethical standards.Yet some people remain uncomfortable with Colorado Springs automotive service and repair. It may start with the fact that our vehicles are a big investment and we rely on them for so much in our lives. That alone guarantees our attention. And how well we understand the recommendations really impacts our comfort level.If we understand what's recommended and the benefits of taking care of the work – and the pitfalls ... read more

Speak Up: Talking with Your Lighthouse Automotive Service Advisor

About 80% of the vehicles on Colorado Springs roads today are behind on their preventive maintenance schedules. That translates to about 160 million vehicles in the United States that aren't performing as well as they could be - thousands right here in Colorado. Some of the maintenance issues are minor. Others represent serious safety concerns. There are many reasons Colorado Springs drivers neglect their routine car care. Some of the more common ones are complacency, lack of confidence, lack of trust and budget issues. Modern vehicles are amazingly reliable compared to their older counterparts. They can run for years without any repairs, and we sometimes translate that to mean they don't need any maintenance. The trouble is that without maintenance, parts in the vehicle are gradually wearing out, fluids are getting dirty, oil is developing sludge — a lot of stuff is happening that we can't see, and it is destroying the vehicle. The first time we ... read more

On Board Diagnostics for Your vehicle

Today we're going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions we hear from folks around Colorado Springs, Colorado, who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in Colorado Springs.These are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history.Since 1996, all cars and light trucks in Colorado Springs, Colorado, have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module – the computer that controls many engine functions.The computer monitors dozens of components and processes. Depending on what the sensors read, the computer will make adjustments to compensate for conditions and minor problems. When there is a ... read more

What Colorado Springs Automotive Service Consumers Should Know

There are some things drivers should know about Colorado Springs car service and repair. First and foremost, Lighthouse Automotive cares about you and your family's safety. And we really appreciate your business. Lighthouse Automotive in Colorado Springs wants to build a trusting relationship that becomes the foundation for a mutually beneficial experience for years to come.Building on that foundation, there are some things that would help you understand the auto service and repair business better. First, it can be really hard to fix vehicles. The days of shade tree mechanics are long gone. The majority of automotive systems are computerized. It takes a lot of training and very expensive equipment to diagnose and repair modern vehicles. The pros who work for Lighthouse Automotive need extensive computer training – not just how to run the diagnostic systems, but also searching for the right parts, networking with other technicians to help them with ... read more

On Board Diagnostics for Colorado Springs Motorists

Some Colorado Springs vehicle owners wonder why Lighthouse Automotive and other Colorado Springs auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics. Receiving a diagnostic charge at Lighthouse Automotive for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Colorado Springs area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy Colorado road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Lighthouse Automotive diagnosis may be much more involved.Much of the Colorado Springs driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem. There's a common misconception among Colorado drivers that the trouble code tells the Lighthou ... read more

Colorado Springs Customer Detective Work

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Lighthouse Automotive is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So, it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.Let us at Lighthouse Automotive introduce you to something we'll call 'Customer Detective Work' –  helping your technician find clues to what's wrong.We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me; You come in to Lighthouse Automotive and your car is making a funny sound... Q: Where's the sound? A: Around the right front wheel. Q: What kind of sound? A: Kind of a clunk, clunk ... read more

Service Center Standard and Procedures

All Colorado pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget steps. It is also how they can assure a predictable outcome. That is why Colorado Springs automotive service centers including Lighthouse Automotive have procedural standards for each service they perform. Lighthouse Automotive technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, Colorado service centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and Colorado Springs customers leave happy with how their vehicle performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The Colorado automotive industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual Colorado service center operators to apply them to every veh ... read more

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