Car Repair: 3 Methods of Getting Price Quotes

Repairing your auto can be expensive, but preparing for the costs can help reduce the sticker shock you might experience. For this reason, getting estimates is often a good idea, as you can find out what you will likely pay before committing to the price. Luckily, there are a few ways to get price quotes before spending a dime. 

One of the easiest ways to get a quote for car repair is to call a few companies near you, as most offer this service for free. You may be able to get it over the phone, but this often requires that you describe the issue carefully. If you do not know much about cars, this could be difficult, resulting in an inaccurate price quote. In addition, it will probably take some time for you to describe the problem, and it may take time for employees to find out the price after researching and adding up the costs for parts and labor. They may have to call you back later with a quote. For these reasons, some companies prefer not to offer quotes over the phone. 

Instead, they may have you come to the shop to get one, or they might send an employee to your home if your vehicle is immobile. Either way, this usually allows you to get the most accurate estimate since the employee will probably find out exactly what is wrong. In some cases you will only get an idea of the issue since otherwise you would be getting a diagnostic exam for free, but some companies will describe the issue in detail, allowing you to decide whether to get the work done there or elsewhere. 

You can also usually get a quote online, though few car repair companies offer this service. Instead, there are companies committed only to collecting quotes for shops near you, and then giving you the amounts for each location. You typically have to put in a zip code or city, and then a description of the problem. You may also need some details about your vehicle, such as make and model. The more information you offer, the more accurate the estimation will be. This service is typically free and allows you to compare the prices of various places from your home, so you do not have to call or visit any location to get an idea of what you will likely pay for car repair. Therefore, this method is convenient for many people. 

In any case, know that employees who offer quotes are just adding up the costs they charge for the parts, multiplying the hourly rate for labor by the number of hours the job will likely take, and then adding the numbers up. Thus, there is some room for error. Some tasks may take longer than expected, other problems may appear, or the person giving the estimate may have made a math error. Either way, the price you get at first is just an estimation, so be aware that it can change.