If you don’t know a whole lot about your car – or any car – it can be very intimidating taking it to the shop. A courteous mechanic will break things down for you in layman’s terms, and they’ll never take advantage of your lack of knowledge. You’re busy, you have other things to worry about.
Tune Tech in Spokane, WA will always treat your vehicle with respect, courtesy and helpfulness when you’re having car trouble! No matter which garage you choose, you’ll want to educate yourself just a little about what’s going on with your car so that you can communicate easily with your mechanic.
We’ve put together a few questions to get you started in the conversation. The mechanic you have chosen doesn’t know what you don’t know, if that makes sense. The questions you ask can direct their explanations of issues that your car is having.
Ask them:
- Do you do estimates, written or verbal?
An estimate will give you a good place to start if you don’t have a regular auto mechanic. You can compare their prices with others, if you decide to get more than one estimate. It will also give you an idea of how much the repair might cost or how long your car will be out of commission. Getting a rental car or borrowing one from a friend or family member may or may not be in your future.
- Do you work on this make and model of car often?
If you have a less common model, this is especially important question. But it still matters no matter what kind of car you have. If this particular shop isn’t familiar with your make or model – even if they’re great with others – your best bet is to keep looking. An honest mechanic will tell you if they feel comfortable working on your car or not.
- What steps will you take to do this repair?
Don’t feel stupid asking this question! People who know a lot about cars – people who could probably do the repair themselves – ask this type of question, too! You may see other opportunities to ask questions for clarification as they explain. This will give you a basic understanding of what’s going to be done to your car, and you may pick up a little car knowledge as well.
- Where do your car repair parts come from?
Some shops order all their parts new, while others use parts from used cars. Either is fine in most cases, but asking about this will let your mechanic know that you want to be fully involved in the repair. He or she may even ask your preference on this, according to price and availability. Used parts are cheaper and are a good way to recycle, but they don’t come with a warranty.
When a mechanic is working on your car, you have every right to ask as many questions as you want to understand the repair process and the repair shop’s pricing. Asking questions is also a good way to make sure you’re getting what you pay for!
Thanks for reading. Come see us for any auto repair needs in Spokane! We also serve the Spokane Valley for auto repair!
