Many problems at the repair shop occur because of a failure to properly communicate your car's symptoms. Being able to be as specific as possible can greatly help your mechanic. Try to note what you see, smell, hear, and feel. It can also be helpful to remember where the symptom occurred and what happened just before. For example, where you driving over a bumpy road when the sensor light went on? Notice how many times roughly the symptoms have occurred. Inform your mechanic if there were any other recent repairs performed. In some instances, a problem could be related to the last repair.
One of the biggest mistakes is when a customer sets unrealistic expectations. If you are scheduled to go on a long road trip or vacation, do not bring a car in for repairs at the last-minute before your trip. It is unwise to expect a repair facility to fix your brakes or perform a major service two hours or less before you leave. In our business, we always try to accommodate customers, we know life happens and things can unexpectedly occur. Certain repair jobs can take two or more hours to complete. It is a good idea to allow enough time for your repair. Call and ask how long the work could take. Be prepared to arrange for a ride to and from the repair facility, if the wait is more than you expected. Keep in mind that you expect the mechanic to do the job right. Fair scheduling is needed to accommodate receiving the best service.
You will have a better experience by cleaning out your car interior before leaving it for repairs. If you have strollers, shopping bags, sports equipment or tools loaded in the back, your mechanic may have to remove those items to reach a failed part or conduct a proper wheel alignment. Some materials are so heavy they may not be able to get your vehicle up on a lift. If a mechanic needs to spend time unloading your vehicle, this counts in your repair time. Save time and money by bringing your car in with all unnecessary items removed.
Make sure the contact information you give to the repair shop is a phone number you can be quickly reached at. If your shop is unable to contact you in a timely fashion to approve a repair, your vehicle may be left to sit. Making yourself available for prompt response helps to schedule the ordering of needed materials to execute your repair in a timely fashion.
Take into consideration all the things you can do to contribute to saving time and money by following the above advice. A good independent shop will listen and work with their customer and will be focused on customer satisfaction.
