How not to pay too much for car repairs

I have not been working in the "Automotive Repair" industry for 40 million years like these other guy's, but I have about 6yrs. as a service writer/ mgr. I read this post & felt like it was VERY important to READ. I always try to keep an open mind about the way people view not only myself, but the field im in. First of all, it is very important to realize the service's needed to extend "component's" lifespan. From the Dealer, these major component's only last so long even with flushes/ maintenence. The sales person selling you the vehicle will not go over this....most of the time. This is why you only have a 100k warranty or what have you, IMPORTANT: PARTS WILL GO BAD OVER TIME, THIS IS CERTAIN!!! Second, & this is the worst advice ive ever read , people DONT BRING YOUR OWN PARTS, please. Yes there is a mark up, on parts & labor. There are things like utilities, bay lifts, alignment machines, & so on that the company is still paying on. When you bring your own parts, this starts the process with you not giving the shop the benifit of the doubt. You dont bring in your own thread & needle when you need stiches...do you? When you go out for a steak dinner, do bring your own meat to have them prepare it for you? This is crazy!!! There is nothing wrong with price shopping, i would recomend it, check the warranty being offered first. If the shop is offering a big warranty, this will shead some light on the repair "cost", you have to use top quality parts to back up the huge warranty offered. Third, DONT PLAY LIKE YOUR NOT AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS YOU REALLY ARE!!!!! Big mistake, dealing with as many people as i deal with in a day......a load of b.s. is pretty easy to spot, unless your a realy "good actor". In this case, be yourself, i enjoy meeting new people & gaining new customer's. It is refreshing to talk to someone who has a good idea of whats realy going on. Contrary to popular belief, we are guy's providing for our families, & need to "DO A GOOD JOB" to continuing doing so. Fourth, the BBB report isnt always accurate, nor word of mouth. One person's experience may not be another's, please understand that fixing the vehicle right, the first time, is the common goal for most of us. We loose money when we back up any "warranty issues", but if it can save a customer, I think I speak for most in saying," It's my job/ pleasure to do so." Last but not least, realize your getting repair's done on an expensive piece of machinery. (18k plus) If a shop is giving you a good deal, there is ALWAYS a reason! When your bill is high, know that is what it took to repair your problem, in most cases. Red flags should be flying all over the place when 2 shops give you a "Big" estimate and some other shop gives you one you think is good. If your not a Tech, googling things wont help you, some info. may make sence but it is the TOTAL clarity of the situation that will always fix a vehicle. At the shop i work @, in Houston, we deal with the "WHY"- very important! To the guys that come in with a "self-diagnosis", your stepping on your own foot, leave the diagnosis to the mechanic, some problems are more complicated than they seem. Price is always going to be the "REAL PROBLEM", quit saying no to the services recomended early on & the bill might not be so big in the long run!

Hi, I retired from auto repair ( ASE certified, honda & toyota factory trained with over 10 years experience working at the dealer )but I am still "in the business" I work for an insurance company and frequently negotiate with shops about repairs. First of all if a shop tells you that you should tow the car from the shop, do it! The shop would not say that unless they are trying to avoid liability on a part that is failed or close to failing, or your vehicle could sustain expensive damage if it is driven with a customer that has been educated by some ignoramous stating that the business is loaded with scams and theives. Second the whole flush thing is a bunch of crap in most curcumstances. If your car stalls due to a rich air/fuel mixture a top end cleaner has in the past and does fix the problem, and as far as trans fluid goes, flushing is the way. This article is right to say to follow the owners manual but everyone knows most people never open it. There is almost always a specification for replacement on every part, ask what the "spec" is and how this is related to your part. DONT MESS WITH TIRES AND BRAKES, THEY CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE! Rotors have a minimum spec as to how thin they can be cut "a spec" Brake fluid can corode your abs system, the modulator has many tiny valves that if corroded will cause a fading pedal, flush it regurarly the modulator assy is very expensive. Dont look down on the guys repairing your cars, most of them want to do the right thing, but every shop has its theif that will ask you if you want your muffler bearings backed or the winter air in your tires replaced with summer air. Dont be a fool, be polite and ask questions.

I am a female and do most of the repairs for my car myself. I also finished school for being a mechanic and I would like to say that most of this article is a load of crap. I agree with other mechanics comments on here. Yes, you can get scammed if youre female but you should always know what youre talking about or have an idea. Not all things that mechanics recommend are trying to get you to spend more money and a repair order can not just say "fix car" and list a price- unless you went to a shady place- you always have to sign/verbally agree if on the phone to get the repair order to approved. And having an ASE mechanic doesnt necessarily mean they know what they are doing- they can pass a test. And as far as replacing parts, like brakes, you really are supposed to replace recommended parts, like rotors or at least have them resurfaced once, because thats what factory would recommend. So, yes, since I know alot about this subject, Im partial to the TRUTH and, Im sorry, but this article is not very truthful.

People are worried about mechanics because it is hard to tell what is an upsell and what is a legitimate concern. Plus, mechanics do tell you silly things like tire places that claim you can't drive away on the tires you drove in on. If you want a second opinion or a better part selection, leave. If I drove my car there and you haven't touched it, I can drive it elsewhere for the work. Plus, after certain clear-cut problems are checked for, mechanics work like engineers by trial and error--it doesn't inspire confidence.

As a girl who mainly does her own repairs now, I have found that sometimes playing the clueless part can help you ask questions and get explanations and get to look at things without stepping on anyone's toes and getting labeled a difficult customer. It can work like magic at parts stores, especially the places that aren't ever going to take you seriously in the first place. Guys can be sensitive if they think you are trying to tell them their jobs. But in the end, you have to know what you are making decisions about. Know the basic parts of your car--brakes, suspension, belts, oil pan. Nevertheless, I've found even asking pointed technical questions about cars and their specifications doesn't always work with car salesmen who are convinced that women care more about purse holders than torque curves. Things work both ways. But the manuals you can buy will tell you how to completely dismantle your car and put it back together all the way down to grease formulations to use and bolt tensions. It is amazing how simple these things are if you have the right tools.

Get regular fluid changes as per your owner’s manual. This includes oil as well as brake, windshield and coolant fluids.
Wow, all this controversy, i was just really concerned about my windsheild fluid being changed.

Carl D...

You cant blame the shop for charging for diagnostics, blame the manufactures. Vehicles are almost all electronically controlled. Simply checking for a code is not getting to the root of the problem only pointing you in the direction to solve the issue.
I work in a transmission shop and have seen customers walk in with their free scan from Autozone, brand new solenoids in their vehicles (sold by Autozone) and still having the same problem.
Why is that? They took the code and mistaken it for the problem. That code only tells you which circut to diagnose.
I have had technicians diagnosing wiring problems for hours.
Our company offers free diagnosing with repairs, which is fair. I have seen tech's need hours to pull wiring harnesses apart to properly repair the vehicle.

I went into Firestone Complete Car Care Center to get tires on my Subaru. They suggested over $2200 in repairs, flushes, belts etc. They wanted to flush my transmission fluid even though I just had it done 5k miles before. I am sure people fall for their suggested maintenance. They want to charge $21 to change a $1.50 break light. I did it myself in 1 min. I think these chain places are taught to increase your bill as much as possible with "suggested" repairs. They also charge $100/hr for labor. I normally go to a independant local shop. The best thing to do is ask a lot of questions and over the years build a relationship with a small shop machanic.

Lesley
next time your car brakes let's see that doctor fix it, hell half of the time they can't fix what you went to them for in the first place, there test should be harder there working on me. The ASE test isn't what quilifys or makes the teck its years of school and pratical experiance that make the differance not the test at the end for the silly paper, dhaaaa!

Hey Lesley, I can test the sensor and I know it's bad, I can test for the 5 volt reference signal, ground, and output signal while the engine is cranking, I cannot test for module output without that input signal. No we are not doctors of the flesh but we are doctors of engineering, we just have the luxury of shutting the car off to work on it, but for the last several thousand years doctors have only worked on two models of the same make, manufacturer's have a dozen models each and there are a dozen makes. Having to change parts before I have a full diagnosis is not a luxury for any mechanic, doing an estimate is a hassle as well because if you are honest you will include items that you usually find defective in the course of a repair, that means the shop down the street that lowballs your price will get the repair because his price was lower, you lose the job, your customer gets hit with a bill much higher than the estimate, and everyone is angry. My shop has a reputation for being the highest priced in the area, but on a recent price comparison of accual repairs we were the lowest, because it gets fixed right the first time. Our customers save money because they can trust us when we say it needs it, when we say it doesn't, and what car to buy/what problems can I expect out of the car that I have. You say cars aren't that complicated, if they aren't then why are you having others work on your car? If you don't like paying a mechanic then spend 40,000 every two-three years on a new car or fix it yourself but don't come to me after you screwed it up and demand a low price to fix the original problem in and the one you created, I didn't build it, didn't buy it, and I didn't break it, I only fix it. It's you car, you pay for it

I have a funny little diddy to add to this. I moved to pittsburgh from Louisiana, and ten years later moved back. My father loaned me his pickup truck for the move home. I called his mechanic to price a tuneup. Keep in mind, this is a dodge ram 1500. This is the way the conversation went.

"What kind of truck is it, ma'am?"
"Ram 1500."
"And you say you need a tuneup?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, little lady, that's gonna cost ya. First, there's three hundred dollars for the spark plugs." (Yes, you read that right. Three hundred dollars)
"Three hundred dollars? Are you serious?"
"Heck yes! Those trucks are really fun to drive, darlin', but they get plenty expensive to fix. Then there's the timing belt and the transmission check."
"How much am I looking at total?"
"Oh, around a thousand dollars."
"For a tune up? You've got to be kidding. Dad, I thought you said . . ."
"Oh, you're calling for your dad? Who's your dad."
"Mr. Krenshaw."
"Louis Krenshaw?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. Tell Louie I can do it for him for a hundred."

Tell me again that mechanics don't treat women and men different? I hate being talked down to. I'm not a mechanic, but I do know some of the basics. Like the cost of spark plugs. So, when I get talked to like that, it makes me want to take some automotive repair classes and open my own shop. BTW, I had an old friend do it for me for around a hundred. Have a good one, folks.

I encourage every one to go to www.importcar.com and read Mitch Schneider's article's "Mitch's World", He explains the tech/shop side of the counter and I gaurantee that an intelligent thoughtfull person will come away with a different perspective of this argument, please check it out.

I work at a very reputable 8 shop Company in the Seattle Area. While I agree with the most of these things there are a few simple things that should be clarified. The very first is that the manuals are not always correct. The manuals are the same here in Washington as they are in Texas, Alaska, Australia, Greenland.... and these different places have different climate as well as different driving conditions that affect your vehicle. For example some manuals will tell you one thing and tell you different things for high temperature climates but nothing for low temperature climates. The best thing to do when looking for a shop is everything they stated plus check your local Better Business Bureau (BBB), but don't look for one, check for two or three and this will help you in other areas. Such as the Drastic Scam of towing your vehicle cause it is unsafe. We do it that several times a year cause we care about our customers and we care about other people on the road. Most companys that fall in the "REPUTABLE MECHANIC" area do also. This is where having a couple of different companies numbers can help. We have a BBB Phone book here for the customers that are unsure about things so they can call and ask other shops that are reputable shops that we are not affliated with or do not refer with the understanding that other shops are not 100% honest. And finally ASK, ASK, ASK. Service Advisors are hired for this reason.

there is such thing as a muffler that lasts a lifetime toyota makes mufflers that are completely stainless steel and if done by a professional within 10 years of the make of the car they will warranty the entire thing

Seriously? Advice on car repairs from someone who doesn't own a car?

Would you take computer repair advice from someone who didn't have a computer, or cell phone plan advice from someone who doesn't have a phone?

Fail. Pass.

Well first of all if you don't actually own a car, then you more than likely have never been in that situation. Therefore you are not qualified to give advice on this topic!

all sounds good but as far as adding air to your tires check the tag on the inside door jam for the correct tire pressure

Use common sense.

I am an Auto shop owner. Good article. Very reasonable approach to auto repair. This is one of the few mainstream media pieces that I have seen that doesn't take angry, stereotypical, cheap shots at good mechanics. Can't say that about some of the comments. Thankyou.

Why don't you do an article on how customers screw garages? What to scared to report the facts.

The dealerships are some of the worst ripoff artist's in the business

The dealerships are some of the worst ripoff artist's in the business!
My dad, grandfather's, uncle's, and sons, were all mechanics and I picked up a lot of information from them over the years. I can pretty much tell you what's wrong with a car just by listening to it or driving it. If the estimate you get to fix your car is cheaper than anyone else, you can bet it will cost you a lot more than you expected, in the long run. Dealersips will not let you buy your own parts and bring them in, because the markup on the parts is where they make most of their money. Also they have a manual that tells them what the average time it takes to do a job and they charge according to that manual, not by the actual time it takes to repair your car. Some mechanics can do a job in ten minutes that calls for an hour to complete. As you can see, "Time is Money".