Auto Repair: Questions to Ask After Getting a Recommendation to a Shop

If you use recommendations from friends and family members in order to choose a good auto repair shop, you should get as many details as possible. This is because you will find that details that are benefits to one person may be downsides for you. Therefore, you should ask several questions to find out a few particular facts before using a recommendation to find a business to use for your car.

If the person you ask claims to love the auto repair shop they used, it is time to find out why exactly. Get started by asking what in particular they liked about the company and the overall experience. Lead them to providing detailed answers by asking how the customer service was when they went, and whether the employees seemed happy to help. Ask how the business looked, requesting to know whether it looked neat and organized. Find out how the waiting area for customers appeared, and whether it was comfortable. Some waiting areas feature televisions, magazines, and even refreshments for customers, so find out the extras that the shop you are considering contains. This may help you plan ahead, as you will need to decide whether to drop off the car or just wait for it inside the customer waiting room.

Price is a big factor, so find out the facts on this component of local auto repair shops. Once you get a recommendation, ask whether your friend was able to get a price quote ahead of time. Find out whether it was accurate, or if the total cost ended up being much higher or lower than the quote. You should also get to know how the price compared to other shops in your area. Find out if your friend shopped around to compare quotes, as this may save you some time since you will know if they have the best prices. Asking how payment was taken care of is also a good idea, as you should get to know whether a detailed invoice was provided, and which forms of payment are accepted.

Finally, the quality of the auto repair itself is also important. Get to know whether the person recommending the business thinks the car was fixed correctly. Find out if he heard any weird noises or noticed odd smells coming from the engine after taking the car to the shop, or if the problem seemed to be completely gone. Sometimes vehicle owners have to return to the business to have the same issue checked again, or a different problem may mysteriously appear after the repairs. Learn whether the car's owner has had any reason to return to the business lately.

Getting good recommendations for local auto repair businesses can be helpful when you are making your decision. However, the real help is in the details, as some will apply to you more than others. For example, if your boss or insurance company is paying for repairs, then you will probably not care much about price, while you are unlikely to care about customer service if you plan to have someone else drop it off and pick it up. Therefore, consider certain things before you choose a company.