If you own a car, chances are you have had (or will have) to take it to a repair shop at some point. Unfortunately, tales of crooked mechanics are as prevalent as crooked politician stories, resulting in most car owners being wary or downright defensive before they even walk in a repair shop’s door.
Referrals for auto repair shops, when their service and quality of work result in a positive experience that customers share with their friends, family and coworkers, hold a great deal of weight when car-owners are deciding who will service their car. Auto technicians are car-owners too, and know how it feels to be on both sides of that service counter. Below are a local shop manager’s suggestions for dealing with your automotive technician/repair shop in a way that will benefit both of you.
Steps
Be loyal to a good technician. A good technician knows that he/she needs to provide you with honest, quality work at a fair price if they want your loyalty. If you find a repair shop that does this, don’t "shop around." A tech or repair shop that you’ve developed a win-win relationship with will often reward your loyalty by waiving minor fees or offering special incentives to their best customers.
Offer trust. There are times that repairing the most immediate or obvious problem results in identifying other, often more serious issues that could not be readily diagnosed prior to the repair work. A good tech will communicate this possibility to you during the diagnostic phase; be prepared and do not become defensive when it happens. If you know your tech well, you should trust that s/he is telling you the truth, and not just trying to "upsell" you. Remember: your tech didn’t cause the problem - he’s just the messenger.
Take care of your car. Auto technicians do not relish telling their customers that they need expensive repair work, especially if it is due to lack of proper maintenance. What they do enjoy are customers that get their regularly-scheduled maintenance done, i.e. oil changes, tune-ups, EFI cleanings, etc. These services add years to your car’s life, often result in better gas mileage, and give your tech the opportunity on a consistent basis to look your car over for any fluid leaks or other "first tells" of more serious issues. Early detection can often result in a much lower repair bill.
Realize that your tech cannot read minds. If you have had your car somewhere else for repairs within the last 6 months, tell your technician up-front exactly what was done. If you have noticed fluid under the car, strange noises, running problems, or any other out-of-the-ordinary behavior, tell your tech when you bring the car in.
Be honest about the problem. Some people think that if they tell the mechanic too much the bill will be larger. Just the opposite is true. Hiding symptoms may result in additional diagnosis (which costs money) or worse, may result is an incomplete or improper repair. Sharing everything you know about what the car is doing is the way to the lowest possible repair bill.
Don't expect miracles. Remember the old saying: Cheap, Fast, Good - pick two. Are your expectations realistic? What is your #1 priority? If you are hoping for that '85 Chevy with over 150K to "run like new," you might want to evaluate your expectations a little bit.
Refer the garage to friends. The best compliment is to bring the shop new business based on your good relationship.
Based on work by Charlene Parlett, Krystle C., Ben Rubenstein, Jack Herrick, Lisa Brooks, Bob Palin, John B. Schupp, Sondra C, Eric, Dave Crosby, Travis Derouin, “How to build a relationship with your mechanic.” Wiki How. August 20, 2010. http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Build-a-Great-Relationship-with-Your-Auto-Mechanic&action=credits
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