It's a little-known secret, but some of the most popular vehicles on the road today turn out to be the most expensive cars to maintain. There are numerous surprises that arise for owners of high-end, luxury vehicles that many people either have or aspire to have. Some of them are actually a pain for auto shop owners and mechanics to keep on the road.   

Unexpected maintenance on cars, trucks, and SUVs can tremendously impact car owners. Not only are they expensive to repair, but they can also be time-consuming to maintain.

However, by working together, owners of these popular cars and the shops that service them can smooth out these maintenance issues, keeping the former in the driver's seat and the latter in their good graces.

Popular Cars, Hidden Maintenance Challenges

In general, the vehicles that have the most expensive oil changes and pricy maintenance for other everyday needs are high-end luxury vehicles. Many of these vehicles are foreign. It's a good bet that everything from a Mercedes Benz to a BMW will have significant maintenance costs.

In fact, everything from the fuel price to parts and the intricate way these automobiles are built can compound the cost of maintaining one. The same sentiment applies to Porsches, Jaguars, Volvos, Audis, and Infinitis. On the domestic side, Cadillacs and Lincolns might surprise shops and owners alike with how expensive they are to maintain.

How Shops Can Help

There are a couple of ways shops can help owners to keep these high-maintenance cars on the road. The first is by giving owners as much notice as possible of upcoming maintenance work. By letting owners know that, not this visit, but the next visit, a belt replacement is recommended, or new tires are needed, owners will have time to prepare for such work.

The highest maintenance cars will typically require some time to work on and to get parts. Shops should set that expectation for owners upfront when they come in, so owners know what to expect in terms of how much time is required for maintenance. Additionally, shops can do their part by excelling in the maintenance work they perform, from assigning jobs on cars with high maintenance costs to the best technicians to scheduling appointments around the customer's availability.

The Recall Situation

Since the most expensive high-end vehicles are ones that are new or recently purchased, it's necessary for owners of these vehicles to stay in the know about recalls. Recalls can still impact owners of some of the most expensive cars to maintain, even if they're older models. In most cases, dealers will contact owners directly about recalls.

Still, it never hurts for drivers of these vehicles to check themselves for upcoming recalls. Additionally, it's always prudent to communicate any changes to a vehicle due to a recall to the shops that are called upon to maintain these cars—especially if they're working on a part or system component related to the recall.

Communicating with Owners

The leading thing shops can do to ease the pain of unexpected, pricy maintenance on the highest maintenance cars is to communicate early and often with customers about it. Doing so can involve giving customers advance notice about likely maintenance and showing them pictures and videos of the parts of the vehicle where maintenance is required or soon will be required.

This form of communication is particularly effective for demonstrating to the owner of a Cadillac, for example, why a specific maintenance item on an SUV, for instance, is technically complex to perform. In addition to setting the proper expectations for customers, regular communication with them about their high-maintenance cars will help justify these expenditures in terms of time and price.

Be Aware

Shops should inform owners of the highest maintenance costs, that parts are expensive, may take a while to get, and vehicles often require complicated work, even for maintenance items that may seem straightforward. However, by communicating well with customers about these things, shops can overcome the burden that working on them would otherwise entail.

Regular maintenance can decrease unexpected maintenance, so shops should prioritize the former and explore Shopmonkey's solutions for a smoother auto repair experience. Uncover the secrets under the hood! Explore Shopmonkey's canned services and automated service reminders for efficient auto repair.