Why choose scandiatek

It is getting very common in the industry to under bid repair and service jobs in order to get the customer into a shop. The trick here is to quote the absolute and improbable minimum a job can cost. What happens is that many parts and certain labor costs normally associated with the job are left out of the original bid. Most often they are then added back in, once your Saab is in their shop, as "additional needs". This brings your cost back up to where it should have been but now you are trapped. Sometimes a shop may even act like a hero in "finding these additional" needs. Some shops will leave the "additional" parts out of the job so as to get you back in later for "more repairs" at a higher price. Now they can make back the profits they gave up from the original "low" quote. You will have two or more trips totaling more than one correctly inclusive visit would have been. Not knowing the association, you think it's less!

Scandiatek quotes and does the complete job, with ALL the parts and labors required of a professionally performed, long term savings, repair or service.

THAT'S what REALLY saves you money! ...and with NO shell games. There is no magic profit elf... YOU pay for everything, sooner or later.

However, with some shops, it may be strictly a matter of the lack of professional skills that makes the job to appear less than other quotes. A common example that Scandiatek sees quit often is the leaving out of headbolts on a head gasket repair. They are one use bolts that are NOT to be reused. To our knowledge, Scandiatek is one of the few, if not the only local shop to correctly make the repair according to SAAB manufacture and professional practice proceedure. If the bolts are reused, a premature failure of the gasket is almost guaranteed. Another example is scheduled service. Flushes or certain filters are left out at first, or maybe altogether, with the result that repairs and subsequant visits will total much more.

Scandiatek looks at your Saab with the knowledge of "failure associations", and "timed service advantages". We actually apply our experiences to your advantage in a manner rare to the industry. We look for other common failure repairs and services associated with your current needs. Where long term savings in time (reducing your number of shop trips) and repair costs can be made, Scandiatek suggests including them with the original repair or service at a savings, sometimes at no charge!

Scandiatek is very careful to complete each job to its best level of quality. All the parts used are of the best manufacture (most often OE -Original Equipment) and method installed. We do NOT install USED parts. There is no long term value. NO shortcuts threaten the long term value of the installation. As our Technicians are paid on a salary and NOT flat rate, they are not pressured to sacrifice quality for speed. Scandiatek will do nothing but the best work.

There is a lot to be said about part installation methods as well. You would be suprised how often incorrect sealers and adhesives are used, let alone no care in the accurate tightening (torquing) of the bolts and nuts. While it doesn't seem like a big deal, on modern engines, these mistakes can cause shorter lives of the connecting componants, premature fluid leaks at the sealing joints, and extra future costs correcting stripped or frozen fasteners.

Scandiatek carefully chooses and applies adhesives and sealers. torque wrenches are used to set important bolts and nuts to the manufacturer specs. This guarantees the longest possible life of the repair.

Scandiatek was founded in 1980. Previous to that, Mark, the owner, was trained by SAAB Scania in repair and service. He was President of the Rocky Mountain SAAB Dealers Parts and Service Association, and a Service Writer and SAAB Technician at a local SAAB Dealer. He graduated with top marks from two respected Automotive Technical Schools in Minnesota. Mark has won numorous customer service awards, has been published in a number of automotive trade magazines, and has held Master Technician and Automotive Machinist certificates. Mark is a computer expert, a skill that has advanced Scandiatek to your benefit, as a competative business by the proper management of statistics. Since his start in 1968 he has held and mastered every job in the automotive service industry including automotive specialty real estate developement. Via his and his employees skills and dedication, Scandiatek has outlasted six other local Saab specialty shops and two Saab Dealerships.

Scandiatek has experience. By 2004, we have had approximately 40,000 customer visits over the years. We know how you think, what you want, and how to deliver it. Service is not just the repairs, it's also knowing people. We pride ourselves in taking the time to learn what each customer needs to feel comfortable with us. And we take the time to do just that. Direct conversations with our Techs, explanations, illustrations.. hands on - one on one - point and see.. no rush no pressure....whatever it takes. Scandiatek knows that it's numbers, the cost of running an honest business, that sets the price of the work, but it's YOU that sets the value. While "cheap quality" is an oxymoron, it's the providing of true values that has kept Scandiatek in business so long.

Scandiatek has several of the nicest and most skilled Technicians in the State of Colorado. Each has a long list of up-to-date skills, certificates and experience. Norris and his assistants pride themselves on their thoroughness, dead on diagnosis, one visit repair, and perfectly accurate estimates. Their repairs and services are always done with the rare pride of professionals. They enjoy conversing with our clients and answering all their questions. They completely inspect your Saab with each visit and you are appraised of your Saabs current condition. This gives you a better picture for planning and upon occasion, means that no further expenditures should be made... it's time for a new Saab. Norris, our Master Tech, was a radio personality for many years hosting an automotive talk show. He has a LONG list of certifications so please check out his interesting web site. Our Techs are paid a salary and NOT flat rate so they are motivated to take the time to do it right!

Scandiatek's pricing is LESS than the Dealer and COMPETATIVE with the other mature independents. Having said that, I have to say there is much more to it than that! So much emphasis is put on price these days that what you are actually buying gets lost somewhere. Some shops claim lower hourly rates and some shops quote low repair prices over the phone. So how come it takes more visits? How come they end up asking for more? How come it ends up more on the repair order when you come to pick up the car? It's all smoke and mirrors. If you shop just price, you are shopping for head games. Scandiatek quotes true pricing. It reflects the whole job, completed with the savings of quality, and is the same price that you will see when you pick up your car.

Charges for a shops hourly rates can vary wildly. One shop will say $100 while another can quote $50. The trick is the time. The $100 per hour shop charges 1 hour to do the job while the $50 per hour shop charges 2 hours. ($100 X 1 Hr = a $100 labor charge) ($50 X 2 Hrs = $100 labor charge) In the end, both shops charged the same. The trick? You initially thought the $50 per hour shop would be cheaper. Scandiatek charges a fixed menu labor amount for all of its work except straight time diagnostic work.

Saabs are very complex, high end performance machines. A GREAT bang for the buck. It takes a serious investment into specialzed equipment to work on them. And it doesn't stop there. Information is king. Without it, it's strictly guess work. Do you know there are over 12 million pages of repair information in the industry? Scandiatek has the TECH2 diagnostic computer and command software. We also have the rare ability to even change the software of your onboard computers if need be. In addition to that we have the EASE and FLUKE98 dual trace osciliscope diagnostic equipement. NO quess work here! We have highspeed access to all of the SAAB repair and bulletin systems, extensive parts hypertext software, direct parts warehouse links, overnight delivery of out of stock items, and all the necessary specialty hand tools. Our management software is important too because it keeps track of all your work, assures accurate repair orders, provides readily available history, and provides us with the data to run an efficient business.

Bigger is not always better. But on the other hand, too small isn't either. If a shop is too big a customer can get lost in the maze. Workers can become isolated and thus less responsible for outcomes. Indifference sets in and pay systems encourage production over quality. Personalized service and accurately controlled outcomes are more rare because of the fragmentation of jobs within the shop. Pay systems pit employee against employee in compititions for money. Shops too small have their problems too. Burnout from overly burdened owners is common. Constant interuptions of the "chief, cook, and bottle washer" make on-time job completion unlikely. Trying to be everything to everybody takes a toll on customer, supplier, and family. Sickness stops the whole show. Being the right size has taken years to learn. Big enough to cover the basic business's needs, employee off times, and the sharing of seperate skills culminates in a harmonious, quality, customer centered atmosphere. Cause and effect have direct links as everyone bares the responsiblities of customer face to face satisfaction. Commuinications are accurate. Anyone at our shop can help you and everyone is rewarded for your satisfaction.

There are automotive mechanics that are very good at taking parts on and off of a car. They often learn from trial and error. Then there are Technicians. The difference? Technicians understand the theory behind automotive mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical systems. This talent is rare in the industry and very valuable to the lucky customer that gets such a person working on their car. Scandiatek has such people. I cannot think of the last time we have ever ben stumped by a problem. Recently a new customer came to us with a problem a Dealer was unable to solve. We did. A very proud moment! Because of the talent and unique way our business is run, Scandiatek can solve those touch problems that can sometimes make such a great car.... not much fun anymore....

Some shops may appear to be approved by the manufacturer (Saab Cars of America) by using (Unauthorized) their name (SAAB). DON'T BE FOOLED! Such methods are against the law. There is only one AUTHORIZED Dealer in the metro area. (Mike Shaw SAAB) Only the Dealer can do FACTORY warranty work and sell new cars. SCANDIATEK is a proud independent and such deceptive methods are not apart of our way of doing business.