Friday, April 15, 2011

Friday’s Advice: Additional Tips When Doing an Auto Repair Shop Shopping

I’ve mentioned this several times—the first step to avoiding an auto repair rip off is to find a reliable and trusted auto repair shop. And in the first posts in this blog, we’ve discussed some ways to find a good shop, one that will not rip you off and one that you can trust when it comes to all your auto repairs.

In this post, we’ll talk about some more additional tips for you when shopping for an auto repair shop to help you find a good one. Here are a few:

  1. ON SHOP REPUTATION: Other than getting references from family and friends, you can refer on the local consumer protection agency in your area for information on the repair shops that you are considering. The agency can provide you information whether the shop has a clean record or whether it has complaints from previous customers.
  1. ON SHOP NEGOTIATION: If you are asking around for rates, it might be a better idea to contact shops by phone instead of doing an actual visit. Why? Well, if you are easily swayed by sales talk, you will be at a disadvantage once you visit shops because it’s harder to escape. When you call, on the other hand, it’s easy to just say no politely and then hang up on the phone when the shop personnel start persuading you.
  1. ON SHOP COMPETENCE: If you are looking for a shop that can take care of your car not only for the specific repair that you need but for all other repairs that your vehicle may need in the future, it is a better idea to find a shop that specifically works on your vehicle make and model. This way, you have a better chance of avoiding troubles in connection with make- or model-specific problems.
With all the tips mentioned above, you’ll have no problem finding the right auto repair shop that can keep your vehicle in top shape.

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