Date:         Sat, 7 Jul 2001 19:22:06 -0500
Reply-To:     Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Organization: not likely
Subject:      uh-oh!! they're talking about us!!!! :)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

in Import Service Magazine, June 2001 (Vol. 14, No. 3)
(Information for the Professional Automotive Technician).

this is a freebie magazine that comes to shops that work on Imports,
if they choose to subscribe. published six times a year. for your own
shop's subscription, write to
Import Service
306 N. Cleveland Massillon Rd
Akron, OH 44398-6073

anyway, this is the Editorial article for this issue ...
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Editor's Notes
by Karl Seyfert <picture looks like a bus driver ... :)

Does your shop have a specialty or specialties? Are there certain
types of repairs that you feel your shop does a better job at than
other shops in your area? Are there certain vehicles that you enjoy
working on and that you feel more confident in diagnosing and
repairing than other vehicles?  Do you have any specialized training,
special tools or extensive work experience that make you a qualified
expert on a particular vehicle or vehicle system?  Do you do
restoration or repair work on a particular type of vehicle for your
customers or for enjoyment in your spare time?  Do you belong to any
auto-enthusiast clubs who members share your interests?

If your answer to any of these questions is "Yes," what are you doing
to let your customers and potential customers know about those special
qualifications?  If your answer is "Not much," I'd like to suggest you
start changing that situation as soon as possible.

We can probably agree that today's cars are more reliable and require
less mechanical attention than the vehicles that preceded them.  So
it's not a good idea to stand around and wait for these cars to break.
They still require routine maintenance, but changing the oil and oil
filters all day long isn't most technician's idea of a good time.  And
unless you're operating a quick-lube franchise, it's also not a very
effective way to support a successful business.

Less money is now spent per vehicle on repairs, but there are still
pockets of the automotive service market where money continues to be
spent, often without any serious consideration to the actual resale
value of the vehicle receiving the repairs.  The pocket I'm thinking
of is the specialty and collector car market.

Over winter, I decided to explore this market and find a new
mechanical project at the same time.  Even though National Public
Radio's Tappet Brothers named the Volkswagen Bus to their "10 Worst
Cars of the Millenium" list (#10), I set my sights on a Volkswagen
Vanagon with the Westfalia camper conversion.  Due to the liberal use
of road salt in our area and the fact that the newest Vanagons are now
more than 10 years old, it proved difficult to find a clean example of
this vehicle within a 500-mile radius.  Using the Internet, I widened
my search to cover most of the United States.  I figured I'd try to
find the right vehicle first, then worry about how I was going to get
it back to Ohio later.

I soon learned I was not alone in my interest in old Vanagons.  Two
websites:
www.vanagon.com and www.westfalia.org, allowed me to quickly fill in
the gaps in my Vanagon knowledge.  One of these sites also explained
how I could listen in on and participate in an international Vanagon
discussion, using the e-mail "list-server" technology that has been
successfully exploited by the International Automotive Technicians
Network (www.iatn.net) and many other special interest groups.

The Vanagon I ended up buying has over 280,000 miles on it.  The
original owner spent thousands of dollars to get it to last that long,
and seemed to have a few regrets for having done so, even though his
expenditures far exceeded the resale value of the vehicle.  In fact he
had nothing but good words to say about the shop that had done most of
the maintenance and repair work for him over his 15 years of
ownership.

As I continued my Vanagon research, I learned this is not an uncommon
situation.  Most owners of Vanagons and earlier VW buses are really
into their vehicles.  I believe this is also true for owners of other
specialty and collector cars.  Many of these people spend money freely
on their vehicles, are very knowledgeable about what they own and
represent an attractive market segment for shops willing to go after
their business.

While "lurking" on the Vanagon e-mail list, I have also noticed a
frequently repeated request among list members.  Some of the list
members appear to have above average mechanical abilities, but many
others do not.  Those who lack the ability to make their own repairs
often ask for repair shop recommendations.  While it might be
relatively easy to find someone to service your late model Camry, it
can be a bit of a challenge when your chosen vehicle never enjoyed
mainstream popularity, had questionable mechanical credentials and has
not been sold in this country for about 10 years.

Almost without exception, the requests for referrals I've seen have
been answered with glowing repair shop recommendations from other list
members.  Satisfied customers love to brag about "their mechanics".
The recommended shops are getting plenty of free PR and are doubtless
receiving some additional business as well.

Perhaps you're a Vanagon specialist, but it's more likely your
expertise lies in other areas.  Whatever the case, take the time to
make sure people in your community know who you are and what your shop
does.  If you've got an unusual specialty, make sure you let them know
about that, too.  Ask your satisified customers to tell their friends.
Word-of-mouth recommendations, including words over the wire, are
still the best kind of advertising for your shop.