Car Repair Do's and Don'ts

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the best way to avoid car repair rip-offs is to be prepared. Take the time to inform yourself about the details of how your vehicle works and how you can identify common problems before they become big problems. Knowledge is power and making the effort to get yourself informed will arm you with details and data that will make any visit to a repair facility less painful. But simply knowing how your vehicle works and how to identify common problems isn’t enough. Inevitably, something will go wrong with your car that you can’t fix yourself and you will need to turn to an expert. It is also very helpful to learn how to find an auto technician you can trust, what sort of questions to ask, and what your rights are as a consumer.

Perhaps one of the best ways to choose a car repair shop is to base your choice on the recommendation of friends and family members. Neighbors or co-workers or other people you trust can also make great resources if you don’t have friends or family members in your immediate vicinity. You will want to ensure you have time to shop around and get several quotes before committing to a shop or technician that you are unfamiliar with. This means you need to be aware of small problems with your vehicle before they become big problems.

One of the biggest mysteries that surrounds car repair businesses is how they price their work. It is very important that you learn how the particular auto shop you are dealing with charges for their work before committing to a quote or estimate from them. Do they charge a flat rate on labor? Or do they have fixed fees for certain repairs? Alternatively, they may charge by the hour and this will exponentially increase depending on how much time the repair takes. This last option can dramatically inflate the quote if the technician comes across unseen problems that take extra time during the repair process.

When you receive a written estimate from a repair shop, you want to be sure that it includes several important items. The written estimate should identify the problem that they are going to repair, the parts they require to perform the job, and what they expect the labor fee to be. Signed copies of estimates should state that the technician or shop will contact you before proceeding with any additional work that will cost additional money or require additional labor. This ensures that you aren’t surprised by a hefty bill when you finally pick up your vehicle.

Keep all of these items in mind when you are considering your options for car repair services. Arm yourself with information about both your vehicle and the process in order to ensure you receive the service you expect at a reasonable rate.