Common Add-Ons that Some Auto Repair Shops Insist

Have you ever been talked into buying something, only for you to realize later on that you don’t really need that thing? That practice is common even in auto repair shops. Because shops want to earn as much as they can (who doesn’t want revenues, anyway?), some of them resort to sales talk, convincing customers that they need to replace certain parts in their vehicle.

Now how do you know whether your mechanic’s suggestion is valid, or if he’s only trying to talk you into spending more?

* Tire change. Some mechanics will offer to change all your vehicle tires for a discounted amount. Though you may think that this is a good offer, you need to be sure that your tires are really nearing their lifespan. What you need to check are the treads in the tires. Are the treads still within the prescribed limit? If they’re not anymore, then you can take on the suggestion of the mechanic. Otherwise, refuse to have the tires changed.

* Filter change. This is another common item that mechanics seem to have interest in. You’ll find different filters in your vehicle, and some mechanics will insist on changing a filter for safety purposes. Filters do help in keeping your vehicle in good working condition. But, know that they don’t actually require frequent replacement. If there’s one filter that you need to change regularly, that’s your oil filter. The ideal interval for replacing this filter is every oil change. Other than this, the rest of the filters don’t have to be replaced frequently. Check your manual for the correct replacement interval of each.

It’s so easy to be ripped off if you’re in the dark when it comes to the different parts of your vehicle. So, familiarize yourself with these parts and their replacement intervals so that you’ll be less likely to fall into fraud.

Being at Peace While Your Car is in the Shop

Do you find yourself always worrying every time your vehicle is in the auto repair shop, especially when you leave it for a long time such as overnight? Do you always worry that the shop personnel will do something wrong with your ride or try to rip you off? Well, that feeling is natural. But, the good news is that there are some things that you can do in order to keep your worry away and to have peace of mind while you’re home and your car is at the shop.

Before Bringing Your Car in for Repair: Scout for Good Shops

As has always been said before, trusted shops are treasures that you would want to keep throughout your vehicle ownership. Nothing beats knowing that your vehicle is in good hands even while you’re away and your ride is in the shop.

When the Car is Already in the Shop: Keep Everything Clear with the Shop Personnel

Upon bringing your vehicle in, tell your mechanic what the problem is, tell him the symptoms, and tell him what you want done. Be clear about every single detail, and be clear about the fact that you don’t want any repair performed without your permission. If at all possible, leave your number so that they can call you if they need to do something on the car that you need to know.

After the Repair is Done: Be Prepared to Ask and Inspect

If you know what your car has gone into, you’ll be ready to face any problem that you may see after the repair is done. Car part not replaced? Service not performed? You should be aware of these possibilities and you should be ready to check what you need to check when the repair is done. Knowing what you must look for will ensure that you will not fall into deception, so you won’t have to worry.

Beware: Oil Change Rip Off

Oil change is one automotive task that DIYers like you can easily accomplish all by yourselves. However, there are certain instances when you really have to bring your ride to a shop for an oil change—instances such as when you’re too busy to do the job yourself or if you’re bringing in the car for another repair and getting an oil change together with the repair is a more convenient option.

You should watch out, though, because some shops practice rip-offs even in as simple a job as an oil change. How?

The most common oil change rip off is the failure of the shop to replace the filter together with the oil change. This filter is designed to trap the contaminants present in the oil so that the said particles will not cause clogging in any metal part. And, it must also be replaced every time you change your vehicle oil. Some auto mechanics will lead you to believe that they have replaced the filter when in fact they didn’t. And the result, the oil’s efficiency won’t last long and the old filter may become clogged soon, not letting enough oil to flow to important metal components.

Another form of oil change rip-off is the filling up on oil that’s lower in class than the oil that the customer has paid for. Automotive oil comes in different grades, with the higher grades being more expensive. Sometimes, you’ll pay for a higher grade of oil but the mechanic will use oil of lower grade without you knowing it.

Similar to all other types of rip-off, you must be vigilant and must be on the look-out for this kind of rip-off. Practice caution when dealing with auto repair shops so that you will not easily fall into fraud and deception.

DIY Saturday: The Basic Tools that You Need in Your Garage for All Your Automotive Tasks

It’s DIY Saturday once again! Last week the topic was about the prevention of damage when the engine starts to overheat. This Saturday, it’ll be a little different – let’s talk about the tools that you need to do your own car repair inside your garage. There are some repairs that even the average Joe can accomplish, so there’s no need to bring your vehicle to the shop, pay hundreds of dollars, and suffer from a possible rip-off.

As long as you have the following tools, you can already accomplish a lot of basic tasks and save more dollars:

Screwdriver and Wrench Sets. These are basic tools for use when doing repairs in your automobile. Whichever system you’re working on, you’ll almost always find nuts and bolts to loosen or tighten, parts to torque properly, and these basic tools are important for these tasks.

Jack. If you’re doing some work on parts and systems underneath your vehicle, the only way to accomplish the task is by getting underneath your ride. And, you will need to lift the car to achieve that. A jack is also a safety mechanism—it will ensure that your vehicle will be securely lifted without banging down and possibly putting you in danger.

Creeper. This is the perfect partner for the jack. When doing under-the-car repairs, sliding and lying on your back and peering at the part to be repaired is best and most conveniently done with the help of a creeper.

Volt Ohm Meter. This tool is designed for diagnosing problems. This is used to measure voltage in a device, so it’s ideal for testing electrical parts.

With the help of these tools, it will be easy to perform basic automotive tasks, and even to diagnose problems before bringing your vehicle in for repair. This is especially useful for people who dread going to auto repair shops or to those who have little trust on shop mechanics.

Auto Repair Gone Bad: A Classic Example

A friend called me last week to tell me about her first negative car repair experience, a classic situation into which anyone can fall.

She bought her car to a shop because of a problem that has to do with the engine suddenly dying while she’s driving. There was nothing else together with this problem. The engine would just die all so sudden, with no warning whatsoever.

The mechanic told her to replace the fuel pump because it was not providing enough pressure for the fuel to reach the engine. After paying for the new pump and for labor, my friend brought her car home. The car was normal for a few days, until the same thing happened again—the car suddenly dying without any warning.

My friend returned the car to the shop and complained about the problem. The mechanic looked into it and then said that the regulator and the filter needed a replacement. My friend, who was growing a bit suspicious but was in dire need to have her car fixed, gave in.

But, the same thing happened—she got the car back and the problem returned. This time, she brought the car to another shop. Upon inspection, the shop found that it’s the inertia switch that’s failing. This switch is a component that shuts off the fuel when the car gets in an accident in order to protect the passengers from possible fuel hazards like fire. When the switch is damaged, it may prevent the fuel from reaching the engine.

True enough, when the mechanic pressed the reset button found on the switch, the car got back to its original shape. That was a temporary solution, though, and the switch had to be replaced. My friend agreed to the replacement, and the car ran fine since then.

According to the second mechanic, the old switch shows signs of wear that had most probably started for a long time, so there’s a great probability that it was the reason for the previous problems and not the fuel pump, regulator, and filter that have been replaced.

Transmission Repairs are More Susceptible to Rip-Offs

While it’s always advised that you watch out for possible rip-offs every time you bring your car to auto repair shops, that advise is especially important if you’re bringing in your ride for a transmission repair. Why is that?

Well, transmission repair is complicated. A lot of parts have to be dismounted and taken off. A lot of work is also involved. Because of this, it’s not easy to verify whether all parts indicated in your receipt have been installed, or whether the indicated service has been performed. Even if you’re good at DIY automotive tasks, you’ll need to tear down the transmission again just to check whether there’s really a new part mounted. Well, who would want to do such a thing like that? Nobody, right? Well, auto repair shops and mechanics know that, and those who plan to rip you off will use that knowledge to their advantage.

So, are you protected? All you can really do here is a sort of preventive protection. To ensure that you will not be ripped off, see to it that you bring your vehicle to a shop that you fully trust.

Ask for advice from friends who have had to have their transmission repaired. Ask for recommendations. This is the best means to avoid a rip-off—you’ll be sure that the shop is proven reliable.

Look up online and search for shops in your area. Once you find one, check the internet and then check with the concerned authorities for any possible previous complaint against the shop. If there’s any complaint at all, beware.

Also, insist on getting your old parts back after the repair. Although there’s no assurance here that no rip-off has been done if the shop returns the part, the shop mechanics will know that they’re dealing with someone they cannot easily rip off.

A Look at Paint Protection

So far, the posts here have been about stuff related to auto repairs, negative practices by auto repair shops, and how you can avoid them. Today, let’s take a look at another practice not by auto repair shops but by auto dealers—a paint protection offer.

We all want our cars to remain good-looking for a long time—shiny, scratch-free, with zero blemishes. So, an offer for a complete car body protection may sound appealing. Some dealers would offer to provide the car with a coating that can protect its sheen against harsh weathers and damaging elements for a few thousands of dollars. Worth it? You may think so.

In reality, this is not a good idea. First, a car paint protection shouldn’t cost you that much. The real price of this is very cheap, so you shouldn’t be paying thousands of dollars for it. Besides, protecting your vehicle’s body paint is something that you can accomplish on your own. There are different kits offered today that you can use to apply coating to your vehicle body and keep its shine last for a long time. These kits are very cheap and will not bore a hole in your pocket.

If you really want to consider the offer but you want to be sure that you’re getting it without being ripped off, you can complain about the price. It’s natural for dealers to slash the price in half. If you can negotiate for a price lower than that, try. Also, check whether there’s anything in your vehicle warranty that says you need to bring your vehicle to the dealer every 2 months or 60 days to renew the protection. If you do, then you don’t need the one offered by the dealership. You’ll just waste money by spending on it.

Why Going for the Cheapest Auto Repair Shop is Not a Good Idea

We all want to save on our expenses. That is especially true when it comes to automotive repairs. However, while we all want to avoid more expenses and possible rip-offs, it’s also not a good idea to choose the cheapest shop in the area. You might not know it, but you might be ripped off even more by choosing a shop that’s cheap.

Why?

Well, recognize that no shop will want to get behind its competitors in terms of profit. So, you should be wondering why a particular shop offers a very cheap rate. Could it be that the shop’s mechanics are not certified, and no customers will entrust their cars to the shop if they will not offer a lower rate? Could it be that they’ve had problems with their customers before, and their customers are not returning to them again, thus the need to offer lower rates to attract new clients? These could be a few possibilities.

The best thing you can do here is to research on the current rates offered by auto repair shops in your area. If you see that the particular shop you’re considering offers a rate that’s way lower than that, be on guard.

Get feedbacks from its previous customers. Or, talk to shop personnel directly. Ask them why the rate is so low. If they are not keeping any secret, then there’s a good chance that they will be able to confidently give you with a valid answer. You can also ask if their mechanics have any certification (such as ASE) that can prove that they’re good at what they do. If they can’t show you anything, then you should know that something is going on.

If you don’t feel confident about the shop, then go to another one. It’s worth spending a few more dollars as long as you’re sure that you’re getting a good service and that you won’t be returning to the shop anytime soon.

DIY Saturday: Engine Overheating

This section of my weekly post will now be devoted to some DIY procedures to help consumers perform some simple repairs without having to bring their vehicle to auto repair shops anymore. This will also discuss preventative ways to keep vehicles from getting completely busted. This will not only reduce your expenses but this will also save you from the likelihood of being ripped off.

And for today, let’s take a look at engine overheating. This is one of the most common dilemmas that drivers face, and this almost always results in having the vehicle towed to the nearest repair center. At worst, you may have to deal with a damaged engine and a huge amount of repair cost. So how do you deal? What should you do to avoid a costly engine repair?

Well, if there’s anything good about it, it’s that engine overheating doesn’t happen all at once. Before you finally get stranded on the side of the road, you’ll still be warned by the gauge in your dashboard—and you can still take steps.

If you start to see your gauge needle climbing to high, the first thing you need to do is to pull over. Shut the engine off as fast as you can. While you’re maneuvering your ride into a stop, turn your car heater in full blast. Once the vehicle is safely parked, open the hood to let cool air cool the engine compartment and allow hot air to escape.

Now you have to wait until it’s safe to tinker with the engine parts. You can also use water to cool parts so that they’ll be safer to touch. Then, check any possible source of the problem—very low coolant level, a leak, or a disconnected hose.

Once you have found the culprit, such as a ruptured hose that lets all the coolant escape, then you’ll at least know where to start. Remember, however, not to drive your vehicle again unless you have found the reason for the overheating and addressed it—you may just further damage the engine.

In case you really need help in diagnosing the cause of the problem, then that’s the time you call the tow truck and head to an auto repair shop.

Friday’s Advice: Water Pump Replacement

In relation to my post yesterday about repair and replacement, a friend consulted me about the suggestion of a mechanic to him to have the water pump of his vehicle replaced—when in fact he brought the vehicle in just for a timing belt replacement.

He was a little confused about the suggestion, given the fact that his vehicle’s water pump was in good shape and there was no problem at all in the cooling system of his car.

Now what’s the best thing to do?

The fact is, the suggestion of the mechanic is valid. Why? Well, replacing a water pump is a tasking work, and it involves the removal of different parts. You also have to take the timing belt off—this process involves almost 90% of the entire procedure.

This is the reason a water pump replacement is advised when taking the timing belt off. It’s so much of a hassle to repeat the complicated procedure just to replace the water pump a few weeks after replacing the timing belt. By replacing the pump and the belt together, you save on labor expenses and effort—much like hitting two birds with one stone.

The final decision here still lies on the vehicle owner, so I told my friend about the possibilities. One way to decide would be to determine how long the pump had been in the vehicle. Most pumps on average have the same replacement interval as the belt. If at all, they should be replaced before they reach 100,000 miles. Sure, I’ve read of pumps that last as long as 170,000 miles, but those are more of the exception rather than the rule.

Well, in the end, it’s a personal choice. My friend’s pump had actually exceeded the 100,000-mile mark. His pump had 115,000 miles on it. So, replacement was indeed a good option.

When to Go for Repair and When to Go for Replacement

Don’t know whether to take on your mechanic’s suggestion to replace a particular part in your ride? There may be instances when a shop mechanic will tell you to replace a specific part even when it isn’t damaged or has not failed completely yet—for one reason or another. Well sure, your mechanic may be just asking this so that he can earn additional dollars from you. But, this may not always be the case.

The basic rule is this: if the part is already damaged, replace it; if it can still be repaired, repair it. There are instances, however, that are not as simple as this. There are certain exceptions to this given rule.

Some of these are as follow:

* Leaking fluid containers. Is your vehicle’s radiator leaking coolant? The decision to repair or replace should depend on the hole of the radiator and the extent of coolant leak. If the hole is still quite small, the problem can possibly be solved by simply welding the damaged area. If, however, you have a serious and a big leak, then you might as well replace the said part.

* Damaged body panel. Fender benders are common road accidents. And although a damaged body panel will not affect your driving performance or safety, it will affect your driving appeal. So, fixing the problem is a must. If the panel is bent, then you may simply have it repaired. In fact, you can do the task on your own. There are tools that you can use to get a bent panel back in shape. If, however, the damaged area is large, it may be better to replace it.

These two examples are common dilemmas that vehicle owners have to face regularly. By knowing when to repair and when to replace, you can easily make a decision without letting the mechanic of an auto repair shop persuade you into accepting his offer.

How to File a Complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Repair

So what’s your auto repair complaint? Have you been ripped off by an auto repair shop? Has the shop charged you for a service it has not actually performed? Or has it done anything to your car that’s not within your agreement? If you have already talked with the mechanic and the manager of the shop, to no avail, it’s probably time you file a complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Repair.

The task may seem like a huge inconvenience, and you may not feel comfortable with all that you may have to go through once your complaint is already being processed. But, remember that you have to do it if you want your issues to be resolved.

Now the question—how do you file a complaint with the agency? Well, there are two ways to do this: by sending them a complaint by mail or by filing the complaint via the agency’s main site. The latter can be done in easy steps. If you’re doing it by mail, however, you will need the forms that you have to fill up. You can request the said forms from the agency.

The process goes like this… Upon receipt of your complaint, the agency will inform you and the complaint will be assigned to a representative to handle it. The representative will investigate the case, visit the repair shop in question, and then review the case later on to make the right decision.

Note that the process can take a long time, but don’t lose hope. Also, keep in mind to keep your complaint comprehensive. Include all the necessary details that will help the agency see what really happened.

Knowing that you have a backup when it comes to automotive repair disputes, you’ll be confident in dealing with problems and issues with auto repair shops. 

A Look at the Bureau of Automotive Repair

If at all possible, it is a better idea to settle any disagreement pertaining to auto repair between the auto repair shop involved and the customer who is complaining. There are problems, however, that may not be easily resolved by dialogue, and there are instances that require the involvement of higher authorities that handle auto repair disputes.

If you’re in California and you think that your complaint with the shop is not getting anywhere and your issues are not being addressed properly, there are institutions from which you can ask help with regards to your problem. One of these institutions is the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR).

The said entity is an organization designed to protect consumers from auto repair fraud and other auto repair problems. All auto repair shops in California are required to register with the BAR for a license, so all of them are under the agency’s wings, so to speak. If you have a complaint against any particular auto repair shop, all you have to do is to file the said complaint with the BAR—with all the details included down to pertinent dates.

Once the complaint is filed, the agency will conduct its own investigation—carefully checking each of the details included in the complaint in order to find the right resolution to the problem and the appropriate settlement between the parties involved. The institution is very active at combating any form of fraud or rip-off practiced by auto repair shops, and you can expect it to look into any complaint you file.

So, if you’re in any dispute with auto repair shops, remember that you have allies at your side. All you need to do is to familiarize yourself with the correct way to file a complaint with the BAR—and that’s the topic I’ll talk about in my next post.

Auto Repairs? But I Am A Woman!

Auto repair rip-offs can happen to anyone, but women are more likely to be victims of these rip-offs. Most mechanics think that women know nothing about their cars. So, it’s easier to deceive them.

If you’re a woman who has started to dread auto repairs because of the possibility of a rip-off, you must learn to prepare and arm yourself when dealing with auto repair shops and mechanics. Face it: as long as you have a car, you can’t avoid them much as you like. The solution? Learn to deal with them.

1. Find a reliable mechanic and shop. If you’re a woman, the need for a dependable and trustworthy mechanic is even greater. You can ask for referrals from people you know so that you’ll be sure that the mechanic who will look into your vehicle can be trusted.  

2. Be active. Don’t just rely on what the mechanic will tell you about your ride. Even if you’re a woman, you must have active participation in the repair process, if only to describe the problems you’re experiencing to help the mechanic in performing the service. You must also do your research before you bring your vehicle to auto repair shops.

3. Don’t tolerate negative treatment. Some mechanics think that they can easily brush you off—your demands and complaints, for instance—just because you’re a woman, you can’t possibly know anything about cars. Show them that you won’t put up with negative treatment. If you think you’re not being heard or if the people at the shop are being rude in any way, you have all the right to bring your vehicle to another shop.

If you know what to do, you won’t be easily ripped off by auto repair shops and car mechanics. This way, you also won’t have to worry every time you need to bring your car in for repair.

Car Manufacturer’s Manual: Your Ultimate Buddy Against Car Repair Rip Offs

In my previous post, I mentioned about one possible way to deal with a problem with auto repair shops—by asking for a refund. Here, I’ll talk about another way to avoid a possible rip-off, with the help of the manual that came with your vehicle.

This manual contains everything that you need to know about your car, from basic data to such things as fundamental automotive knowledge. By familiarizing yourself with all the information contained in the manual, you’ll know about the problems you might encounter in your vehicle and you’ll also have an idea about how to address these problems. Some of the benefits that you’ll get from the manual are the following:

* You’ll be familiar with the parts in your ride. The very least you can do is to be able to identify parts—know how they look like and where they are mounted. This way, you know that you’re being deceived when your mechanic tells you that he found the brake rotors damaged when he only inspected the engine compartment.

* You’ll be familiar with the different symptoms that will indicate damage of particular parts. If a mechanic tells you that a specific part is damaged, you can ask why you’re not experiencing symptoms associated with the said damage.

* You’ll be familiar with the correct repair interval of parts. Your car manual will tell you when the correct replacement interval for such parts as the belts, filters, and other components are. This way, you can argue with your mechanic when he tells you that one of the filters in your vehicle already needs to be replaced when it has only spent half its life before a replacement is needed according to your manual.

You never know how much help your car manual will be for you unless you read it. No matter how little your interest in automotive, you can avoid rip offs by auto repair shops by reading the contents of the said manual.

When to Ask for a Refund from Auto Repair Shops

Auto repair rip-offs and problems are not uncommon these days. But, there are different ways for you to address the problem aside from sulking and telling others how greedy mechanics and auto repair shops are and how they rip their customers off of every penny. One of the solutions that you can resort to is to ask for a refund from the shop in case you’re not satisfied with the work that had been done or if you encountered a rip-off.

However, a refund is not always the best solution in a given situation. There are only certain situations in which a refund could be a good option. Among these are the following:

* If the problem wasn’t fixed. You bring your vehicle to a shop to fix a problem in one of the systems. After a few days, the shop tells you the problem is fixed and charges you for the service. You drive okay for a while, then the same problem occurs after a few miles. You return the car to the shop, and everything happens all over again. In the end, the problem is still there. In such a case, you can ask the shop to refund your money. After all, you paid the mechanic to solve the problem, which did not happen.

* If you found out you were overcharged. If, after bringing your car to the shop, you find that the rate you were charged was way higher than the usual rate, you might dispute. Just see to it that you have the receipt as a proof of the amount you paid and the service performed. There’s no guarantee here that you’ll get your money back because some will argue that you agreed to the repair in the first place. However, it’s still worth a try.

Before resorting to any destructive behavior because of a rip off or a problem caused by auto repair shops, try to ask for a refund. This can work positively both ways—you’re satisfied and the shop is able to redeem its credibility.

Knowing the Price of Auto Repair before Going to Your Local Shop

Okay, so you’ve been ripped off by auto repair shops several times before. You don’t trust majority of the shops anymore. And, you always dread the time when you have to bring your vehicle to the shop. What should you do?

Well, the scariest thing about bringing your vehicle to an auto repair shop is the lack of awareness about what’s going to happen once you’re there. You might dread to hear about the amount the mechanic will charge for the repair, but you have no other option—you need your vehicle up and running again.

The answer to your need is this: you must know what to expect. Before you go to auto repair shops, you should already have at least an estimate of what the service is going to cost you. This way, there will be unpleasant surprises in the end. That’s simple with comparison shopping. You can check online for the current repair rates, as well as the current prices for aftermarket auto parts.

The rate would usually depend on the area or state where you are, plus the kind of vehicle that you have. Some states charge higher in auto repairs than other states, and some cars are more expensive to service than others. The good thing about this is that there are resources that can help you estimate the running repair rate for your vehicle.

When you browse online, you’ll see different sites that can help you find an estimate on any type of repair. There are websites with a repair estimate feature, and all you have to do would be to select your vehicle’s specifications from a given dropdown list, your zip code, and the type of repair to be performed. After this, a tally would emerge with all the breakdown of expenses and the total cost involved. So, before you go to auto repair shops, you have an idea about the amount you have to shell out.