How to Deal With a Bad Repair

Bad repairs aren't always the result of bad will. Sometimes it's just an honest mistake. Give people the benefit of the doubt, but stand your ground.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Phone Books
• Telephones

1. Ask the mechanic for a list of what was fixed and how before you leave the garage.

2. Go on a test drive before paying for major repairs.

3. Check the warranty on the work before you leave. Find out if it covers both parts and labor. It should be for at least 90 days; six months is even better.

4. Bring the car back to the garage immediately if things are still not right after you leave.

5. Ask to speak to the same mechanic who worked on the car. Explain the problem calmly: 'I just went a mile from the shop and the brakes are still squealing. Something is still wrong.'

6. Offer to take a ride in the car with the mechanic.

7. Request new replacement parts if new parts have been installed. Ideally, you should ask for the old parts back before the job is started; if you ask afterward, they might not be available.

8. Ask to speak to the shop manager if the mechanic will not check the problem immediately.

9. Tell the shop manager, as specifically as you can, the problem with the car. Say that you need the car fixed immediately. Remain calm. Assume that the manager will right the problem. Tell him or her that you know the shop's reputation is on the line and are sure he or she will want to take care of this 'comeback' (mechanics' lingo for a car not fixed properly) right away.

10. Inform the manager that you are canceling the repair payment if he or she has refused to admit the car immediately. Leave the shop.

11. Consider going to another shop for a second opinion. However, be aware that if you choose to go to another shop, the original shop may not honor the repair warranty, while the second shop may not want to deal with the problem if someone else has already done work on the car.

12. Contact the Better Business Bureau and/or the state agency that regulates auto repair in your state if your problem is still not resolved. (For example, in California the Bureau of Automotive Repair regulates all repair shops and will send out a mediator to help resolve disputes.) The state attorney general's office can direct you to the proper agency in your state.

Tips & Warnings

• Describe the problem as precisely as you can. 'The steering is still too loose' is better than 'Something's still not right.'

• Getting angry will not get you what you want. Be reasonable, and the mechanic probably will be also.

• Don't leave the garage until you get what you want or are convinced that you will never get what you want and must cancel your payment.

• Any guarantee that has been made and advertised must be honored by the mechanic.

• Don't anger anyone who still has your car or keys.

• In most states, a garage has the right to withhold your car until the repair charges are paid, especially if the charges are in dispute between the mechanic and the vehicle's owner.