In recent months, there have been increases in the sales of 0 km and used cars as a result of a host of incentives in this sector. However, there is a carryover from previous months where, as a result of the economic recession, the activity showed another side and that reflection – of how the automotive sector moves – impacts the mechanical workshops of the Region. Namely, several of these places seem crowded with cars waiting to be fixed and, within these problems, there are other more delicate ones such as the difficulties in obtaining some specific spare parts, the non-manufacturing of old mobile phone parts and other complexities that the sector.
In dialogue with this medium, a mechanic who has his premises in Berisso, near 122nd Avenue, explained: “If they bring me a car these days, I have a delay of one or two weeks. The workshop is full of cars and I park some who are waiting at the door. The situation is particular because, due to the crisis, many people do not pay attention to some noises or warnings that vehicles may give and they arrive at the workshop when everything is wrong and, yes or yes, they have to stop the car. This is not only a cost of money, due to the amount of money to be spent to fix the clutch, the brakes or whatever fails. It is also a material cost because there are families that have only one car and it is difficult for them to maintain it between insurance, fuel and other expenses.”
“Since January to date, we have had a large flow of vehicles. We do preventive repairs such as service or oil, filter and distribution changes. Customers always tell us: ‘I’d rather do this now in case my engine blows out because, given the way everything is, I’ll be stuck.’ The truth is that, for any repair, you must spend a minimum of between 50,000 pesos and $100,000 on the floor and it varies depending on the repair that must be made. In this workshop we also do corrective tasks. We work with cars, as a minimum, that are models from 2010 onwards. However, it is a reality that quotes are made and updated daily. We no longer give seven days of validity, because spare parts and accessories change prices all the time,” they commented from a comprehensive workshop located in the center of Los Hornos.
The manager of a mechanical workshop located between Parque Castelli and Plaza Sarmiento explained: “We have a lot of work that slows down by the end of the month. In any case, we are a reference, given that we have more work than the rest of the workshops, added to the fact that, as State suppliers, we serve various departments and private companies that provide us with work when the common customer does not arrive at the workshop.
“We stand out in carrying out the general control with a detailed report with colors so that you can schedule the work to be carried out in an order according to the urgency that the repair requires. At this time, due to the economic crisis, the works are no longer preventive and are repairs due to the lack of prevention, which makes them more expensive. I do not receive vehicles that are more than 20 years old and I can choose according to the condition of the car,” contributed the same man mentioned above.
From Ensenada, another mechanic took the opportunity to add his experience: “I have a workshop full of cars. I can’t find a break. I can’t complain because I always have work, but this indicates that fewer people can access better cars or that the cars that are used are increasingly older. There are hundreds of thousands of kilometers traveled on the streets and this is noticeable in the mechanical workshops. At the same time, although the workshop is full of cars, I consider that I cannot ‘kill’ people with the repair charges and I prefer to lower the cost of labor so that the spare parts are more accessible.”
Very expensive arrangements
As the years went by, the difficulty in being able to sustain and not burn some savings reduced the ability to purchase durable goods of the people of La Plata and citizens of the entire country. As an example, a decade ago, thinking about buying a car, even one with 0 km, required a much smaller amount of money than what is needed today.
It is because of this, and the need to move, that, currently, there are many people from La Plata who are betting on paying whatever the repair results in instead of saving the money to buy a car.
They emphasize that few perform preventive services and some repairs cost a lot of money
For example, a starter cost for a Volkswagen Gol ranges between 53,510 pesos for the oldest models and $1,619,300 for the newest models.
The gearbox of a Renault Clío costs $1,916,400 and starts at $300,000 or even less if you opt for a used part.
The clutch of a Ford Ka has a cap of $1,066,970 (the complete kit) and the base ranges at $110,840. To the above and along with other spare parts, labor must be added.
Mechanical workshops work with delays due to the number of cars
