I understand that many people feel vulnerable at auto repair shops, but often when acquaintances tell me about their repair experience from hell, there is a point in the story that I think, “That’s when you should have known that you were in the wrong shop.”
So here are five signs (some would call them red flags) that should tell you that the prudent action is to pay the ransom and get your car out of the shop as soon as possible.
Requiring a deposit – There is only one respectable reason that a shop would require a deposit and that is to motivate you to pay for the repair. Simply put, if your car is worth more than the estimated price of the repairs you are already motivated to pay the bill. The industry is based upon the 30 day open account which allows for the business to pay for the parts used to repair your car the month after the repair is completed. If your shop does not have this arrangement available, it means that it is under-capitalized and may have a need for your deposit. So if you’re asked for a $200 deposit to repair a $15,000 car, point out to the manager that you are a customer and not wannabe banker.
Missing completion times – Anything can go wrong at any place and that can happen at any time. When it happens at an auto repair shop it usually results in a delay in getting your car back to you. If a deadline is missed I suggest meeting with the facility’s management and asking what you can do to facilitate the completion of the project. Is driving to the next town to pick up the crucial part the answer or maybe it is offering to pay for overnight freight charges? It may also be revealing to do your own research into the delay in an attempt to confirm that the explanation is genuine. The results may be the deciding factor in your decision to find another shop.
Reluctance to share information – Interact with the repair shop while realizing that knowledge is power, so be concerned if your repair shop is patronizing or is treating facts about your car like they are the locations of secret tunnels beneath Camp David. Remember the vehicle is your property and you have every right to be updated in a timely fashion, not only about what is wrong with it but how and when it will be repaired to your satisfaction. Do not settle for vague explanations about what ails your car, instead treat it as an opportunity to educate yourself about the workings of your vehicle.
Ever increasing estimates – There are some jobs that seem to evolve as more is known about what is needed to achieve the proper fix. Other repairs require that some exploratory work be performed to expose the root problem. These are the exceptions to the rule and usually the estimates for these types of repairs would come with an upfront caveat that the ultimate price is really an unknown. So, knowing that, you should regard the second or third upward price revision on a straightforward repair as a warning sign that all is not well at your repair shop of choice.
Negative reaction to a comeback – Sure any shop owner or manager is not going to be thrilled by the prospect of doing a job over for nothing, but if the knee jerk reaction is that it is your problem and not the facility’s you may be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Comebacks for auto repair shops, like Roe v. Wade for prospective Supreme Court justices, are litmus tests. If the facility can perform with grace and to your satisfaction while under the duress of a hit to their daily profit report, you may have found a keeper.
If you encounter any or all of these scenarios, there is always the chance that your repair shop is having a very, very bad day, and the absence of these signs doesn’t mean that you have stepped into an auto repair utopia, but being familiar with them should at least level the playing field.
Personal Experience