A maintenance reminder message is displayed on your vehicle’s dashboard. A check engine light is on. You failed a state vehicle inspection. The sticker in the upper left hand corner of your windshield says you are due for service. You car is making a noice that wasn’t there the other day. Your vehicle does not start. You experienced a mechanical breakdown along the roadside. Whatever the event, you now need service. Like most of us, you turn to an online search to find a local reputable auto repair shop. Here are a few factors to keep in mind when deciding on where to take your vehicle. Look ..read more

The most common types of auto repair services requested on Openbay include: Oil changes: This service includes changing the oil and the oil filter in the vehicle. Brake repair and service: This service includes fixing or replacing brake pads, rotors, and other brake components. Tire repairs and replacements: This service includes fixing punctures, rotating tires, and replacing worn or damaged tires. Battery replacements: This service includes replacing the vehicle’s battery, which can lose its ability to hold a charge over time especially in colder climates. Engine repairs: This service can ..read more

Winter driving tips are important because driving conditions during the winter months can be significantly more dangerous than during other times of the year.  Snow, ice, and sleet can make roads slippery and reduce visibility, making it more difficult to control a vehicle and avoid accidents. Additionally, cold temperatures can cause car batteries to fail and tires to lose pressure, which can also lead to accidents. Knowing how to safely navigate these conditions through tips such as proper tire pressure, using winter tires or using snow chains, and leaving extra space between vehicles ..read more

Openbay+ Includes Real-Time Service Appointment Scheduling Across Pep Boys Locations Openbay extends coverage for its automotive subscription service marketplace, Openbay+, with the addition of Pep Boys. To meet the changes in expectations of modern-day consumer shopping behavior, Openbay+ delivers real-time service appointment scheduling, which now includes all Pep Boys locations across the continental U.S. Pep Boys is a leading U.S. automotive service provider with more than 900 locations nationwide.  Real-Time Scheduling Real-time service appointment scheduling automates the ..read more

5 New Year’s Resolutions For Your Car – 2023 Before we start, we recommend you create a monthly calendar reminder to ensure you’re keeping up with 2023 resolutions for your car. 1. Monitor all Vehicle Fluid Levels – Top Off if Necessary – Monthly Engine oil: Inspecting the level of your engine oil is typically part of a multi-point inspection if you were to bring your vehicle in for service. Refer to the vehicle owner’s manual for the location of the engine oil dipstick and follow the instruction on how to check the engine oil level. Perform this check when the engine is cold. Once you remo ..read more

Rideshare and delivery drivers for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Grubhub, UberEats, Postmates, Instacart, Gopuff, Amazon Flex, Shipt and others are all impacted by rising costs in automotive repair and maintenance. ———- Updated December 2022 (previous coverage) The cost of car repair and maintenance services has risen between to more than 11% over the last year (2022). In prior years, costs have consistently increased by 4%-5% annually. For 2019, average miles driven by U.S. drivers reached 14,263 miles according to the United States Department of Transportation – Federal Highway Administration (FHWA ..read more

New Openbay subscription service, Openbay+ helps Lyft drivers increase net earnings with cost savings on automotive services. An ongoing balancing act Lyft drivers face each day transporting passengers to their destination is to increase their net earnings while keeping operational costs down. Obviously more hours during busy times and more rides in close proximity will contribute to an increase in earnings, but the cost of operating their ride has a profound impact on net earnings. There are many online articles about vehicle operating costs. Some costs are front-and-center such as gas, insu ..read more

Whether delivering food or packages as a delivery driver or a household that owns a motor vehicle, it’s time to think about preparing your vehicle for winter as outside temperatures start to drop.  For some of you, the process of preparing your vehicle for cold weather is familiar – you are the DIY pro! For the majority of us, we may need some help and guidance on what to do. Here is a quick list of things to do to get your vehicle ready for the cold weather. It’s better to be prepared, than get caught off guard and find yourself in trouble along the roadside. We don’t want that to happe ..read more

Nearly 70% of Millennials prefer to buy automotive repair and maintenance services online   In a nationwide survey conducted by Lang Marketing, a leading independent consulting and marketing analysis company, nearly 70% of Millennials indicated that they would prefer to buy automotive repair services from an eSeller (e.g., Amazon or another online company) than to deal directly with a local automotive repair shop.  At Openbay, we see similar results. Digital consumers want the convenience of shopping on line for professional services, reading customer ratings and reviews, and obtain ..read more

Gopuff, the go-to instant commerce platform, recently deployed Openbay+ to help its delivery partners save money on automotive services for their vehicles. Openbay+ is a subscription service that matches drivers with automotive service centers that deliver automotive repair and maintenance services at preferred pricing. Exclusively through Openbay+, delivery partners get upfront pricing on repair and maintenance services and can book appointments with nearby service professionals that offer up to 25% in discounts on parts and labor. All U.S. Gopuff delivery partners, operating in more than 1 ..read more