What iATN Sponsoring Members are saying
| Being
a sponsoring member of iATN not only makes it easier to use what is
already the most cost-effective automotive information source, it
helps ensure that it will continue to be there for you.
Chip
Keen |
The
money I spend to sponsor iATN for 6 months I have saved in ONE repair
job when I knew what was wrong, and the flow charts said all was fine!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill
Lockerby |
| I
specifically received information on a v-6 toyota truck main bearing
problem. That information MORE than paid for sponsorship dues.
Mike
Hertel |
I
almost never need to post a question to the group anymore, because
the answers are at my fingertips in the [FIX Database].
Tom
Roberts |
| I
find that the [FIX Database] is a much faster way to find answers
to problems. In that you don't have to e-mail a problem and wait for
the replies to trickle in. Case in point was an '88 Sentra I
diagnosed with a bad MAF sensor. Prior to quoting the customer, I
searched and found the same symptoms and the "fix" had been posted
in the [FIX Database]. So I was even more confident that mine was
the correct diagnosis.
As far as sponsorship benefits go, it is the right thing to do and the [most inexpensive] investment in our future personal and professional development. In numbers we have a voice in the direction of the future. Andrew
McKinnon |
By
searching the [FIX Database], I was able to find a fix for my buddy's
Toyota 4-Runner 3.0 which would go rich and sulfurous smelling on
prolonged mild acceleration, especially uphill. (Problem was the wiring
harness to the TPS was being stretched as the engine torqued in its
cradle.) I had about given up on ever finding the fix, as I could
never duplicate the symptoms.
I also have a relatively new customer who found me through iATN. She and her brother have both now brought their cars in for service on more than one occasion, so this is a good potential source of new business. Sam
Bell |
| I'm
relatively new to iATN, only being a member since late last year.
I checked it out to see how it might fit into my work as a technician
and instructor. It didn't take too long to realize the benefits of
sponsoring such a worthwhile venture. Just looking through the [iATN
Knowledge Base] alone is worth the money.
In this time of rapid technology change, we need access to as much information as possible, if we're to succeed in this industry. I openly recommend iATN to the professionals with whom I work and instruct. Martin
Smith |
I
am a sponsoring tech and in one short sentence, "the [FIX Database]
and iATN are the greatest tools a Modern Technician can have."
iATN sponsorship has enabled me to become a more proficient and productive technician by allowing me to share professional information with thousands of other professional technicians across this world of ours. This benefits my customers, too, since my accuracy rate on first time diagnosis is way up. Thank you iATN, and keep up the great work. Mervin
Stratton |
| The
[iATN Knowledge Base] has been very helpful. Many times I will read
a message and trash it because at the time it may not be needed, however,
later I will remember something about the posting and will need to
find it. A specific example is: We were trying to make a decision
on the best scanner for Asian cars, specifically OTC 4000 enhanced.
I remembered seeing several discussions about scanners. I went to
the archives and searched for scanners and bingo! There were the posts.
This is a great service!
Walter
Wiesboeck |
About
3 months ago, I got a call from a lady that had gotten our name from
her old mechanic down in the LA area. She moved up to Norther CA and
didn't know where to go. Her mechanic is also a sponsoring member
of iATN. He saw our shop profile, liked what he saw and referred her
to us. One of the reasons he referred us was the fact that we were
an iATN sponsor. He felt that showed a commitment to the industry
which meant we couldn't be all bad. She ended up as a transmission
rebuild as well as other repairs. Without iATN, I would have never
gotten this job. My sponsorship just paid for itself. Thanks.
Joe
Lindland |
| Just
being in this group has brought me two new customers. One from a tech
in California, whose mother lived 25 miles from my shop. And one from
a shop in Northern Florida whose customer relocated near my shop.
Both of these people met me through another iATN member. What a referral
system! Over $3000.00 in sales from the iATN network. Keep up the
good work!!!
Mike
Bracken |
Nobody
seems to consider sponsoring WITHOUT touting the enhanced features
available to make it worth while. I'm here to say I DON'T use any
of the additional features (at least yet). I think the point has to
be made that sponsoring iATN is a worthwhile option just for the ability
to support the single largest functional organization dedicated to
technical excellence on the planet.
Ian
Vaughan |
| The
primary benefit of membership (other than the satisfaction of helping
to support a useful tool) is the ability to search the [iATN Knowledge
Base] and thus quickly and easily benefit from other people's experiences.
Owen
Fairbank |
My
slogan is "modern technology with country pride," and what is more
modern than researching a repair and then fixing that auto with the
use of thousands of years experience ...GO iATN.
Tim
Lasley |
| I
have been a member of iATN for almost a year. Last week I decided
to become a sponsor. I was unsure of the value, but was intrigued
by a post on shop management software where someone stated the subject
had been beat to death in the archives.
I signed up, and two days later a vehicle belonging to a definite "A" customer arrived at my shop. This car, a 1991 Mercedes 300D 2.5 turbo had been plaguing me for several months. It was drivable, but had low power. I specialize in Mercedes so not being able to solve this problem was particularly frustrating. In fact I had advised this customer to take the car to a dealer (which I used to work for), and have it checked by a technician there (whom I used to work with), just to get a new perspective as I was sure I was missing something. He procrastinated for several months and brought the car back to me, saying that he trusted my judgement, and if it was down to educated guessing so be it, he would foot the bill. As I was fooling around on my computer at home I thought I would search the [FIX Database] just for fun. When I started searching I wasn't even thinking of this Mercedes camped in my stall at the shop. Then a light came on and I decided to look for something that might pertain to this car. Within 3 minutes I found a post from May 11 by Carter Willey, and the fix on an identical car with an identical problem. The shop even had nearly the same name as mine, but was in Maine. He had followed the exact same diagnostic steps as I had and had gotten to the exact same stuck point where he felt the problem was probably in the injection pump, (it also took him a couple months to reach this point) but knew he would have to remove and send out the pump to find out for sure. Big money was at stake here so guessing makes a person squeamish. After reading this fix, I decided to send the pump out and have it checked. This morning, my "A" customer left with a big smile and 1150 little holes in his wallet. Thank you iATN, what a resource! John
Chaplin |
We
first saw an ad for the iATN in a trade magazine shortly after we
got online for the first time at the shop. I signed on and for about
6 months read the e-mail and hardly ventured "inside" to the [rest
of the network's website]. I never posted any messages of my own.
Then one day we had a 1989 SAAB 900 towed into the shop with no signal from the ECU for the fuel pump relay. We suspected a bad ECU but did not have a whole lot of experience with Saabs and were unwilling to condemn the ECU without proof. I posted this car and its symptoms to the iATN e-mail lists, and within a couple of hours the answers came pouring in. Over 20 in all and they all pretty much said the same thing. "This car has a history of ECU problems... Replace with reman unit." Well that was just what I needed. I now had the confidence to tell my customer that she needed a new ECU. I would have spent several days trying every test I could think of to prove the ECU was in fact bad. I immediately recognized the value of this network and became a sponsor. I have not regretted it one bit. At that time there was no advantage to sponsoring. I did it because I saw right away this was a very valuable tool and well worth the cost to support. Now with the extra features for sponsoring members, I cannot imagine why anyone would not be a sponsoring member. Brent
Swails |
| On
10 September a customer brought her 1989 Mercedes-Benz to us for repair
of a wheel bolt which had broken during an attempted tire change at
another shop. To remove the wheel, it was necessary to first remove
the part of the bolt remaining in the hub; a daunting-looking job.
I recalled having seen a request for information on just such a problem
some time earlier. In just a few moments I had retrieved from the
[iATN Knowledge Base] information from technicians in Wisconsin and
Florida detailing how they had solved this difficult problem. This
also alerted me to the fact that this is not an uncommon failure in
these cars.
I'll be recommending that my customers with this type of bolt replace their bolts before this expensive, inconvenient, and potentially dangerous failure occurs. Obtaining information from the [iATN Knowledge Base] this way was much faster than posting a request for information on the email forum, and waiting for replies; and it took no time from any other member of the network. As the archive grows, this will become the first place to look for information. Carter
Willey |
I
originally became a sponsor because I thought it was the right thing
to do, but the [FIX Database] has really made it pay off.
Dave
Ward
|