OT: Are There 24 Hour Auto Repair Shops Where You Live?

[DerbyDad03]

Background:

My daughter was driving from Vermont to Virginia when she had a problem wit h her brakes. At about 7PM she called me from Maryland and said she was about

2 hours from her destination. When she described the symptoms, I told her t hat she should not continue driving "Get a hotel and find a shop in the morning ." Less than 3 hours later she called me again: "On my way to Virginia!"

Wait...What?

It turns out that Maryland has 24 hour service centers. Who knew? She calle d one and they said if she came right over, they could work on it right away. They fixed the problem and sent her on her way.

So, the point of this post is "Really? Auto repair shops that are open 24 h ours?"

Is that a big city thing only? We sure don't have them where I live. We did n't have them in NYC where I grew up, but that was 30+ years ago. I looked on line and it seems like NYC has them now. It's not surprising that the "T owing and Repair" businesses are listed as 24 hours, but there are quite a few that are just listed as auto repair shops.

Do you have 24 hour repair shops where you live?

[hubops]

I would have said a flat-out NO .. until I did a google search for a 24/7 shop in Toronto - Ta-Da -

guess it's a big city thing .. John T.

[Bill]

I live near a big city. How come I can't get a *hair cut* after

8:00 pm (or so). Admittedly, I keep strange hours, but so do lots of people.

[DerbyDad03]

The chains near me - Super Cuts, Hairzoo, etc. - are open until 9 every day. Indy shops, not so much. Maybe 1 later night a week.

[John McGaw]

I never really thought about it for local shops but they are and have been common along heavily traveled routes like I-95 since at least the late

1960s. As a test, Google for "24-hour auto repair near me" and see what you find. I located at least a half dozen that appeared to be good bets and I don't live in or near any sort of major metropolis.

[hubops]

Several of the Toronto hits were 24 hour towing but showed up in the search as 24 hour service .. only evident if you drilled deeper .. John T.

[Bill]

[dpb]

On 10/8/2018 9:13 AM, John McGaw wrote: ...

But what _is_ the population of, say, the county and how close to one of the "heavily traveled routes" are you?

There's nothing remotely resembling that within at least 200 mi from here and I pretty strongly suspect not even those have truly 24-hr service more than, perhaps, a tire change (not repair, just change).

OTOH, the local JD dealership will respond 24/7 if you're that desperate as to really need something up and running! :)

[DerbyDad03]

I had already done the search you suggested prior to posting. Most of the "24 hour" hits were shops that also tow. As I said in my OP, I would expect those that offer towing to be listed as open 24 hours. I got a couple of hits for "mobile mechanics" that were listed as 24 hours, but both websites are dead.

I got some truck stops (food and fuel), some collision shops (my guess: an answering service that tells the tow truck driver where to drop off the wreck) and even a website that looks to be something like an Angie's List for auto repair. You have to register to go any deeper than the home page and that ain't happening.

There is one hit that seems like it might actually be a viable option. The Google picture shows what appears to be a shop with some cars parked around it behind a house in a residential neighborhood. I wouldn't be surprised if owner lives in the house and answers his phone 24/7, throws on his coveralls and walks into his backyard. Will he actually fix your brakes at 8PM like AJ's in Maryland did for my daughter? Don't know. I may just call them tomorrow and ask if they are truly open - and working - 24 hours. After all, they are in a residential neighborhood and there are town codes that need to be followed. Yeah, yeah, the true test would be to call them at 2AM and see what happens, but I'll wait until normal business hours since it's just a question, not a need for service.

[Meanie]

I was never aware of any 24 hour shop in my area and decided to search after reading your post. I was shocked how many there are in this city and additionally, several have 5 star ratings on Google. Therefore, perhaps it is a big city thing. Who knew!

[Sonny]

Seems here are quite a few 24 hour servicers, here, but not sure just how e xtensive their services are. Several mobile mechanics, but, again, not su re how complete of services offered..... I didn't look at any websites, to read of services offered. Good to know something is available, though.

Sonny

[Ed Pawlowski]

It has only been a few months that McDonalds went to 24 hours. No gas stations, let alone repairs in our town of 10k.

[dpb]

On 10/9/2018 8:08 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote: ...

There's surely a pump, though, by now?

Wasn't until about two years ago the one in NM near our ground out there finally put in a card reader; you had to catch him while he was there before...of course, most times could just call and he'd come over if you really needed fuel badly, but anybody driving through wouldn't have a clue! :) --not that many drive that route but a few do to cut across to head on up to Cimarron or to get to Conchas Lake from that direction...

[Puckdropper]

Ed Pawlowski wrote in news:FL1vD.300510$Vl2.26787 @fx46.iad:

IL lets gas stations run without attendents. You pay at the pump with a credit card and of course pump your own gas. I'd think if there were problems they wouldn't be doing it for very long. (I bet the places that won't let you pump your own gas for "safety" reasons are scared!)

The small town in Indiana I lived in during college had a 24-hour BP. I don't know that they did much business but I guess enough to stay open.

Puckdropper

[Clare Snyder]

It's been over 50 years since you could not buy gas 24 hours a day 7 days a week SOMEWHERE in both Kitchener and Waterloo Ontario.

A few stations used to rotate being open Sundays, and at least one at each entrance to town was open 24 hours. "Self Serve" is virtually universal here - with a manned booth where you can pay for gas, but "pay at the pump" is also almost universally available.

Today I'd say 50% or more are 24 hour 7 day a week

[DerbyDad03]

I called that 24 hour place in the residential neighborhood.

Female voice:

"Hi, you've reached Don's cell phone. Please leave your name and number and he'll call you back with his availability."

No mention of the shop name or anything else.

[dpb]

On 10/9/2018 10:39 AM, Puckdropper wrote: ...

The only places I know of still w/ mandatory Pump4U law are Oregon and NJ altho Oregon finally relented for the lower half (roughly) of counties by population beginning this year.

NM had no law against self-serve/just the station did so little volume the owner didn't want the expense of putting in new pumps with card readers.

I think he finally relented when the distributor threatened to quit making the trip unless he upped his volume and figured the pass-thrus were the only added market there could be. With population of the county seat village being 300, there's just not many extra folks around to use any more than they already were... :)

The pumps were still open when we were out last spring for checking on fences, etc., so at least so far the distributor has only threatened.

[krw]

No attendants anywhere on site? That is different. The Sam's here has to have an operator to pull the emergency switch if it all catches on fire (they don't have any other function - all self-serve and no cash).

Most of the gas stations around here make their money from the crap inside the store and don't even own the gas business. The major oil companies own the gas, tanks, and pumps. They pay the station owner to handle the non-pay-at-the-pump customers - and not much.

[DerbyDad03]

At BJ's they have other functions:

- Prevent chaos by making sure vehicles follow the "one way" rules

- Help those that need help (elderly, frail, disabled, ignorant in the ways of the pump, etc.)

- Occasionally use their card at the pump when there's an issue with a member's card

- Perform other customer service related functions

[dpb]

On 10/9/2018 9:58 PM, [e-mail] wrote: ...

In large traffic area, not surprised; too many customers wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what to do if.

Here in rural area there are many totally unattended fueling stations; the emergency button is right there on the island with big sign if it were needed and a contact number.

Some are on card readers so anybody w/ a CC _can_ use it, but many, being co-ops or just distribution centers of a larger distributor only have member keys or use combinations for their clients; they're not general service stations at all; just have the same general function where it may be 20-50 mi to a "real" service station.