Comment of the Month
This month’s Comment comes from our inbound email; an inquiry from a potential client…
Hello, I’m hoping you’re able to help me. Recently, I went to [an auto parts store] for a new battery. After 45 min of them attempting to install the battery, the associate couldn’t figure out why the terminals weren’t fitting and the car was doing crazy things any time he attempted to hook it up. I called my boyfriend who immediately realized he was trying to connect it backwards. I told the associate who then hooked it up correctly but left the terminals loose because he had been trying to adjust them to fit the wrong way. Because of this, my radio and everything associated with it is no longer working. The clock doesn’t show up and the aux cord won’t work. We think this might just be a fuse but there’s also no sound when I use my blinker and there’s a check engine light on. None of this was the case prior to [the auto parts store]’s major mistake so they will be covering my bill. I guess I just need an estimate to start which I will bring to them and have you get started on whatever needs to be done. Can you let me know how long you’d expect something like this to take and what your earliest availability would be?
Thank you in advance, Kate
If you go to an auto parts store for auto parts you’ll probably have a very good experience, but if you go to them for auto service you’re likely to be disappointed. In Kate’s case the people at [the auto parts store] were probably good guys trying to be helpful by installing her battery, but good intentions aren’t the same as good training. If you need to have something, ANYTHING done to your vehicle and you don’t feel confident doing it yourself then don’t take any chances. Bring it to us! If there’s someone better qualified to help then we’ll gladly refer you to them… we frequently do so for things like stereo installs or trailer hitches. Many of the simple things like bulb replacement or tire pressure checks we do for free (or just the cost of the parts). But even for the simple things, a small mistake can have big consequences. The Peace of Mind you get from knowing your vehicle is being handled competently has value in itself, but that doesn’t even count the value of your time if something goes unexpectedly wrong!
Election Party Update… (it’s not good news)
In 2008, Barrack Obama and John McCain were doing their best to make news by running for President, but Portlanders knew where the real news was being made… an outspoken local mechanic was throwing a party, and our first Election Night Bash at Greek Cuisina was a huge success with people lined up around the block to get in. 2012 brought Obama, Romney, and another party, this time at the Bob White Theatre, and again a good time was had by all. 2016 finds us ready to throw yet another party (and hey, look at that… there’s another election happening!) but the two candidates facing off leave little room for celebration no matter who wins. What to do?
We took a page from the 2016 election itself and learned to compromise. We decided to celebrate the election and Democracy with all our friends, but at an event not on Election Night itself. The ideal alternative immediately leapt forth… investigative reporter Greg Palast is about to release his new movie “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy”, a movie Tom Dwyer (yes, our Tom) had a hand in and that Keith Tucker (our shop cartoonist) did art for. Greg was planning an event in conjunction with KBOO (one of the radio stations we support) so we were all set to throw a Nearly Election Night Party as a fundraiser for KBOO radio.
But.
Greg had planned on releasing the movie independently, but before that happened he signed with a distribution company to get much wider and well-deserved exposure of this important film. Problems arose with scheduling and we couldn’t nail down a date for the Portland premiere. We didn’t want to throw a party if we couldn’t tell anyone when it was happening, so we had to pass for the time being.
We still want to throw a party, and Greg’s “Best Democracy Money Can Buy” WILL be coming to Portland. We still think these two ideas can play well together, so while it won’t happen before the election a party’s not off the table. Keep watching this space, and we’ll keep you posted. After the election is over we’ll be inviting a few of our friends to celebrate, cry in their beer, or both. And when it happens, we’ll want YOU to be a part of it!
Referral Reward Program- VOTE our Quarterly Award winner!
September was one of the biggest months so far for the Referral Reward Program as we were able to make 21 donations for a total of $864, and a total for the program so far of 246 donations for $13,959! Here are our September recipients…
Oregon Humane Society by Tawnya C. School House Supplies by Betty R.
Oregon Food Bank by Corey S. Oregon Humane Society by Jaiya C… TWICE!
Oregon Humane Society by Jim P. Boys and Girls Club by Joy L.
Brady Campaign for Gun Violence by Jay O. NW Medical Teams by Pat B.
Central City Concern by Jacob M. Environmental Defense Fund by Amy G.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center by Jessica M. Oregon Wild by Jacob R.
Colorado Rocky Mountain School by Ann E. Multnomah County Library by Jenny S.
Portland Rescue Mission by Joan B. Outdoor School by Kent S.
Bicycle Transportation Alliance by Brian S. and Dwayne K. CLEAR Fund by Alex N.
Mercy Corps by Mark H. Self-Enhancement Inc. by Suzanne L.
But September is a big month for another reason as we turn over the reins of the Program to you to pick our next Quarterly Winner. We’ve been picking them ourselves, but now it’s up to you pick one… just one… of the groups below to receive a check for $200. Remember, saying “yes” to one means saying “no” to all the others, so what will YOU do? Check back in next month to find out!
Oregon Humane Society School House Supplies Oregon Food Bank
Boys and Girls Club Brady Campaign for Gun Violence NW Medical Teams
Central City Concern Oregon Wild Environmental Defense Fund
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center Multnomah County Library
Colorado Rocky Mountain School Portland Rescue Mission
CLEAR Fund Bicycle Transportation Alliance Outdoor School
Mercy Corps Self-Enhancement Inc. Garibaldi Maritime Museum
Providence Cancer Research NW Pilot Project Multnomah County Library
ACLU Project Lemonade Shriners Hospital for Children
Planned Parenthood Backline Potluck In The Park
KBOO Radio American Diabetes Association Friends of Tryon Creek
JOIN PDX Special Olympics Oregon Community Music
Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest Boy Scouts of America Baby Blues Connection
Voting’s easy; you can call us at 503-230-2300 and tell a Service Advisor who you’re picking, or email your choice to charles@tomdwyer.com. (Please put “quarterly vote” in the subject line). The winner will be announced in our October newsletter, and we’ll take your vote right up until publication time. GOOD LUCK, and thanks for your participation!
Your reviews and referrals matter
We are constantly grateful for the supportive and loyal clients we have developed over the years. Your comments and appreciation keep us on the right road to providing the superior automotive service you deserve. Your reviews and referrals are not only the highest compliments we can receive, but they’re the lifeblood of our new business. If you like what you’ve found at Tom Dwyer Automotive Services, please tell a friend or take a minute to write a review on Yelp, Angieslist, Google, or the review site of your choice. Thank you!
Automobiles are just like any other product; occasional flaws in manufacture or design can cause problems once they leave the factory. When an issue is identified the manufacturers and government work hard to bring the vehicles back in for refit or repair, but not all recalls make the front pages. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a constantly updated list of recalls from every manufacturer. The last month’s recalls are below, but clicking the button at right will take you to the full list at the NHTSA website.
Shop Talk- Election Party Update… it’s not good news.
This month’s Comment comes from our inbound email; an inquiry from a potential client…
Hello, I’m hoping you’re able to help me. Recently, I went to [an auto parts store] for a new battery. After 45 min of them attempting to install the battery, the associate couldn’t figure out why the terminals weren’t fitting and the car was doing crazy things any time he attempted to hook it up. I called my boyfriend who immediately realized he was trying to connect it backwards. I told the associate who then hooked it up correctly but left the terminals loose because he had been trying to adjust them to fit the wrong way. Because of this, my radio and everything associated with it is no longer working. The clock doesn’t show up and the aux cord won’t work. We think this might just be a fuse but there’s also no sound when I use my blinker and there’s a check engine light on. None of this was the case prior to [the auto parts store]’s major mistake so they will be covering my bill. I guess I just need an estimate to start which I will bring to them and have you get started on whatever needs to be done. Can you let me know how long you’d expect something like this to take and what your earliest availability would be?
Thank you in advance, Kate
If you go to an auto parts store for auto parts you’ll probably have a very good experience, but if you go to them for auto service you’re likely to be disappointed. In Kate’s case the people at [the auto parts store] were probably good guys trying to be helpful by installing her battery, but good intentions aren’t the same as good training. If you need to have something, ANYTHING done to your vehicle and you don’t feel confident doing it yourself then don’t take any chances. Bring it to us! If there’s someone better qualified to help then we’ll gladly refer you to them… we frequently do so for things like stereo installs or trailer hitches. Many of the simple things like bulb replacement or tire pressure checks we do for free (or just the cost of the parts). But even for the simple things, a small mistake can have big consequences. The Peace of Mind you get from knowing your vehicle is being handled competently has value in itself, but that doesn’t even count the value of your time if something goes unexpectedly wrong!
In 2008, Barrack Obama and John McCain were doing their best to make news by running for President, but Portlanders knew where the real news was being made… an outspoken local mechanic was throwing a party, and our first Election Night Bash at Greek Cuisina was a huge success with people lined up around the block to get in. 2012 brought Obama, Romney, and another party, this time at the Bob White Theatre, and again a good time was had by all. 2016 finds us ready to throw yet another party (and hey, look at that… there’s another election happening!) but the two candidates facing off leave little room for celebration no matter who wins. What to do?
We took a page from the 2016 election itself and learned to compromise. We decided to celebrate the election and Democracy with all our friends, but at an event not on Election Night itself. The ideal alternative immediately leapt forth… investigative reporter Greg Palast is about to release his new movie “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy”, a movie Tom Dwyer (yes, our Tom) had a hand in and that Keith Tucker (our shop cartoonist) did art for. Greg was planning an event in conjunction with KBOO (one of the radio stations we support) so we were all set to throw a Nearly Election Night Party as a fundraiser for KBOO radio.
But.
Greg had planned on releasing the movie independently, but before that happened he signed with a distribution company to get much wider and well-deserved exposure of this important film. Problems arose with scheduling and we couldn’t nail down a date for the Portland premiere. We didn’t want to throw a party if we couldn’t tell anyone when it was happening, so we had to pass for the time being.
We still want to throw a party, and Greg’s “Best Democracy Money Can Buy” WILL be coming to Portland. We still think these two ideas can play well together, so while it won’t happen before the election a party’s not off the table. Keep watching this space, and we’ll keep you posted. After the election is over we’ll be inviting a few of our friends to celebrate, cry in their beer, or both. And when it happens, we’ll want YOU to be a part of it!
September was one of the biggest months so far for the Referral Reward Program as we were able to make 21 donations for a total of $864, and a total for the program so far of 246 donations for $13,959! Here are our September recipients…
Oregon Humane Society by Tawnya C. School House Supplies by Betty R.
Oregon Food Bank by Corey S. Oregon Humane Society by Jaiya C… TWICE!
Oregon Humane Society by Jim P. Boys and Girls Club by Joy L.
Brady Campaign for Gun Violence by Jay O. NW Medical Teams by Pat B.
Central City Concern by Jacob M. Environmental Defense Fund by Amy G.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center by Jessica M. Oregon Wild by Jacob R.
Colorado Rocky Mountain School by Ann E. Multnomah County Library by Jenny S.
Portland Rescue Mission by Joan B. Outdoor School by Kent S.
Bicycle Transportation Alliance by Brian S. and Dwayne K. CLEAR Fund by Alex N.
Mercy Corps by Mark H. Self-Enhancement Inc. by Suzanne L.
But September is a big month for another reason as we turn over the reins of the Program to you to pick our next Quarterly Winner. We’ve been picking them ourselves, but now it’s up to you pick one… just one… of the groups below to receive a check for $200. Remember, saying “yes” to one means saying “no” to all the others, so what will YOU do? Check back in next month to find out!
Oregon Humane Society School House Supplies Oregon Food Bank
Boys and Girls Club Brady Campaign for Gun Violence NW Medical Teams
Central City Concern Oregon Wild Environmental Defense Fund
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center Multnomah County Library
Colorado Rocky Mountain School Portland Rescue Mission
CLEAR Fund Bicycle Transportation Alliance Outdoor School
Mercy Corps Self-Enhancement Inc. Garibaldi Maritime Museum
Providence Cancer Research NW Pilot Project Multnomah County Library
ACLU Project Lemonade Shriners Hospital for Children
Planned Parenthood Backline Potluck In The Park
KBOO Radio American Diabetes Association Friends of Tryon Creek
JOIN PDX Special Olympics Oregon Community Music
Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest Boy Scouts of America Baby Blues Connection
Voting’s easy; you can call us at 503-230-2300 and tell a Service Advisor who you’re picking, or email your choice to charles@tomdwyer.com. (Please put “quarterly vote” in the subject line). The winner will be announced in our October newsletter, and we’ll take your vote right up until publication time. GOOD LUCK, and thanks for your participation!
We are constantly grateful for the supportive and loyal clients we have developed over the years. Your comments and appreciation keep us on the right road to providing the superior automotive service you deserve. Your reviews and referrals are not only the highest compliments we can receive, but they’re the lifeblood of our new business. If you like what you’ve found at Tom Dwyer Automotive Services, please tell a friend or take a minute to write a review on Yelp, Angieslist, Google, or the review site of your choice. Thank you!
Automobiles are just like any other product; occasional flaws in manufacture or design can cause problems once they leave the factory. When an issue is identified the manufacturers and government work hard to bring the vehicles back in for refit or repair, but not all recalls make the front pages. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a constantly updated list of recalls from every manufacturer. The last month’s recalls are below, but clicking the button at right will take you to the full list at the NHTSA website.