What's in a Name?

Years ago, independent auto repair shops who specialized in a certain make of car were likely to have the manufacturer's name in their business name. Remember Honda's Only and Toyota's Only? Eventually, manufacturers asked that independent shops change this practice.

At the request of Volvo Cars of North America, you will notice a few subtle changes to our name. We now address ourselves officially as SVS Automotive. Since most of you have referred to us as "SVS" for years you'll hardly notice a difference!

Independent vs. Dealer

It's an age-old question: Where do you go for service after your warranty runs out - back to the dealer or to an established independent shop?

Its easy for me to appear biased toward the independent shop (I am), but most of our customers know that we're as objective as we can be and that we are genuinely concerned for the health and safety of their Volvo.

Having said all of that, here are some dealer tactics to watch out for:

• Low bid, up-sell: This one can be a real killer. Be sure to request the complete repair estimate, and not just the initial diagnosis. If its a maintainence issue, be sure they do the minimum services on the factory list. You can find this in the owner's manual.
• Bait and Switch: Does the low price estimate sound too good to be true? Is is significantly lower that the other estimates you've received? How does it compare to shops that work on everything? How does it compare to a Volvo specialist?
• Slanderous opinion of other repair facilities. Are they disparaging your previous choices for service? How ell do they know your driving habits, you family, or your business?
• Berating the Customer: Have you ever felt pressured into making a repair decision? Is the service writer doing cartwheels and laughing hysterically on his way to tell you the bad news?

We know there are some very good car dealers out there, but there are a few that can try one's patience. SOmetimes it feels like the dealer servies the factory and not you. Yes, I am biased - but I also speak from the experience of our customers.

Thanks, and happy driving!

Robert

SVS Automotive Corporation Goes Green

Evolving into a "green" business takes a lot of planning and research, but its worth it. In the long run, running your business with green practices in mind makes all the sense in the world, and it doesn't happen overnight. Changing a half-century of doing things a certain way is challenging, but we're working on it.

In fact, SVS Automotive was working toward becoming green long before there was a word for it. We have been recycling oil for 10 years, and capturing and properly disposing of other parts and lubricants as well.

Thanks, Robert

SVS Muffler Shop is Now Open!

You know the old adage "If you want a job done right, do it yourself"? Well, after years of disappointment with outsourcing our customer's muffler and exhaust work, we've have decided to open up our own shop! Its very exciting because now I know that we'll offer the same quality and commitment to the underside of your car as we do everywhere else.

Call us at (916) 971-6730, or come by:

2542B Tower Avenue

Sacramento MAP

You can also visit our website: www.svsmuffler.com

Thanks!

Robert Marcello, President SVS Automotive

More horsepower, and a way to prove it!

SVS R & D may not be a household word yet, but if you drive a high performance car you'll want to add it to your vocabulary right away! We can improve the performance of your Corvette, LX (Mopar Muscle!), and lots of other high-end muscle cars. More importantly, we can verify the performance with our top-end dynamometer. If you've invested fifty or eighty grand in your ride, don't you want to be sure it can handle all the power you expect?

Here's a link to our R & D website to learn more about the incredible things our guys are doing: www.svsrnd.com/

Hold on tight! - Robert

Tips on Volvo Fuel Efficiency

Everybody's talking about it - High gas prices! Well, I really don't know if it will go that high, but I do know you can take immediate steps to get better mileage out of your Volvo. Here are 3 things you can do right now to improve fuel efficiency:

1. Check the air pressure in your tires. Under-inflated tires are a drag on mileage.

2. Be sure your car is tuned properly. Things like air filters, fuel filters, oil and oil filters, O2 sensors and PCV valves, etc. all need to be in good working order.

3. Drive more efficiently. By observing the speed limit, removing excess weight, and using your cruise control, you can save anywhere from 5-33% on fuel (according to the US Department of Energy).

For more information about our Volvo repair and maintenance shop visit the SVS website.

Happy driving! - Robert