Dear Friends and Customers,

It’s been a year of many changes around Marty’s Motors, most of them very positive. The best news was that the East Bay Express rated us the ‘Best Car Repair’ in their 2002 Best of the East Bay issue. Its been a wonderful boost for our business, and the recognition makes us all feel very good about the effort we have put out over the years to provide you with the best possible service. It’s also inspired me to raise my standards even higher. One of the small changes, for instance, is that we are now cleaning all the windows on every car we work on, and vacuuming the cars as well.

We've also brought new staff into our business. Michael Withers, a technician who worked with me many years ago has come back to our fold. In the interim he spent several years working with Royal Motors, where he received extensive factory training on Volvos, Mazdas, and Volkswagens.

I enjoy bringing new technicians into our business, which never has enough technicians to fill the demand. In that spirit I've hired Fred Dean, who just completed the 2 year automotive training program at Chabot College, and came with high recommendations from 2 instructors I know personally. He’s a hard and cautious worker, thinks about what he does, and takes instruction well. I think he has great potential in our business.

I keep looking for new ways to serve you! We have a long term relationship with someone who replaces broken or badly damaged windows on our premises, and I've now found someone who will repair chips as well. As most of you know painfully well, a small chip will spread into a big crack, requiring replacement of the whole

Marty Kaliski

windshield. It’s now possible to fix those chips so that they won’t turn into big cracks. It’s also possible to fix small cracks before they turn into big cracks. If you have one of these problems let me know, and we can set up an appointment to have them repaired here at my shop.

     Marty

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Marty's Message Should I Keep It? Meet Marty Keep It Or Sell It Worksheet

(Marty's Message continued....)

Speaking of chips and cracks, did you know that to replace many of the new headlamps, the ones with replaceable bulbs, the cost is often over $1,000.00!! All it takes is one little pebble thrown by the tire of a car in front of you and you’ll be paying $200-$2000. I've found a company that sells headlamp covers I can install that cost $55-86.50 for the set plus a small installation charge. These lens covers are completely transparent, permanent and guaranteed for 4 years. Ask me about them.

I have now created Marty’s Car Care Club. This is a membership club, which, if you qualify, will allow you to buy a card worth over $650 in services at our shop including oil changes, tire rotations, discounts on brake jobs, and a whole lot more, for under $200. If you have a teenager whose car you maintain, this would be a great way to help ensure they will take care of it. Let me know if you are interested.

As many of your cars age, the question arises, “is it time for me to get rid of my car and buy a new one?” I try to help you answer that question in this issue. New cars are expensive, the taxes and insurance will be higher, but they have other pleasures that can sometimes compensate for those costs. Only you can make the final decision, but we can help you understand what’s involved. If you decide to buy another used car instead, I strongly encourage you to let us inspect it before you buy it. We can keep you from making a very expensive mistake. I see many cars that look good, sound good, but need thousands of dollars worth of work. It’s always best if I see those cars before you buy them.
Have a great summer, drive safely, and don’t forget to have us look over your car before you take and large trips.

      Marty

Should I Keep It

One of the most frequently asked questions in my business is "should I keep this vehicle?" This question comes up after we've recommended a major repair and my customer wants to know if it's worth putting a significant amount of money into the vehicle. There is rarely a straightforward answer to that question, but I hope this article helps.

There are several factors involved in this decision, both subjective and objective.
One of the main subjective questions is how much you like the car. Sometimes it is difficult to put a price on the memories connected with a car that feels like part of your family, or the sensations you get driving it. Only you can weigh the value of these factors.
Some of the more objective questions are: how reliable is your vehicle, how safe, what is it's overall condition, how much do you drive, and what might you get if you sell it?

What is it worth?
There are two websites that will give you the approximate market value of your vehicle. They are Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and Intellichoice (www.intellichoice.com). Make sure you are looking in the section for private sales; you won't get what the dealer sells it for. (See the chart below on how to crunch the numbers to evaluate whether to keep your car).

Is it reliable?
There are three ways to think about this question. 1) What has its history been? Although generally cars live longer and are more reliable today, some cars are unreliable by design, and some just seem to be problem cars in general. Look over the repair history of your car. Consult the Consumer Reports. (I keep copies in my office) for the repair history of your model. 2) How have you maintained it? It is not unusual for a modern car to run for 150,000-200,000 miles, IF IT'S BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY! Again, a thorough inspection will help answer this question, but if you've been changing the oil regularly, you've been going in the direction of reliability. 3) What sort of work does it need now? If you have any questions, we'll be more than willing to inspect your car and give you an estimate for the work needed.

Is it safe?
Safety is mostly a relative concept. Antilock brakes and air bags make cars inherently safer, but so does weight and real steel. However, factors like extensive frame rust will make any car unsafe. Have your car checked for rust, accident damage, brakes, steering, and suspension problems to make sure it's really as safe as it can be. In my opinion, certain cars are inherently unsafe, Volkswagen minibuses and the old VW Beetles being the worst offenders. On the other hand, some companies always put safety first. I'd much rather be in an accident in a 1967 Volvo than a 1992 VW Rabbit, although I might be more likely to avoid the accident in the VW.

How much do you drive?
If you spend many hours each day in your vehicle, comfort would be a factor. Do the seats support you well? Is it quiet enough? If you drive many miles each week, gas economy might be an issue.

Most of you are driving vehicles that still have much life in them. Let’s take care of them and they'll continue to give you driving value and satisfaction for years to come. Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to call.

Meet Marty

Over the past issues, I've introduced you to most of my staff. I thought this might be a good time to tell you a little about myself.

I'm a transplanted New Yorker (all my family survived the World Trade Center tragedy), but since I've lived in the Bay Area since 1970, I feel I'm at least half Californian. As a kid, I was always interested in science and they way things worked, and originally went to college as an engineering student. When I discovered that I didn't have a knack for calculus, I switched to literature and eventually political science. I never, however, lost my interest in the way things work and how to fix them. This has served me well in the repair business.

I've worked on cars and motorcycles since I was young. In the early 70s, I worked for a collective taxi company called Taxi Unlimited. This company always had trouble finding mechanics, so frequently, in order to have a car to drive, I had to fix one myself. Soon I learned I could make more money fixing cars than driving them.

I started as a one-man business, fixing cars in the daytime and taking auto repair classes at night. For almost 15 years I did it all myself, until my body started telling me it was time to get someone younger to do the heavy stuff.

I slowly built the business until the point, in May of 1999, at which I felt I could move to a bigger and more professional location, where I am today. Growing into this location continues to be a challenge, but one I feel capable of meeting.

My hobbies include photography, cooking, camping, travel, and music (I sing in a chorus, and took up the saxophone about 15 years ago). I am a member of the Lions Club and the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce, and assist at Human Awareness Institute workshops. If you want to know any more about me, feel free to ask.

See “Marty’s Message” for more information!

last update 09/21/02
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