Six Ways to Avoid Auto-Repair Rip-Offs

Last year, auto-repair complaints ranked fourth among consumer beefs received by the Better Business Bureau. And little wonder. Few of us are lucky enough to know mechanics we trust (despite the fact that, by all accounts, there are plenty of honest mechanics out there). Before we even walk through the door, we're convinced the mechanic is going to take us for a ride. This consumer mistrust is compounded by two important factors: One, most car owners know little about auto repair, and two, there's often a lot of money at stake.

But dealing with a mechanic doesn't have to be frustrating and scary. Here are six things you can do to avoid getting ripped off, and to help your mechanic serve you as best he or she can.


1. Don't sign a vague or open-ended repair order.

Motorists frequently sign the "RO" (car talk for repair order) before they read it. This important piece of paper helps the technician decide where to begin solving your car's problem, so the information must be as specific as possible in order to ensure that the job is done right the first time. "Check transmission performance" or "Repair transmission" are too vague. The repair order should specifically detail the symptoms of your car's problem. For example: "Check for late downshifting and clunking noise during the first ten minutes of warm up." In this case, the repair order should also include the speed at which the downshifting and clunking occurs, whether you're decelerating or accelerating, and any other information that you think is pertinent. The more specific, the better.

The RO should NOT include a diagnosis--that's the mechanic's job. A service writer (the person who writes up your RO) is typically hired for his or her sales skills, not knowledge of cars.

The RO also authorizes the shop to do whatever work is detailed in the document. In other words, when you sign it, you're giving them the go-ahead. So read it over carefully before you sign it, and if it isn't accurate, insist that it be changed.

2. Always get a written estimate.

How many times have I seen it? A motorist arrives to pick up her newly repaired vehicle and is greeted by a "surprise" bill for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. Don't let this happen to you. Whenever there are unknowns, get a written estimate. (Many states have laws requiring that repair shops provide you with written estimates.) If a shop insists they can't provide an estimate until they pull your engine or transmission apart, take your car elsewhere, even if it means having it towed.

Your estimate should list a maximum possible charge. If you're looking at major transmission or engine work, the estimate ought to include the cost to disassemble, diagnose, and reassemble the component.

And remember, just because a repair shop diagnoses your problem, you aren't obligated to have them do the work. You may decide to have the job done at another shop, or, at the very least, you may take your car elsewhere for a second opinion.


3. Always ask that your old parts be returned to you.

When I recommend that motorists ask for their old parts, they sometimes ask me, "Why bother? I wouldn't know one part from another." It's true that most people can't recognize all but the most common car parts, and it's true that the mechanic could likely fool you by providing a part that didn't actually come off of your car. Nevertheless, by taking the precautionary step of asking for your parts, you're at least making it more awkward and difficult for a dishonest person to rip you off. Plus, merely asking the question sends the signal that you're a savvy consumer.

Remember to make this request before the mechanic begins work on your car; otherwise, your old parts will likely end up in a bin and you'll never see them again. And for cleanliness, request that the parts be placed in a plastic bag.

4. Take your car for a road test and clearly identify the symptoms of your problem before you visit the repair shop.

Many motorists arrive at the repair shop unprepared. A five- or ten-minute road test--without such distractions as the kids, dogs, or dripping cream-filled doughnuts (as good as they are)--will help you to identify your ailing car's symptoms.

Mind you, I didn't say diagnose--that, again, is the mechanic's job. Your job is to identify the problem's symptoms and conditions as clearly and completely as possible. To correctly road test your vehicle, you may have to drive it under a variety of different conditions: at different speeds, in different gears, on bumpy roads, on smooth roads, uphill, downhill, with the AC on and off, with the windows open and closed, etc.

Remember: Car repair is a two-way street. In order for your mechanic to do the job correctly and efficiently, it's important that you provide as much information about the problem as possible.

5. When you pick up your newly repaired car, leave sufficient time for a test drive.

If you pick up your car one minute before the shop closes, and then you discover, on the way home, that the problem still isn't fixed, you could find yourself back at the repair shop the next day, getting blue in the face with a mechanic who insists that the problem is a new one and intends to charge you accordingly.

When you pick up your car, you should allow yourself at least twenty minutes to examine the bill and road test the vehicle. After your test drive, if you're not completely satisfied that the problem has been corrected, take your car back to the shop immediately. Talk to the manager, explain your concern, and ask them to conduct a road test with you in the car. Get the manager to acknowledge in writing that the repair was not done correctly. The person you talk to today may not be at the shop tomorrow, so the more documentation you have, the better--especially if the problem isn't fixed to your satisfaction on the second or third try.

6. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Good mechanics are like good teachers--they know there is no such thing as a stupid question. So don't be shy. Go over each item on the bill, ask questions about anything you don't understand, and pursue your line of questioning until you get an answer that makes sense to you. A good service provider will take the extra five or ten minutes to explain, in your language--not car talk--the nature of the problem, and what repairs were made. Don't be afraid to say: "I followed you right up until the part about the scratchaframerwritzits, but you lost me after that."

For many of us right-brained folks, words don't always register like they should. If you still have trouble following your mechanic's explanation, ask to be shown (or drawn) a picture, or to see the actual part on the car. And don't forget to thank your mechanic when he or she explains something particularly well.

Finding an Honest Repair Shop

Is "honest auto repair shop" an oxymoron? A lot of folks seem think so. Choosing a mechanic is a task most consumers approach with all the enthusiasm of a root canal, sans Novocain. But while there are many bad apples in the auto-repair barrel, there are plenty of good ones, too, shops that want your business and will do everything in their power to keep it. Finding one of these good repair shops doesn't have to be a crap shoot. All you need is a little common sense, some homework, and your own good instincts.

Get word-of-mouth recommendations

Start by asking your family, friends, and coworkers where they have their cars serviced. Does the shop usually get the job done right the first time? Do they always provide a written estimate (and do they stick to it)? If additional work is needed, does the shop call and explain the problem in layperson's language?

Your local auto-parts store may be another good source for recommendations. The salespeople can often tell a good mechanic from a bad one by the mechanic's shopping habits. If a mechanic walks in and buys all the ignition parts for a car at once, chances are he or she isn't doing an accurate diagnostic work-up on the vehicle. Instead, they're "throwing parts at the car." Eventually they may get it right, but guess who pays for all those extra parts? Another good person to ask is your auto insurance agent. And if you're a member of an automobile club, such as the American Automobile Association (AAA), they can provide you with a list of auto-repair facilities that meet their standards of honesty, competency, and consistency.

Check out the shop's community standing

Once you've received a good referral, call the Better Business Bureau in your area or the consumer complaint division of your attorney general's office. Ask if the repair shop has a large number of unresolved complaints. Keep in mind that any shop that's been in business for a while will have some complaints, but an excessive number should send up a red flag.

Don't procrastinate

You should get cozy with a good mechanic well before your transmission is refusing to shift, your muffler is hanging by a thread, or your engine is blowing nasty gobs of blue smoke. Try out a new shop for a small job first, such as an oil change or tire rotation. While you're there, look around the garage. Is it orderly and clean? Don't expect to be able to eat off the floor (although I've been in some shops where you could!), but the garage should not look like Beavis and Butthead live there.

Ask the owner how long they've been in business at that location. A dishonest shop will often move from one location to another so its lousy reputation doesn't have a chance to catch up. Ask if they take credit cards, and be suspicious if they don't. Credit cards are a good defense if you're not happy with the work, because you can file a complaint with your credit card company.

Ask to see the shop's computerized diagnostic equipment. A garage doesn't have to look like the back end of the Hubble Telescope, but the mechanics should be wielding more than large hammers and rusty screwdrivers. If you're driving a reasonably new car, it may have forty or more computers on board. The mechanics must have modern, computerized engine-analysis equipment and up-to-date manuals if they're going to get the job done efficiently.

Good mechanics should also be willing to show you how the equipment works, and to answer any questions you have. Evaluate their responses carefully. Do the mechanics speak "car talk," or do they speak in layperson's language that you can easily understand? If the mechanics aren't patient, polite, and respectful, give them a look at your taillights, not your wallet.

Check the shop's credentials

A mechanic can have the best equipment in the world, but if he did his first oil change only an hour ago, he's probably not the person you want working on your car. There is no substitute for good training and experience. In the U.S., oversight of mechanics' competency and honesty is handled at the state level--if at all. A few states, such as Michigan, Hawaii, and parts of Florida, actually certify and license mechanics. Elsewhere, certification is done on a voluntary basis.

The National Institute for Auto Service Excellence is the organization that certifies mechanics who apply through a series of written tests in eight categories: engines, transmissions, drive trains, brakes, suspension & steering, electrical, heating & air conditioning, and engine performance. In order to get ASE certification, a mechanic must have worked hands-on in the industry for at least two years. Certification is no guarantee of competence or honesty, of course, but it is an indication of professionalism--and that's better than nothing at all.

You can identify shops that employ certified mechanics by the blue and white ASE signs or uniform badges. Keep in mind, though, that it is the mechanic, not the shop, who is certified. A shop may display the ASE sign, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all of the mechanics who work there are certified. Always ask about training credentials and be sure that a certified mechanic works on your vehicle.

As a rule, each automaker sponsors its own training programs for its dealership technicians. Ideally, you'll want to find a Volvo-certified mechanic for your Volvo, a Toyota-certified mechanic for your Toyota, and so forth. The easiest way to find a mechanic with this kind of specialized training is to head for a dealership, but you can also find these mechanics at independent repair shops. Check the display ads in your Yellow Pages for garages that specialize in the type of car you own.

A good repair shop must also be able to access Technical Service Bulletins. TSBs are automaker-issued remedies for problems that are particularly difficult to diagnose. Thousands of these bulletins are issued annually. Without them, your mechanic is more likely to spend too much time--and too much of your money--diagnosing and fixing mechanical problems particular to your car. Ask the mechanic if they have access to TSBs. (By the way, you can get these bulletins yourself by contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For about $25, they'll send you a complete list of available bulletins, and you can request the ones you need for ten cents a page.)

Choose a shop that guarantees its work

Many shops guarantee their parts for ninety days or longer. The guarantee should appear on the invoice. It's your best protection against jobs that aren't done right the first time. However, even with such guarantees, you usually have to pay labor charges after ninety days.

Don't rely on convenience alone

We'd all like to find a repair shop that's close to our home or business, but proximity should never be the only factor you consider when deciding on a repair shop. If the garage around the corner can fix your problem in a week, but the shop across town can do it in a day (and for half the price), which is more convenient?

Trust your gut

When you plunk down that $450, you should feel good about it (or at least as good as one can feel under the circumstances). You should be confident that you purchased only what your car needed, at a fair price. You should feel you were treated with respect, patience, and friendliness. If your gut feeling is no good, don't go back to that shop. And rest assured that somewhere out there, a competent, trustworthy mechanic is just waiting for your business.