Mechanic Rudeness and Inefficiency

Many of us have had our share of nightmares when dealing with auto repair shops and shop mechanics—from mechanics that will perform unneeded repairs just to charge a higher fee, to those that will tell you they’ve replaced a part even if they actually didn’t, and those that will perform a repair that you did not permit and then charge you for it later on. Other than these, however, there are also mechanics who are outright rude to their customers.

I have a buddy who once encountered a mechanic that performed a wrong job, and then threatened him when he complained about the job. Some mechanics use physical intimidation to get away from their deeds, and many poor customers give in to this tactic, suffering from unsatisfactory service and sometimes, even more damage and expenses than what was originally present.

Some mechanics are merely irresponsible, leaving their customers hanging when they leave an automotive job while it’s not yet done. And the result? Well, the poor customers are left without a car for several days. Others are merely inefficient, repairing a car, only to cause more damage and then make excuses, telling the customer that the new problem is totally unrelated to the first one.

Most unscrupulous mechanics choose their victims carefully. They get easily rude to people they think will not stand up to them. Others may simply be enjoying the feeling of being in control, especially if they encounter a customer who knows nothing about his vehicle and who solely relies on the mechanic’s words.

And sometimes, mechanics get away with these because customers don’t complain. As a good advice, customers should always be assertive and should know their rights. And when a problem happens, there are always institutions to which one can file a complaint against the erring shop or mechanic. 

Examining Extended Warranty in Relation to Auto Repairs

There’s been a lot of differing opinion when it comes to extended warranty—some people say it’s a waste of money, while others attest that it’s extremely helpful. If you belong to the latter group and you plan to get an extended warranty on repairs, you have a lot of options. In the same way, there are a lot of things that you need to consider.

First and foremost, you need to check the repair shop coverage of the warranty. Does the warranty allow you to bring your car to any shop and avail of the extended warranty for the repair? Or does it stipulate that you have to bring your car only to specific “accredited” shops?

Of course, you also need to know how the warranty will work. Will the shop or the dealer or the seller of the warranty pay the auto repair shop directly when you go in for repair under warranty? Or will you have to pay the shop and just ask for reimbursement later on? Generally, the first option is better because it causes less hassle.

Another point that you need to look into is transferability. If you sell your vehicle, will the extended warranty still be in effect with the new car owner? A car that will still be covered by an extended warranty will sell better than one that doesn’t.

When going for car repairs, you need to find a shop that will honor the extended warranty of your vehicle. You need to negotiate about the billing and you should have everything properly documented so that you’ll be ready just in case you encounter a dispute with the shop or the warranty seller later on.

In one of my next posts this week, we’ll look at warranty claims and some ways to deal with a warranty dispute.

DIY Saturday: When It’s Normal, When It’s Not

No car is perfect—you have to accept that. Even brand new cars may have indications of imperfections. But, that doesn’t mean a certain abnormality in your vehicle always demands that you bring your ride to the mechanic. In many instances, there are “flaws” or “imperfections” or “abnormalities” in your vehicle that are actually normal and should not cause any alarm on your part. The occurrence of these doesn’t require you to bring your ride to the auto repair shop all at once. Take a look at the following:

Normal: The presence of some metal shavings in the oil pan

When you change oil and you see metal shavings in your oil pan, this is but normal, especially if you have just purchased your car and your engine is undergoing a process so-called as “breaking in.” You’re bound to see some metal shavings on the pan coming from the metal parts of your engine.

Not Normal: Too much metal shavings every time you change oil

If your engine is done with the break in process (usually during the first two oil changes), you’re not supposed to see a lot of metal shavings anymore. A little is okay, but too much is not—especially if you observe this EVERY TIME you do an oil change. This could mean intense wearing on engine parts. Remember to change your oil at the correct interval and inspect the parts that may be damaged.

Normal: A pool of fluid under your car

Well it’s normal, only if that’s water, which could be coming from your A/C system (the evaporator). Warm air passes through the evaporator coils, and this causes condensation on the coil surface, and water then drips from the said part. That’s perfectly normal, nothing to worry about.

Not Normal: A pool of oil, coolant, or gas under your car

While a pool of water is perfectly normal under your vehicle, a pool of other liquid substances is not. Oil leak could lead to engine overheating. Coolant leak could have the same effect. Gas leak, on the other hand, is extremely dangerous. You can check these because of their look and smell, and they require immediate attention.

Next Saturday, we’ll discuss more normal and abnormal conditions in your ride to help you determine when a problem already needs mechanic attention.

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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

Car Repair Warranties: The Devil is in the Details

In one of my posts a couple of months ago, I talked about the need to have any repair warranty that is discussed between you and the shop owner put in writing. This time, we’ll talk about the nitty gritty of a written car repair warranty, about how you must check and examine it to ensure that your car is fully covered and to ensure that what you’ve talked about is included in the written and official document.

Remember that there is no such thing as standard warranty on car repairs. Whatever warranty your car may get from a repair, you have to discuss that with the shop owner or mechanic. Once you have the hard copy on hand, pay attention to all the small details included as these may sometimes be the most important parts of the warranty.

Of course, check the part or repair covered by the warranty, as well as the timeframe or mileage frame that it covers. You’d want to be sure that the time or mileage is reasonable and that the warranty is not simply a rip-off. In some instances, there are certain processes that you have to go through when making a warranty claim, and you have to pay attention to these. Failure to follow a single and negligible detail in the process could be all it takes for your claim to be rejected. Similarly, you have to check the warranty and clarify with the shop owner as to which institutions are allowed to perform warranty work on your vehicle if you plan to file a warranty claim later on. This is another tricky part that you have to familiarize yourself with if you want to avoid any possible problem later on.

A car repair warranty is a beneficial perk to car owners, but you just have to be careful in examining the warranty to ensure that you’ll get the benefits.

Examining Diagnostic Fees

So you bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop to determine the cause of a particular problem that your car is experiencing. The mechanic takes a look at your car, hooks your vehicle to a computer for a scan, and then tells you the cause of the problem—giving you repair options and their corresponding amount. You think you’ll be able to fix the problem yourself, so you decline. Then the mechanic gives you the bill: a whopping $100 for the diagnosis! Should you or should you not pay?

Almost all auto repair shops today charge a diagnostic fee on top of the fee for the actual repair. And in reality, this is valid. You need to pay for the service (the expertise and training) of the mechanic who did the diagnosis. Mechanics compare this to paying for a doctor when you go in for a consultation. In some instances when you let the shop do the repair, it can just include the diagnostic fee on the entire fee for the repair done. In cases when the diagnostic done was just a simple one, the shop owner can also decide not to charge for the diagnosis—but that’s up to the shop owner.

In the end, it still pays to shoulder a diagnosis fee if only to be sure that the person handling your vehicle is someone who is an expert at what he does and someone who is capable of determining the real problem of your ride. If you want to avoid an exorbitant diagnostic amount, you can do your shopping in advance to find the usual diagnostic rate. You can also ask the shop in advance before the mechanic tinkers and does anything with your vehicle. This way, you won’t have to deal with surprises when you finally get the bill and you see a three-figure amount for a simple diagnosis.

Getting a Second Opinion on Repairs

One sure way to protect yourself from possible car repair rip-offs is to shop around for auto repair prices and for car shop mechanics. If you’re bringing your car to a shop for a repair and the mechanic gives you a quote, you can ask around from other shops until you find the cheapest price. The same goes true for vehicle diagnosis and repair. A second opinion is important.

I can never stress this enough. Sometimes, it’s the best door that you have towards finding that the mechanic that you have chosen was only trying to rip you off all along. So, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion from another mechanic when needed.

According to professionals, a second opinion is needed if you are spending more than $200 on car repair. That is a big amount, so you need to be sure that you’re spending it on something worthwhile, something useful. Another time to get a second opinion is when you bring your car to a shop for a particular repair, and the mechanic gives you a litany of other repairs that your car needs. That, and similar incidents that may indicate that you are being ripped off—all these warrant a second opinion from another professional.

Remember, though, that you also need to protect yourself from rip-off when dealing with the second mechanic from which you’re trying to get another opinion. Never ever tell the second mechanic about the diagnosis of the first mechanic and the price that the mechanic has given you. In fact, you don’t even need to tell him that you’re there to get a second opinion. You don’t want to be giving him ideas, do you?

A second opinion is a powerful tool when it comes to auto repairs. In fact, it’s one of the most common suggestions of automotive experts to those who bring their car to auto repair shops. By asking and shopping around, you get away from big chances of being ripped off.