Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-03-01
FRIGHTENING
IN AUTO REPAIR
+. PARTS CUT OUT
A. A. A. in the District of
Columbia Wages Success
tul Campaign Against High
Prices for Motor Repairs.


icy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED w,Rgl
Washington, Feb. 29.-That
profiteering in making motor car
repairs can be practically eliminat-
ed and the profiteers eyes opened
to the error of his ways has Just
been thoroughly demonstrated in
the national capital by the A. A. A,
District of Columbia division.
Among the many anti-profiteer
campaigns that have been staged
in Washington during the past few
years, the stand of the organized
motorists against money mad auto
mobile repairmen has been by far
the most successful. Not alone did
this campaign Danish the profiteer.
but it brought to the buyers, the
sellers and the repairers of motor
cars a better understanding of the
various positions and problems of
each other.
Just how the national capital
plan was started, was operated, and
was brought to the point of sue
cess is set forth in a digest which
is to be transmitted to the several
hundred A. A. A. clubs throughout
the country. Success in the cam
paign is attributed largely to the
fact that in the beginning the A. A.
A. District of Columbia division OBJ
tanned the whole-hearted co-opera-
ton of the majority of Washing
fnn'g
pairmen, comprising those anx-
ious to assist in Kidding their
midst of men who were bringing
condemnation upon all alike.
approximately 1000 oral and
written complaints against unfair
practices were received by the A.
A. A. Investigation, according to
the digest, showed that those old
time establishments generally re-
garded as reputable were dealing
fairly with their patrons the fla
grant offenders being the mush-
room growth of repairmen who
came in the wake of national pros
perity. These included near-me-
chanics without business systems
who maltreated motor cars at first
class prices per hour, never rem
dering itemized statements and
never falling to take advantage of
an owners lack of mechanical
knowledge. In these establishments
the less the owner knew about mo-
tor car mechanics, the more he
paid for his repairs.
One beneficial result came in the
establishment of a number of new
agency service stations. While fac
tory branches and agents for old
established brands of motor cars
maintained well-equipped service
stations, many agents for the new
err makes of cars did not have
enough vehicles in use to warrant
this heavy investment. Hence a
plan was evolved whereby groups
of such dealers are sending their
car users to establishments which
have registered on what is known
as the A. A. A. fair list"
One of the requirements for be-
coming recorded with the A. A. A.
is to fill out QUESTIONABLE, giving
a considerable amount of pertinent
information, such as to experience,
equipment, expert mechanics, help
ers, per hour charges, and whether
estimates on jobs will be given. 1t
is a condition of registration that
he does not take in for repair any
car with which he is not familiar.
Probably the best result of the
entire campaign is found in the
agreement of many repairmen to
leave to the arbitration of the A.
A. A. District of Columbia division
any differences Of opinion between
themselves and their customers,
and to abide by the decision of the
motoring organization. To the
credit of the repairmen, it should
be said that this suggestion came
from them.
In Washington owners. dealers
and reputable repairmen alike con-
slider the campaign well-con-
ceived and generally beneficial idea,
and its operation has been marked
with but little resentment from any
other than the guilty. The innocent
from the beginning proceeded on
the theory that they had nothing
to fear, and gave their aid in bring
ing success. 1t is noteworthy fact
that only two complaints of unfair
treatment have come to the A. A.
A. in the past four months.
The plan was originated by Sec
rotary William Ullman of the A. A
A. District of Columbia division,
and it is now being recommended
to the associations affiliated clubs,
with an explanation of it's modus
operandi. Mr.. Ullman expresses the
belief, after an extended expert
ence, that the profiteering repair
man can be easily eliminated if the
light of publicity in any commun-
ity is thrown upon him and his de-
vious forms of procedure. The null
tiplicity of subterfuges pursued by
the motor profiteer are named in
the material which is sent to the
automobile clubs.