Fraud Tip of the Day - March 10

Car Repair Estimates

If your car needs repairs there is one piece of advice that stands head and shoulders over any other advice I could give: get a written estimate before authorizing work to begin.

The law clearly states that you are entitled to an estimate of the cost of repairs up front. This way you won't be surprised by repairs that were never mentioned to you beforehand. What you sign off on is what they will do. No more and no less. Just make sure that estimate is signed and not verbal or you could be in for all kinds of surprises.

In order to avoid car repair scams we've put together a small list of things you should consider before and after you've taken your vehicle in to be worked on by a mechanic.

Car Repair Tips:

• Check with the Better Business Bureau before taking your car to a shop and find out whether they're reputable
  
  
• You are entitled to a written estimate of repair cost before they're performed on your vehicle. Make sure you're provided with one and that it's signed. Check to be sure the estimate reflects the repairs your car needs, necessary parts, and how much will be added for labor. Keep a copy of the estimate handy in case there's a later dispute over the charges, work performed, or both.
  
  
• Make sure the estimate includes a statement that you will be contacted and asked for approval before repairs are made that exceed the original estimate's specified amount of time it will take or the cost of service, parts, and labor.
  
  
• Make sure that the mechanics in the shop you have chosen for repairs are certified to do the work you need done
  
  
• Find out how your repair shop charges for labor. Some shops charge a flat rate for repairs. This rate is determined by either an independent or manufacturer's estimate of the time repairs should take to complete. But other shop labor charges reflect the actual time it takes to repair your vehicle's problem. Make sure your estimate states which method is used to calculate labor charges.
  
  
• Once you bring your car in to fix one problem, the mechanic may discover more problems you were unaware of and recommend having them repaired. If you question the urgency of the repairs or whether they're needed at all, do some research on your own or get a second opinion from a trusted mechanic.
  
  
• If extensive, costly repairs are recommended, get a second opinion before having work done.
  
  
• Once repairs have been made and you return to the shop to pick up your car, make sure you get an invoice detailing all repairs performed. The invoice should include each repair, parts used and how much they cost, the labor necessary for each repair, and the odometer's reading when the vehicle was dropped off and once again after repairs were completed.
  
  
• Ask for your original parts, the ones that were replaced.
  
  

More Car Repair Scam Information