Summer is peak season for auto repair and vehicle sales. Customers are lining up for A/C checks, road trip inspections, and new rides. But behind the scenes, heat is quietly straining your operations. Whether you run a repair shop, a dealership, or both, the combination of hot temps, idling vehicles, and higher fuel burn can drain profits faster than you think.
Here’s how mechanics and auto dealers can protect their fleet, staff, and margins from summer’s hidden risks and save fuel while doing it.
- Don’t Let Unnecessary Idling Burn Profits
Loaner cars. Test drives. Waiting vehicles in service lines. Idling can become an unnoticed habit and in the summer heat, it costs more. A single vehicle can burn up to a gallon of fuel per hour at idle. Multiply that by a service fleet or customer shuttles, and it adds up quickly.
Encourage your team to shut off engines when not in use. Don’t leave cars running in the parking lot while waiting for pickup or paperwork. If you offer courtesy transport, train drivers to avoid long idle times during waits or customer drop-offs. Set idle limits on any telematics-equipped vehicles.
- Check A/C Efficiency to Prevent Fuel Waste
Customers come in expecting cold air, but when service vans or lot vehicles run their A/C systems at max all day without proper maintenance, it drains fuel and stresses components. Clean or replace cabin air filters regularly, check refrigerant levels, and inspect A/C compressor health on service and inventory vehicles.
If your staff uses service vehicles, encourage them to keep windows closed when cooling and to avoid overusing A/C during idle. If your dealership preps cars for customer pickups, minimize long pre-cool cycles.
- Prevent Heat-Triggered Inspection Failures
Whether you’re transporting inventory or servicing fleet accounts, roadside inspections can be a risk, especially for vehicles regularly moved between lots or auctions. Summer’s most common failures include:
- Overheated brakes
- Tire blowouts from overinflation
- Fluid leaks due to stressed hoses and aging parts
Make sure your service checklists include these common heat-related trouble spots, especially for shuttle vans, customer loaners, and vehicle haulers. A blown tire or seized brake line can derail your schedule fast.
- Watch for Staff Fatigue in the Shop
It’s not just vehicles suffering in the heat, your crew is too. Working in hot service bays, jumping in and out of sunbaked vehicles, and staying on their feet all day wears people down.
Encourage hydration breaks, rotate tasks when possible, and consider small touches like fans or cooling towels. A focused technician is more productive and less likely to make mistakes that lead to comebacks or complaints.
- Watch Out for DPF Trouble on Diesel Shop Trucks
If you run diesel-powered delivery or parts trucks, summer heat combined with stop-and-go usage can create Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) issues. Short trips, extended idle times, and high-heat conditions all accelerate clogging.
Schedule more frequent DPF inspections and train your staff to recognize signs of regen issues like decreased power or higher fuel use. Catching these early avoids bigger problems down the road.
- Save on Fuel for Every Vehicle with the Energie Fuel Card
Running between lots, moving vehicles for customers, or managing a shop truck fleet? The Energie Fuel Card helps auto businesses lock in fuel discounts, track usage by driver or vehicle, and reduce fraud. Whether it’s your courtesy shuttle, your parts van, or your used car hauler, every drop counts.
It’s hot, it’s busy, and every hour matters. Keep your team sharp, your vehicles efficient, and your fuel bills low.
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