Surfwrench Blog
Automotive Industry Insights & Marketing Tips
The Skill That Gets Them Hired: Why Your Tech School Needs Video MPI Training
In the modern service lane, the wrench is only half the battle. As we move into 2026, the automotive industry has reached a tipping point: transparency is no longer a luxury—it’s a requirement. Major brands and top-tier dealership groups are increasingly mandating...
The VDP Crisis: Why “Digital Sameness” and AI Gimmicks Are Eroding Your Dealership’s Trust
The modern automotive battlefield isn't the asphalt of your lot; it’s the pixels on a screen. We all know the stats: virtually every car buyer starts their journey online. Your digital showroom is your showroom. Yet, a strange phenomenon has taken over automotive...
Your “Quick” MPI Videos Are Killing Your Sales
Let’s be real: we’ve all been told that "attention spans are disappearing" and that customers want everything in 30 seconds or less. But when it comes to a $2,000 repair recommendation, a 15-second clip of a shaky flashlight pointing at a leaky strut isn't...
Why Your Technicians Hate Video MPIs
In the world of modern automotive service, the Video Multi-Point Inspection (MPI) has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, Service Managers and Fixed Ops Directors see it as a transparent way to build trust with customers and increase average repair order (ARO)...
The Digital Frontier: AI Optimizations for Dealerships
In the fast-moving world of automotive retail, your website is no longer just a digital brochure; it’s your most productive—or most neglected—salesperson. For dealership groups, managing a digital presence across multiple rooftops has traditionally been a game of...
5 Reasons Video MPI is the New “Must-Have” Skill
The automotive industry is changing faster than a dual-clutch transmission, but many tech school curriculums are still stuck in the era of paper clipboards and carbon-copy forms. While students are learning to tear down engines, they’re missing the single most...
The Digital Frontier: AI Optimizations for Dealerships
In the fast-moving world of automotive retail, your website is no longer just a digital brochure; it’s your most productive (or most neglected) salesperson. For dealership groups, managing a digital presence across multiple rooftops has traditionally been a game of...
5 Ways Surfwrench Video Training Turns Your Students into High-Earning Superstars
The automotive industry is in the middle of a digital revolution, and it’s an exciting time to be an aspiring technician! At Surfwrench, we believe the next generation of mechanics shouldn't just be great with their hands—they should be masters of the modern service...
The 2026 Auto Outlook
In the world of automotive retail, 2026 is less of a "new year" and more of a "meticulously calculated recalibration." If the last few years were a chaotic scramble of supply chain ghosts and "market adjustment" stickers, 2026 is the year the industry finally sits...
Video MPIs for New Vehicles Matter More Than You Think
Let’s start with a scenario: You are a technician at a OEM dealership that has recently incorporated Video Multipoint Inspections into its service lane. One of the first vehicles to come into your bay has just over 5000 miles on the odometer and is in pristine...