Whether you are a mechanic or an individual searching for an ECU/ECM to purchase, making sure you are asking the right questions to get the service you need will likely be the reason things will go smoothly or be a huge never-ending headache. ECU/ECM service matters, opting for the cheapest module might keep your car stuck at the mechanic shop, or if you are a mechanic, your customers look at you as their hero, and they will be let down when they have to wait for their car a few extra days while a slow ECU/ECM warranty is being shipped out. Maybe you truly don’t have to pay for premium service, you are a tech-savvy individual who is doing a DIY project on their car and time is not an issue. In each case, we will go over the best questions to ask your ECU/ECM vendor to find out exactly what service you are and aren’t paying extra for, and what types of service might be best for an individual versus someone accountable for running a mechanic shop and making sure the processes/ operations are smooth and unclogged.
What is the time length and cost of shipping?
Most vendors will ship an item to a customer after 3 -7 days. If you want to have faster shipping, they can do it if you decide to pay the extra fee. Some have free shipping but you still need to make sure of the speed the part will arrive depending on your needs. Other companies might have standard premium shipping service and will ship your part the same day with no shipping cost, this plays a role in why ECU costs throughout different vendors will be drastically different, it has to do with the quality of service like speed, returns, and warranties, hidden fees. You are buying the same part from each company, but the service that surrounds it is what makes the price difference. It might be worth it to pay extra depending on the urgency of your situation, so please make sure to ask about the shipping speed, as it can be an important need for your ECU purchase.
How long does the return policy last
The general standard in the refurbished ECM industry is 30 days. Meaning if complications arise after installing the part, the vendor will give you your money back within the return policy period. But wait, what most vendors won’t tell you upfront is that they charge either a programming fee, restocking fee, or both after a return is issued, making it a not-so-risk-free return. Most companies will do this to gain some compensation since the sale didn’t go through. It usually doesn’t sit well with customers, especially since the customer is also paying for the part to get shipped back to receive their refund, so even more money is out of pocket and there still isn’t a working ECU installed in the car. Some vendors have a 90 or 365-day return policy with 0 hidden fees, giving the customer much more slack to see if the ECU/ECM works for their vehicle with zero risk. The ECU might cost more in the short term, but if complications arise, you have no skin in the game and aren’t at risk of paying a penny if things go differently than planned. Different people are willing to pay more or less for different levels of service and support. It’s all about asking the right questions so you are confident your money is going towards something you value.
How many warranties? How long does a replacement take?
Out of all the popular taglines in the refurbished ECU/ECM industry, the absolute most common is the “lifetime warranty”. Used for decades by most if not all of the top vendors in the industry. It sounds great, but just like with the return policy, we’re going to have to dig in and uncover the unprinted fine print. The warranty kicks in after you have installed the computer and it is not working, if you choose not to return the computer in the return period, or your return period is over, you can replace the computer with a lifetime warranty. Even if it is 10 years after the purchase, you do get a 1 time use replacement. Yes, 1 time. “Lifetime warranty” does not mean unlimited lifetime replacements for you and your grandchildren. This might sound okay to you until problems occur with the replacement, after all the ECU is the brain of the engine, a complicated, technical, and extremely sensitive piece of hardware. So now your replacement didn’t work, your vehicle can take you from point A to point B, and your vendor isn’t extending a helping hand, leaving you alone without support.
Also, for example, the vendor is sending you your “lifetime warranty”, do you know the shipping speed on the warranty replacement, instead of just the shipping speed for the original shipment? Do you know if the vendor will intentionally wait for you to send the malfunctioning ECU back before he ships the warranty? Important questions to ask because you might find yourself without transportation for easily 2 weeks. Time and time again, after being an authority in this industry for 30 years, we understand the frustrations and confusion we’ve seen countless customers endure. We are on the same side as those who were misled by strong, attention-grabbing claims. Based on what we’ve seen, we feel that with most companies, “lifetime” isn’t really “lifetime”. These questions might not be on your mind while purchasing an ECU/ECM. We get it, we value saving a buck or two here and there as well, but when it comes to your car, your mechanic shop, or engine control modules as a whole, paying extra to be backed up by professional service might be cheaper and less of a headache in the mid to long term than going for the cheapest part upfront.
Do I have to return the core before you ship the warranty, or give me my refund?
Remember, as we discussed earlier in the article, some warranty replacements from certain vendors will require you to ship out the core or defective ECU/ECM back to the vendor before you receive the warranty. This is mission-critical to be aware of especially if you are a mechanic who is trying to keep the operations smooth and the service bays moving. Also if you choose to do a refund, some vendors will wait to give you your money until they have received the core back. Being aware of these small details will help you expect and prepare for ECU/ECM complications, and if you get the right service, your vendor will be by your side picking up the heavyweight, and focusing on getting you or your customer back on the road ASAP.
Conclusion – Mechanics: What is the best service for you?
Now that we’ve been through all the hidden service details in the refurbished ECM/ECU industry, we can go over what level of service is best for you as an individual or a mechanic. We separate these two groups for a reason. We have noticed over the years that mechanic shops get affected badly when going for cheap ECUs. If a mechanic shop is dealing with lousy service and slow shipping, this affects the mechanic shop negatively in multiple ways. The service bays won’t move due to a slow repair, decreasing the efficiency of the mechanic shop, and the customer has to wait longer, decreasing satisfaction, loyalty, and valuable referrals. For leaders of an auto service business, we believe that paying extra for smooth service makes the operations and processes of the shop more lean, easy, and more efficient. This will keep the service bays moving, keep the customers getting back on the road as fast as possible, and increase loyalty and referrals. This brand morale increase will pay the mechanic shop owner back in various ways in the midterm. Playing the long game is not a cost, it is an investment as a business leader. Not having a trusted vendor behind your ECU work and service may be the ultimate cost. There is no better business strategy than looking like a hero to your customer.