It has been a while... let's get started again!

Hello friends.  It has been a long time since I have dropped by and spent some time on the blog for Select Transmission & Automotive Center.  A lot has changed since the last time I wrote on behalf of the shop.

So, lets start with a little bit about us.  We are a local owned shop.  All of us here are from San Antonio.  We grew up here and still live here.  I am alumni of Madison High School, don't ask what year because then I feel old.  Our service manager Rudy, alumni of Highlands High School, Brian, our lead tech is from Holmes High School and the office manager is from Judson High School.

We are all a part of this community and are proud of this community.  We are not corporate transplants and we are not invisible in the community.  We are proud of San Antonio and we are a part of the community that we live in.

We are a team of 8 of the brightest minds in transmission and automotive repair in San Antonio.  We have specialists, in house, for nearly all types of cars and specific automotive systems.  We are the guys (and gals) you can turn to when you need your car fixed right, fix fast and at a good price.   We have an easy online scheduling system so that you can schedule repairs in advance, amazing customer service, and brilliant techs using the latest diagnostic tools.

We promise that you will receive and accurate diagnosis that we generally complete at no charge. If you cannot get your car to start or to move, towing is done for you free of charge with most repair services.

So let me tell you what is new with all of us.  For starters, in the fall, we moved.  We are now at 12112 O'Connor Rd. ( Right at the entrance to Valley Forge. )  Our team has grown.  We are now in a better facility that is better equipped and designed to handle the business that we receive.  Our new facility is much larger than the old one.

We are the number one choice for transmission repair in San Antonio.  We have been for 6 years now, and even more so today than before.  If you need a mechanic in San Antonio, we have the best team to fix any and all cars in San Antonio.  We service everything, domestic, import, European and even exotics.

As a shop owner, I understand that they key to success is investing in the right tools and the right training to keep my staff ready to service your vehicle quickly and efficiently.   Without the proper tools and training, even the best technician is dead in the water on the newer computer controlled vehicles.

We have implemented the greatest tools and systems to benefit our customers.  We have financing that is super easy to get.  You can apply online from our website, in less than 15 minutes.  It is not a title loan, and they have great interest rates.  All of our customers that qualify for the financing receive 60 days same as cash.  If you do not qualify and still need help, don't worry.  We have other options that could work for you too.

Our phones are answered around the clock.  If you are in need of automotive repair, transmission repair or general maintenance in the greater San Antonio area, give us a call.  We have towing available 24 hours as well.  If you get stuck in an emergency situation, we are here for you anytime.

If you need anything at all, we are always here for you.  Take the time, give us a call, you will be surprised at the level of service that you receive.

Visit us online www.sanantoniotransmissions.net or call us 210-599-9958 and if you have time, come by and see us at 12112 O'Connor Rd., San Antonio, TX 78233

Modern Gadgets in Your Car, Convenience or Inconvenience?

Let's face it.  We are all spoiled.  We have come a very long way from utilizing a Mapsco book to get us from where we are to where we are going.  So many vehicles these days are equipped with GPS systems, high functioning stereo systems that work with our cell phones and more buttons and gadgets than any of us can use on the way to Grandma's house for Sunday dinner. 

However, even though we may not use so many of the features that are built into our vehicles, we certainly like to buy our cars with all of the bells and whistles.  Who doesn't right?  Considering here in South Texas where you can wear shorts 90% of the year, I need seat warmers, right? 

Well, as fun as all of these great gadgets and conveniences are, they come with a price!  All of these new buttons that come on your car draw off from the electrical system in your car.  Like anything else, if it doesn't have the right amount of electricity it cannot run properly.  However, very few vehicles will just shut down your accessories when there is a problem, they just allow your electrical systems to be robbed of power and this can cause major electrical issues with the truly important systems on your car such as your transmission, fuel injection and traction control.   The first time your transmission stops shifting are you still going to need that GPS system?  Nope... you aren't going very far in that car, it is going to the shop!

When you think that you have a major concern with your vehicle, don't panic.  We have seen lots of cars in the shop in the past few months that are owned by people who are totally freaking out because they feel like they have just been doomed by major car repair expenses.  In many cases, the major problem that they think they are experiencing is simply a voltage issue in the vehicle that can be remedied by a new battery and/or alternator. 

However, running your vehicle for extended periods of time with voltage or charging issues can cause damage to various systems in your vehicle.  I recently had a customer that the stereo/gps unit in their vehicle had completely shorted out and a replacement unit was nearly $2,000!  This is where proactive car ownership is totally necessary.  Take the time to have your vehicle checked out regularly.  When you have it done, make sure your battery and charging system are being properly checked, that way you are not seeing red when you are left on the side of the road by your car!  Remember, most major repairs can be avoided by simply allowing your vehicle to be properly maintained by a professional that is familiar with your driving habits, the climate and your particular manufacturer. 

Call a professional wherever you are for great vehicle maintenance.  If you are in the San Antonio area, call us at Select Transmission & Automotive Center at 210-599-9958 or look us up online at www.sanantoniotransmissions.net

Every Little Bit Counts

When it comes to taking care of your vehicle, we understand that the stress can really set in - quickly.  Everyone has something to be mindful of, either a strict household budget or a strict schedule that really effects your ability to be without a car for any period of time. 

A common mistake that people make is assuming that your preventive maintenance on your vehicle needs to take a lot of time and/or a lot of money.   A qualified and professional establishment like Select Transmission & Automotive Center in San Antonio will help you manage your time and your budget while being mindful of the importance of general maintenance.   

Performing low cost and high value maintenance is our specialty at Select Transmission & Automotive Center.  We understand that some of the most simple services can help you save a lot of money over the long road. 

Services like our complete fuel injection service and our transmission fluid exchange service can help you keep your vehicle running good with a minimum investment.  These little services all add up to making sure that you have less chance of a major mechanical break down.  No major break downs means a lot more money in your pocket in the long haul. 

Our professional service consultant will happily advise you on services that will benefit you and the performance of your vehicle and will give you a list of things to do over a specific amount of time that will save you money and that will keep your car out of the emergency room. 

Call a professional at Select Transmission & Automotive Center and we will be happy to help you keep your vehicle on the road without breaking your bank!

We are conveniently located at 10505 O'Connor Rd., San Antonio,  TX 78233.

Call us at 210-599-9958 or look us up online at www.sanantoniotransmissions.net

Can a tow truck save the day.....?

Today, I had an interesting conversation with someone regarding the complimentary tow service that is offered to customers of my shop.  To be honest, the conversation was not with a customer, but with a friend.  He was quick to tell me that I was wasting money and that it would save me money if I simply assisted my customers in arranging a tow from their insurance company or cell phone service provided road side assistance.  In all honesty, he is probably right, but I have no scientific numbers showing what percentage of the population actually maintains those services. 

My real answer is this.  For the average person, if you get in your car to run an errand and are suddenly stopped by a car that is not working or breaks down while you are headed to run that errand - you are stopped dead in your tracks.  For many people, when car troubles come up, the fear of the unknown comes up.  A lot of people start to panic about money, time, inconvenience and a huge variety of other things.  Car troubles can make the average person panic about a lot of things.  It is amazing how much  our lives revolve around our vehicles.   In a city as spread out as San Antonio, it is hard to depend on mass transportation. Most of us also hate to depend on other people and hate to inconvenience other people by asking for a ride.   How can you get from Stone Oak to Downtown in a reasonable amount of time if you are depending on the bus.  If you needed to call a cab for a ride like that, you are going to shell out a ton of money.  One might suggest a rental car, but, if you are renting a car for local use, that gets really expensive really fast.  Ultimately, that is like suggesting that someone pour salt on an open wound.  I know, from personal experience, that these are the things that immediately go through peoples minds. 

So back to the tow service.  If we can eliminate the stress of getting a broken down vehicle into the arms of a loving professional, we have taken away more than half of the stress of the broken car already.  Think back to the last time your vehicle had a mechanical break down, did your car consult your calendar and choose the best and most convenient time to break down on you?  I highly doubt that.  It seems that car failure always seems to happen at the most inconvenient time possible. 

So, now that you don't have to worry about actually getting your car somewhere, you can think about the actual process.  Your car is at the shop and now you are well on the way to finding out what is wrong with it.  It doesn't really matter what is wrong now, because it is where it needs to be and is already on the pathway to recovery.  At this point, there are only a couple of more issues that might need to be resolved.  Can you pay for the repair, how long is it going to take and what kind of warranty do you get with it.  These are super easy questions to answer and the only way that they can be answered is because the car is already at the shop getting love from the professionals that can make it all better. 

You see, at Select Transmission & Automotive Center, we have engineered our repair process with the customers mind set in mind.  Our goal is to be the number one transmission and car care center in San Antonio.  We aim to be completely customer friendly and we work to build long term relationships with our customers.  Essentially, we are the family practice of car care.  You can turn to us to treat your vehicles minor little problems and we also have specialists to handle the major problems that any vehicle owner can run into.  We know, it happens to everyone at some point in time, so it should be comforting to know that you have a team of specialists (minus the white coats) ready to take care of you.  We even gladly give you a lollipop when we are done. 

We pledge to not be over invasive, over expensive and if you have health insurance (or an extended warranty in car lingo) we most likely take that too!  Give a call, and heck you can call us at any hour of the day or night, seven days a week and we can get you back on the streets of San Antonio without the hassle and without empty wallet syndrome that so many people have come to expect when they see their mechanic.  Turn to Select Transmission & Automotive Center of San Antonio for all of your transportation troubles.  If your car could thank you, it would! 





If you have questions regarding your car, check out our website at www.sanantoniotransmissions.net or call one of our super friendly office minions at 210-599-9958. 

Summer Is Coming - Don't Let Car Trouble Overheat Your Wallet!

Summer is Coming - Don't Let Car Trouble Overheat Your Wallet!



Another South Texas summer is quickly approaching! After these strange spring with nice mild temperatures, experts are saying that this summer is going to be unusually hot! 

Hot temperatures are exceptionally hard on your vehicle.  It does not take much to prepare your transportation for the extreme temperatures.  Let the experts at Select Transmission & Automotive show you how to get your vehicle ready to safely get you around no matter how hot it is outside. 

For the entire month of May, we offering a Free Summer Check-Up Service.  We will look at the basic maintenance items on your car, and give you an insight to your vehicles overall health.

Steps to Prepare For Summer Driving:

• Check the condition of your tires.
• Check the condition of your vehicles cooling system
• Change your motor oil.  Make sure you are using the right oil for your vehicle.
• Check the transmission fluid level and condition.
• Make sure your brakes are in good shape
• Service the Air Conditioning System
• Make sure all of your other fluids are in good condition.

These are just a few things that you can do to make sure you are ready for a summer of safe and dependable vehicle operation.

If you want to schedule your FREE Summer Check Up Service, call us today at 210-599-9958!

Excellent Service discounts found on our website: www.sanantoniotransmissions.net

Cadillac Escalade Transmission Problems From A Professional Point Of View

The Cadillac Escalade is certainly one of the most premium SUVs that you will find on the road.  When you have worked hard, and you have the privilege adding one of these fine vehicles to your personal fleet, you certainly want to take care of this four wheeled sign of success. 

Just a few minutes ago, I answered a telephone call from someone who, unfortunately, experienced some sort of catastrophic failure in the transmission, and the vehicle was towed from the freeway to one of the local dealerships.   As if that was not bad enough, the price that was quoted for the repairs left him speechless. 

In his mind he was starting to justify the cost of the repair, because, after all, the vehicle is a Cadillac, and well, it carries one of the largest price tags of any other vehicle in the GM lineup.  One might assume that almost everything associated with that vehicle comes with a premium level price tag. 

That just is not true.  Not true at all. 

Now, many of the components of the vehicle are exclusive to the Cadillac badge, however, most of the major systems of the vehicle are shared with the less expensive counterparts - the Tahoe and the Yukon. 

The Escalade is equipped with the same transmission offered in those trucks.  If it is the same transmission, why should the owner of a premium vehicle be forced to pay a premium price on for mechanical repairs... hey, there is not a hood ornament on the transmission so who cares where you buy it. 

These transmissions are not any different than any other transmission out there.  These transmissions fail, and have some very common causes of failure just like any other mass produced automotive component. 

So, you want your Escalade fixed, but you don't want to pay Cadillac prices?  Who could blame you for that!

Call us at Select Transmission & Automotive for Cadillac service at Chevrolet prices! 210-599-9958
www.sanantoniotransmissions.net
Select Transmission & Automotive Center
10505 O'Connor Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78233
210-599-9958

What's In It For Me?

This seems to be such a taboo question. Who wants to really ask this question. I think that most people do not ask it simply because it makes us feel a little selfish or vain.. or both.

Are we those things for asking that question out loud?

I am one of those people that would quickly answer boldly with no. I mean, how could I honestly label someone like that, when deep down inside, I know that I ask the exact same question before I buy nearly any product or service.

With that being said, take a moment, just a short little moment.. inhale... exhale.. now admit it, you ask the same thing when nearly every time you buy a product or service. You feel liberated now, don't you. You should.

  We all get up every day, we all put our pants on one leg at a time, and we all have to work to earn every single solitary dollar that we spend to buy these products and services. (OK, unless you are Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian or someone like that.) Reflecting on all of the years, months, days, hours and seconds that you spend working to earn your money, really, you have the right to care about what is in it for you.

Now, most of us, I would hope, understand that there is not always something tangible to redeem when you purchase something. I mean, really, who thinks that if you have the plumber out to your house he is going to let you go to the goody bag after you swipe your credit card. Its not going to happen. Plus, would you want one of his goodies... I would be afraid.. really afraid.

We all need a little assurance that once we hand over the moolah, dinero, cashola or plastic, that after the transaction is complete your feeling of satisfaction, security or righteousness is going to end. Seriously, we all know instant gratification is excellent, but if it turns out that your hard earned money goes to something that is only great for a second that it could really burn and itch or itch and burn later.

All of this being said, I mean it, it is important to really evaluate the situation. There should be something in it for you. In my language, I want to know that if I buy this, where will I be in the future if I have a problem with it. Take a second and ask yourself that.

Let's translate this into your vehicle repairs. I have to go there, because that is what I do, of course. Ask me, Jeff, what is in this for me in the future if I have a problem with my car.

I can answer this question honestly and without hesitation. The answer is simple, and that is because I have asked myself the same questions thousands of times when I have purchased services in the past. I built my business around that very question to benefit all of my customers.

If you buy from me you can guarantee that there is something in it. My customers always have an identity to me and to all of my staff. I try to make sure that we know everyone personally. We may not know your birthday but, we try to understand where each and everyone is coming from. We try to make you understand that you are way more important to us than the money that you spend at my shop.

You are someone that will always have a role here in the shop. You see, as my customer, you are on the “board of directors” here. Your opinion of us is what counts. Your vote matters.

Once you leave, we care about your final opinion of us, and we want you to come back. We have always cared about building friendships with our customers, and frankly, with the hours we work to satisfy our customers, if you didn’t like us, we would be lonely.

We always want you to know that we are here to serve. We answer your telephone calls all night. We take the time to make sure that when it comes to your car, you are not out there on your own. You know your car, but we understand your car, and that is important. You need someone that can help you keep the romance in your relationship with your car. We all need a good therapist here and there....right? That's us, we are the marriage counselor or the safe zone between you and your car.

After your repairs are completed, you can rest easy knowing that you have a warranty. A warranty written and backed by a crew of people that really care about you and who you are. You are protected. You have bought into the family.

As a customer at Select, you get a crew that is highly trained and certified. We keep a crew with the diversity to address almost any issue that could possibly come up with your vehicle, and you can rest assured that we will happily address those issues for you, in a timely manner, and when it comes to fixing them, you will get a fair price, every single time. Sometimes, we know that money matters, and we try to keep as much of it in your pocket as possible. We give you options in taking care of your vehicle. That is a promise.

We work harder than other shops. Often we are asked why.. why are we so different. The answer is simple. The answer is actually in the question. We ask ourselves whats in it for us.

I remind my people, every single day to think about what is in this for us.

The answer is simple, if we strive to provide that service for you, there is a lot in it for us too. By being the leaders in service we are the guys you bring your friends, family and neighbors to see. We are the ones that when you run into while you are out for dinner or are taking your kids to a movie – you don’t hesitate to say hello to. We are the ones that you tell people that “you have a friend that has a shop”. We want to be your guy.

We are proud to be the folks that you know you can turn to. I can operate a business that I am proud of, and that is what is in it for me.

If you need a team to turn to for reliable and affordable vehicle repair and service, call us at

 210-599-9958 or look us up online at www.sanantoniotransmissions.net

 

Select Transmission & Automotive

10505 O'Connor Rd.

San Antonio, TX 78233

210-599-9958