When you bring your vehicle to a shop for a repair, there are certain procedures that you have to follow and observe, and some of these are so important and you should not neglect, or they may cost you a lot. One that you should pay attention to is a written estimate and a repair order.
I’ve mentioned these in some of my posts before, but what are they really? And how important are they when it comes to auto repairs? Well, written estimates and repair orders are sometimes used interchangeably, but they actually have some shade of difference.
A written estimate is one that you ask from a shop mechanic before he makes any attempt at doing your car a repair. After a car inspection and diagnosis, the mechanic will tell you what the problem is and how much it would probably cost. But, don’t take your mechanic’s word for it—ask for a written repair estimate. Although a written estimate is not fixed and will not indicate the final amount that you will have to pay, the final price should not be too far off from this estimate. Should the amount go much higher than this and you feel like there’s a rip-off that happened, you can use that estimate to contest.
Meanwhile, a repair order is like the official receipt that states everything—from the work that was done to your car, to the parts that were replaced, as well as the cost of the repair. Everything should be tallied down. In many instances, the repair order will also contain your car’s odometer reading before and after the repair.
It is important that these documents be signed by both parties, as these could be useful should you have problems with the shop or mechanic after the repair.
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