OK, This is an Insanely Great Idea

A company called Openbay has come up with a a device that plugs into your car's diagnostic port, reads the codes, and gets quotes from local mechanics:

Car maintenance, and the costs associated with auto care, is a pain point and often a total mystery for many car owners. It is also one of the last industries where the consumer has traditionally had no power over negotiations, especially once a car is in an auto repair shop.

This morning at the New York International Auto Show, auto repair marketplace startup Openbay unveiled a new product called OpenbayConnect to give consumers more power in the process of getting work done on their cars. The new device, which Openbay founder and chief executive Rob Infantino says can be installed by anyone, automatically connects a car’s computer system to diagnose problems and find a local repair shop to fix the issue through the company’s automated service recommendation engine.

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OpenbayConnect further automates this process by diagnosing the problem through a car’s computer system – something I was charged about $70 for at the Subaru dealership – and making the auto repair shops vie for a customer’s business by offering the best deal. The company will be shipping the product to early adopters throughout the spring, but has been testing the device with a few unnamed partners with access to large fleets of cars for a few months now. For a limited amount of time, the OpenbayConnect devices will be free and won’t cost users any data costs or activation fees. Eventually, the company will sell the connected diagnosis components through its partners.

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One specific target of OpenbayConnect is auto service customers who don’t know very much about their vehicles, see a check engine light go on, and immediately call a auto shop or dealer. Often, that customer will pay just to have their computer system checked. Many times, the problem could be as simple as low tire pressure or a loose gas cap. The automated OpenbayConnect system can diagnose exactly what the problem is and whether it warrants more extensive service, all without having to get mechanics involved.

Even if they just sold the device, so you could plug in and get the codes on your smart phone, this would be f%$#ing brilliant.