Car Parts Shortage Hitting Auto Shops

The supply chain issues have hit auto repair garages like ours, at Cruise Transmission & Auto Repair, hard.  It isn’t only a shortage of semiconductors anymore.  The global supply chain disruption has made normally easy-to-obtain parts increasingly difficult to come by.  The number of parts on national backorder has increased exponentially.

What used to be a simple phone call to a local supplier has now become a logistical nightmare for us.  We now search the internet to see if we can get parts shipped directly to us.  Unfortunately, that also incurs shipping costs that we did not have to deal with before; while still leaving us hoping we can obtain parts in a timely manner.  Typical delays that used to be a day or so have turned into sometimes weeks for availability.

Telling a customer that we don’t really have a timeline when their vehicle will be ready has been frustrating.  We don’t want to make promises that we just can’t keep.  The only upside is that most customers have experienced the pandemic-era shortages in other areas as well.

For now, we are doing the best we can to get our customers back on the road as fast as we can.  We are very grateful for their patience in this difficult situation. 

Please know that during this pandemic, we at Cruise Transmission & Auto Repair continue to take steps to ensure the health and safety of our customers, staff, and community.  Please stay safe.

What You Should Know About Parts Replacement

What You Should Know About Parts Replacement

As with anything, it’s important to know what you are entitled to when it comes to part replacement.  When you come to any repair facility you should know that you are entitled by law to the return of all parts that are replaced in your car.

 There are a couple exceptions to this.  One is when the parts are too large or heavy and not easily portable. The facility may not prevent the customer from removing it, but it would be at the customer’s expense.  If the part is considered flammable, for safety reasons the facility is not required to return the part.  Finally, if the part is required to be sent back to the manufacturer or distributor because of core value or warranty it does not have to given to the customer. Facilities are charged a core fee until the old part is returned to the distributor.   If it is a core issue, the customer does have the option to pay the fee and receive the old part.

All replaced parts not returned to the customer must be kept by the facility for a minimum of two business days after the vehicle has been reclaimed by the customer.

Whether you choose to take the old parts or not you are always entitled to inspect the parts.  This includes those that cannot be returned because of size or exchange agreement.  This is also an opportunity to inspect and better understand why the part failed. 

In the case of an insurance paid transaction, it is important for the customer to know that they have the right to the returned parts; not the insurance company.

At Cruise Transmission & Auto Repair we try very hard to consciously recycle old parts.  The used parts that do not go back to the customer, manufacturer or distributor are disposed of through a reputable scrap metal company.  We DO NOT simply throw them in the trash. 

Please know that during this COVID pandemic, we at Cruise Transmission & Auto Repair continue to take steps to ensure the safety and health of our customers, staff and community.  Please staff safe!

Preparing your car for winter

Preparing Your Car For Winter

Michigan winters can take their toll on your vehicle. Winter season is upon us and with that it’s time to make sure that you do some preventative maintenance. Take the time now to have these things looked over on your vehicle:

  • Have all fluids checked and filled including engine coolant (anti-freeze), brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid.
  • Ensure that coolants are topped off.
  • Rotate tires and have air pressure checked. Changes in cold weather impact the pressure in your tires. Under inflated tires are hazardous in icy conditions because they are likely to lose traction. Typical tire pressure varies by car. Check your owner’s manual for your vehicle’s optimal tire pressure.
  • Check the belts and hoses and ensure that exposure to cold temperatures hasn’t caused cracks.
  • Have the battery checked. Your car requires more power from the battery to start in colder temperatures.
  • Get an oil change. This isn’t just something to do seasonally, but on a very regular basis.
  • Check that wiper blades are in good working order and will properly clear ice and snow from your windshield.
  • It’s always a good idea to have a hoist and overall visual check.

In addition to preparing your car for winter, you’ll want to consider keeping some important safety equipment in your car. In the event that you, or someone else has car trouble, these things can come in handy:

  • Jumper cables
  • Reflective safety triangle – this is especially helpful when stranded at night
  • Shovel – they make great compact ones that take up no space at all
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Blanket
  • Wheel locks – always leave them in your car

Winterizing your car is important preventative maintenance and helps keep you safe while driving on snowy and icy roads. Rest assured, Cruise Transmission is taking steps to ensure the safety of our clients, staff and community during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We offer convenient 24/7 contactless drop off, we wear masks and gloves when entering your vehicle, and we sanitize the vehicle when maintenance and repairs are complete. Click here to read more about our response to the pandemic.

Stay safe this winter!

Covid-19 Response

A Simple Handshake

While this national pandemic surrounding COVID-19 is not over, we at Cruise Transmission & Auto Repair continue to have in the forefront of our everyday work the health and safety of our employees and customers. We are cleaning and disinfecting all hard surfaces on a daily basis. We have sanitizer for use in the entrance and continue to wear masks and gloves each and every time we enter a vehicle. In compliance with the Governors order we are requiring everyone that enters the building to also wear a mask.

Our hearts and gratitude continue to go out to the selfless healthcare professionals and all essential workers tirelessly continuing to do their jobs each day. Please continue to wear your masks and practice social distancing. 

Since this pandemic has started we have been practicing safety protocol, but we have realized during this time there are so many things we miss.  We miss having our customers sit across this desk from us and have the time to connect with them, but most importantly we miss that simple handshake. It is something before this pandemic we all may have taken for granted, but we will not anymore. Please know that even though we can’t right now, we look forward to a time when we can again. Please stay safe.