5 Things to Ask Your Mechanic Before He Starts Working

If you run into car trouble, worries over getting ripped off can weight on your mind. Having a service contract can help to allay some of those concerns. However, it is always good to have a conversation with your mechanic beforehand as well. Here are 5 questions you want to be sure to ask.

1. Do you have experience with this particular make and model? Some mechanics may not be happy to hear this question, especially someone with lots of general experience, but cars are so complicated nowadays that you really want to work with someone who knows your particular type of vehicle.
2. Do you give free estimates in writing? This helps to ensure that the garage can’t pull a fast one on you and change the estimate. You have in writing what is to be worked on and how much it will cost, and that’s before you have to pay a cent.
3. Can you explain why the repairs are necessary? If your mechanic can’t simplify the process enough to explain it to you, he or she probably doesn’t understand it well enough in the first place. That is not the person you want working on your car.
4. Will you call me if you find something else while working on the car? You want to avoid two things. First of all, you don’t want to be surprised with a bigger bill because the mechanic found something else wrong while under the hood. Find out why it wasn’t caught while doing the estimate and how much extra it will be before approving the work. Second, you don’t want the mechanic to leave something that should have been repaired just because you weren’t at the shop to approve extra work.
5. Is this covered by my service contract? You don’t have to go to the dealer for the work to be covered. Make sure your mechanic knows you have a service contract and find out what should be covered in advance.

Finding the Right Service Contract to Meet Your Needs

You want to be sure to have the right service contract long before you need a repair. To discuss your auto repair needs and to find a warranty that meets them, call our vehicle protection specialists at 1-800-280-6708. Your quote is always free!