You are probably not the first to rail against the garage where you left your car for repair. With in the end, a salty note and the very strong feeling of having been ripped off. But how to know it when one does not touch a ball in mechanics? In Villeurbanne, Ylan Techer and his partner Camille Meilheurat founded the company three years ago Diagnosis’Auto. Since then, requests for appointments have been pouring in.
The couple does not “insure any repair” of the vehicle, explains the young woman. But instead, he is responsible for carrying out a diagnosis for 40 euros in order to detect the breakdown and indicate to customers the exact amount of repairs or change of parts to be provided. According to an Ifop survey, 77% of motorists have already had a negative experience with a garage.
“Since the beginning of the 2000s, all vehicles have been equipped with a suitcase socket that allows connection to a machine that detects breakdowns,” continues Ylan. “Today, not a single mechanic works without this machine,” adds his partner. The diagnosis is not always indicated in the invoice presented to the customer. And very often overestimate: 90 euros in most dealers, sometimes 150 or even 300 euros in some.
A costed repair 20 times more expensive in a garage
Hands-on and self-taught, Ylan trained himself to the point of becoming an expert. A warning light on, a loss of speed, a noise under the hood, “it is certain that we will find the breakdown”, smiles the young man. Unlike mechanics, he provides a detailed report to his customers. This avoids having to replace four candles when only one no longer works and many other mishaps. “We have received customers who were advised to change their car’s injection pump or their engine. They were asked to pay 1,500 euros, or even 3,700 euros when the problem came from the sensor which actually costs… 70 euros”, explains the young man. And to continue: “The objective is that people know what they have to do. »
“Our core target is the elderly or women who are more often taken in. But we are also aimed at connoisseurs who would like to carry out the repairs themselves,” adds Camille. Recently, the young woman has been making car keys. The demand was significant. “Here, they cost between 95 and 150 euros depending on the model. At dealerships, you will pay on average 250-300 euros, and even up to 1,000 euros for luxury brands. They are however the same models, the same quality. The difference is that there is no logo. »
The couple now aims to launch a franchise at the end of 2023 to expand its activities throughout France, with the exception of Paris where they believe there is less opportunity for development.