VIN Integration For Recalls - Privacy Issue?

[cfar]

OK don't flame me, just thinking ahead and about my customers security and mine also.
So Mitchell decides that "They" want to integrate the VIN of every car we enter into a "lookup" for recalls.
OK I get that but here is the issue and problem.I have had this before with carfax integration that Mitchel used to have. Mitchell dropped them.

I have a few customers,who later traded their cars in and carfax report pulled by dealer caused a devaluation to the cars due to major repairs done-head work,head gaskets,oil pump, etc., or a service writer entered the wrong mileage but was corrected on the next invoice and forward and carfax and dealer claim mileage discrepancy and devalued the cars..

So now we have recall lookup and what else is being done with the info we enter.You all know by now the issue that has come to light with our data in Facebook and Google being used for Other Reasons.This info is sometimes sold-is this the case with Mitchell?

I think WE as users should not have to bear the responsibility of giving our customers data without their consent.
Like the prior carfax issues i had ,I don't want to find out again.
BTW I lost some of these customers and Not to being a new car.That was some years ago and the cars should be out of warranty by now or even an oil change or 2
AND
Why would I want to send a customer to the dealer anyway,they are making it a new purpose to get our customers back for any and all work.
How many times have your hear the dealer say "we didnt use OE parts?
Magnuson-Moss I know but its the shade they throw in the customers eyes.
The customer most times will just avoid the issue and go somewhere else besides us or the dealer.

Yes I get the importance of the recalls, But that is the Manufactures job to get them notified.

Mitchells quote for this feature is "use this to impress your customers,and boosting their confidence with your shop as their preferred service provider"
Really this is like friendly fire and a justification to accept this feature.

I don't agree that this feature will impress the customer because we already have their confidence and that is why they are at our shop and not the dealer.
I think there needs to be a OPT OUT for any Mitchell user that does not want to participate in the VIN look up programs.

I have used Mitchell for 25 years and @ almost $500 a month for all they have(and every 6 months or so another 2% increase) I should have a say....

[Rich]

With carfax, our issue was "giving" carfax all of that info for FREE, yet we ask for a free report a few times a year and they say SURE GIVE US YOUR CC INFORMATION. one back scratches the other, good riddance carfax.

As for the vehicle info by VIN/Plate. You can get all of that on line. Or in Autovalues system, In a system that has nothing to do with M1.

If there is a hand to be slapped about this talk to the local DMV, they are the ones getting your info and selling it. I am sure more than your VIN info, I bought a new 2017 F150 in May. Before the end of June I had people sending me after market warranty information WITH MY NAME, ADDRESS and tx number. So i don't think what M1 is doing crosses any lines.

But I understand your thinking, you can never be to cautious in todays world.

Edit, i have given out about 20 recall info sheets to customers. Everyone was very impressed with us doing so, they see we are doing all we can to look out for them. Yes, some didn't care at all. The rest were happy. At our shop i am happy to send them to the dealer. Our reputation makes it so if they go to dealer to have recall and are told it needs $1,000.00 in work, they come back here, get a second opinion, and if the work is needed - we do it.

[ricmorin]

We try to take it one step further and bring the vehicle to the dealer to have the work done. The customer stays in MY loaner car and they NEVER have to go to another place.

That being said, I don't see it as a privacy issue. The database with all the vin's and recalls is all available online for free. If anything, you're showing your customer you care about their safety.

[timbre4]

Clarifications:

We don't share personal information nor will we at any point in the future, period. This is nothing like Carfax. Registration records are referenced with the license plate lookup function but NO personal information is returned; just the vehicle year-make-model + VIN. When shops ask "why can't we also get the customer information from the plate lookup?" we explain there are rules in place. In NY, PA and a few other states the VIN lookup will not return the last 6 digits as that represents the customer's actual vehicle.

As for the Open Recalls, that is strictly the decoded VIN (with a Manager SE customer record entered or not) checking to see if the OE has open recalls that need to be performed. That's it. You are not required to use the feature if you do not perceive value from it.

Thanks for using Mitchell 1.