Auto Repair Shop Services: What are You Actually Paying For?

My last post was all about asking the right questions when bringing your vehicle to auto repair shops so that you will be fully informed about what is to be done to your car. In the process, you become fully informed and you become less prone to a rip-off.

Moving on, another thing that you must be fully aware of is the repair rate of the shop to which you bring your vehicle. I’ve asked this before, and I will ask this again: do you really know what you’re getting from your money?

Generally, the amount that you pay to auto repair shops covers any or all of the following:

* Labor rate or flat rate. Both of these refer to the rate for the actual work done to service your vehicle. However, while labor rate is often computed per hour, flat rate pertains to a fixed rate for a given service, regardless of the number of hours consumed. An example of a service with flat rate is a tune up.

* Parts. As the name implies, this pertains to the amount of a replacement part that is to be mounted in your vehicle as a replacement to a damaged part or as an upgrade. The price of the part may vary, depending on whether it’s new or remanufactured.

* Miscellaneous. Many shops will charge you for the supplies used in performing the vehicle service. These supplies include such things as rags. Other shops also have additional charges such as disposal fees.

It is very important to be clear with your mechanic about the breakdown of charges in your repair bill. You must know the exact items included so that you’ll be aware where your payment goes, down to the very last cent. The auto repair shops and their mechanics should be able to provide you with the comprehensive breakdown.