Car repair
Do you drive a Honda, a Ford or a Volkswagen? How about a Chevy or a Lexus? By the end of the year, your local Chrysler Group dealer (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat) will probably be able to service (but not necessarily repair) your car.
Thanks to the recently announced partnership between Mopar and Italian auto parts giant Magneti Marelli, Chrysler dealerships will soon have the ability to provide service for 85% of cars in the United States. The Magenti Marelli relationship will add some 3,000 line items to Mopar’s current parts list, including filters, shock and struts, brake pads and rotors, wiper blades, batteries and other common service items. Magneti Marelli won’t be able to supply marque specific repair parts, so if you need to replace an engine control unit in a ten-year-old Ford Taurus, your Chrysler dealer probably won’t be able to help.
Chrysler’s research shows that each dealership is surrounded by an average of 37 independent service facilities, so they’re well aware of the business opportunity presented by this partnership. Shell Lubricants will be part of the plan, and dealers are being instructed to add a fast-service lane for jobs such as oil changes and light repairs.
Chrysler will also encourage dealers to remain open on weekends, giving customers the option of both Saturday and Sunday service appointments. Currently, 72% of Chrysler dealers offer Saturday service appointments, but dealer facilities open on Sunday remain a rarity.