Advertisement

Choosing a Repair Shop? Check Out a Few Before Taking Your Car In

Share
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

We love to cry the blues about mechanics, doctors and lawyers, and the lyrics are pretty much the same: “They charge too much for work we may not need.”

The truth is mechanics are not a particularly dishonest group. Sure, there are bad ones out there, but if we put temptation in their way by arriving in a state of panic and total ignorance, the blame lies at least partly with us. Some of the anger we direct at them should be aimed back at ourselves for remaining helpless and vulnerable about vehicles we rely on for access to work, food, entertainment and medical assistance.

The solution is simple: Find a good service facility and establish yourself as a most-favored customer before emergencies arise.

Advertisement

The first trick is to choose the best type of shop for each repair your vehicle requires.

Dealerships offer technicians who are factory-trained to service complex electronic systems with “OEM” (original equipment manufacturer) parts designed specifically for your vehicle. If you have a complaint, they’re strongly motivated to give you satisfaction. But they’re more expensive, and service writers stand between you and those who actually do the work. You may think you must go to the dealership for warranty work, but this is not the case. With few exceptions, warranty service can be done by any licensed professional, as long as the requirements are fulfilled.

National chains are often less expensive than dealerships, and their brand-name parts may compare favorably with OEM. Guarantees are honored by branches nationwide, which is great when you’re traveling. But chains use service writers too, and a different technician will work on your car each time. If employees earn commissions on parts, they may replace old parts rather than repair them.

An independent shop can be your best choice--and also your worst. Honest, experienced independents are saints in greasy coveralls who know your vehicle and want to satisfy you because most of their business is by referral. If you find one, you are truly blessed, but check carefully about access to special tools and parts.

Although independents are usually less expensive, specialists in luxury or high-performance vehicles may charge exorbitant rates. Specialists concentrate on particular systems--brakes, radiators, transmissions--or types of work such as re-chroming or installing sound systems and alarms.

Pick a Mechanic as You Would a Doctor

Ask friends with vehicles from the same manufacturer as yours, or with similar automotive problems, where they go for repairs and which shops to avoid. A quick way to choose a shop is to call around and compare prices on such basic services as tuneups and oil and coolant changes. Ask about hourly labor rates and whether they stock OEM parts for your vehicle. A call also gives you a feeling for the shop’s “vibes.” If the personnel are surly and uncommunicative over the phone, what will they be like in an emergency?

Before you need service, follow up with an impromptu visit. Look for signs that indicate recognition for expertise and good service:

Advertisement

* American Automobile Club-approved repair facilities must meet high standards, allow the AAA to arbitrate complaint disputes and offer a minimum 180-day or 6,000-mile warranty on parts and labor. Your local AAA has lists of those in your area.

* Technicians who have passed the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence tests in various specialties wear patches on their uniforms to show they’re certified. For a list of ASE-certified technicians in your state, call (703) 713-3800.

* An IGO sign indicates that a shop’s owner has pledged to live up to the code of ethics of the Independent Garage Owners Assn.

* In addition, check the manager’s office for awards for participation in local organizations, for customer-service excellence and for certificates showing that technicians are factory-trained to operate specialized equipment. Look for grateful letters from satisfied customers.

Ask yourself these questions:

* Is the garage clean and organized or filthy and cluttered? Auto repair requires patience and precision. If the shop is sloppy, the work may be too. Does it use modern electronic diagnostic equipment? These machines quickly identify problems and check adjustments, which saves you money on labor charges. But a machine is only as good as the operator; the technicians must be up to date on new systems. Again, look for that ASE patch.

* Does the shop have a service manual for your vehicle? Buy one and look up your problem to see which parts are involved and get a general idea of the work required so you can communicate intelligently and question parts or labor charges that seem excessive. Offer to lend it to an independent shop. It can’t stock one for every make, model and year.

Advertisement

* Can the garage’s mechanics do the entire job themselves? If work has to be sent to an outside specialist, ask whether they’ll just pass those charges on to you or mark them up as compensation for bringing the vehicle to and from the specialist. If all the work has to be done by a specialist, say you’d like a second opinion and take the vehicle to the specialist yourself instead of paying your shop to be the middleman.

* What form of payment is acceptable? Credit cards? Checks? Or only cash? In the event of a dispute, credit card companies allow you to withhold payment until they investigate the situation.

* How does the shop guarantee repairs? Guarantees usually range from one month to a year. If the mechanics don’t think their work will endure for at least three months, go elsewhere.

* Will they charge you “book rates” or just the actual time they spend on fixing a problem? Most good technicians require less time than the auto manufacturers’ labor books specify.

* Will they supply references? Most shops allow you to ask customers if they were satisfied with service.

Major Repairs Are Like Major Surgery

To be sure the “operation” is necessary and performed by the best possible “surgeon,” follow these guidelines:

Advertisement

* Get a second opinion. If there’s a big discrepancy, seek additional estimates. The shop with the lowest price may not do quality work. Get the details of what’s involved--in writing. California law requires shops to provide written estimates and to call you if they find that the job will cost more than originally estimated. State law also requires that parts that are replaced be returned to you. If they aren’t, ask for them to be sure you’re getting what you paid for.

And ask for credit for the “core,” or cash on return, charge on any rebuildable part that is replaced (pumps and carburetors are two examples). The core charge should be deducted from the price of rebuilt parts because your old part will be rebuilt and sold to someone else.

* Check your invoice carefully. Be sure that it includes a written guarantee on parts and labor and find out whether any of the parts installed comes with its own warranty. A standard invoice has separate areas that itemize the work and break costs down for parts and labor. Check the totals to be sure the math is right.

The Key: Establish a Lasting Relationship

Just finding a good shop isn’t enough. You should aim for most-favored-customer status that will make your mechanic go out of the way to please you. Even though many small businesses are struggling to stay alive these days, nearly every outstanding mechanic I’ve encountered has more business than time to deal with it. Here are some tips:

* Address the professionals at your shop respectfully. If you want to make a good impression, refer to them as “technicians.” Because today’s vehicles are based on electronic systems, the term has replaced “mechanic” at many service facilities.

* Call for an appointment. Don’t just show up and expect the shop to drop everything and take care of you. Get your vehicle into the shop early (at least by 8:30 a.m.), especially if you hope to retrieve it the same day. Allow yourself enough time to provide a full account of the symptoms and to accompany the mechanic on a diagnostic drive if necessary.

Advertisement

* Take along a written list of what you want and a detailed list of symptoms. If you can provide enough information, the technician may be able to diagnose the trouble without necessitating costly test drives and diagnostic procedures.

Organize the information like this: What is happening (“The car sounds like a jet plane”). When it happens (“It’s worse when I accelerate”). Where the trouble is (“It’s loudest toward the rear of the car”).

* Do not diagnose the problem yourself. If you say your vehicle needs a specific job, that’s the work that will be done. And you will pay for it, whether it solves the problem. It’s OK to ask whether the trouble might be caused by a particular malfunction, but the final diagnosis must be up to the repair shop so that it can be held responsible if the diagnosis turns out to be wrong. If the shop hasn’t worked on your car before, offer a copy of your maintenance and repair record. If you haven’t kept one, start now.

* Don’t press to get the job done fast unless you’re really in a bind. Nobody likes to work under pressure. If you’ve established that good relationship, the shop may have a spare car you can borrow until the work is done.

* Call to make sure that your vehicle is ready before you go to pick it up. There’s little the technicians can do if parts haven’t arrived. If they’re overbooked, be polite but firm about getting the car back as soon as possible.

* When the vehicle is ready, ask what was wrong and what they did to fix it. Add the information to your repair log for future reference. Be prepared to spend a little time test-driving to see if the job has been done satisfactorily. It’s better to return immediately than show up days later, after any number of things may have happened to mess things up.

Advertisement

* Show your appreciation for a job well done. A phone call or a letter praising a technician’s work means a lot. If you know your mechanic’s favorite beverage or snack, take some along in a paper bag and pick the car up at the end of the day. If you’re lucky, you may get invited to share it. I’ve received some of my most valuable tutoring strolling around a garage after working hours, can in hand, while my mechanic expounded on the secrets of the art.

*

Highway 1 contributor Deanna Sclar is the Los Angeles-based author of the forthcoming “Auto Repair for Dummies” (IDG Books), which offers lengthier advice on this subject.

Advertisement