Ten Tips for Getting Good Automotive Service

1. Educate yourself about your vehicle.
   At the very minimum, read the owner's manual. When you purchase a new car or car that's new to you, familiarize yourself with the basic equipment your vehicle has and the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedules. Learning the functions of the vehicle's basic systems or parts is also a good idea. For example, knowing the basic functions of the battery, starter and alternator, or the components of the "drive train" or the basic type steering, suspension and braking systems of the vehicle better enables an owner to understand maintenance and potential diagnoses of problems with these systems.
2. Practice the basics of good auto maintenance.
   Many car owners could avoid unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs by following the maintenance schedule recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and by regularly checking the vehicle's "vital signs." Doing these little chores helps you learn about the vehicle, too. Every time you gas up: Check oil and coolant levels and tire pressure. As recommended: change oil and filters; balance and rotate tires; service radiator/coolant; service brakes. Check tread on tires every two months.
3. Pay attention to the vehicle's performance.
   Sound, feel, smell and sight can all give vital clues to emerging problems. For example, checking out that high-pitched whine the engine has started making, the slight clicking as the wheels rotate, the slight vibration between 50 and 65 mph, the slight burning smell or smell of hot coolant, a temperature gauge that's running just a little hotter than normal – to name just a few common symptoms – can help you catch and correct a minor problem before it becomes big, expensive and possibly dangerous.
4. Fix little problems before they get to be big problems.
   Taking a vehicle in at the first minor signs of trouble can result in an easier diagnosis, a quicker fix, money saved, and prevention of larger problems.
5. Be specific about the symptoms the ailing vehicle is exhibiting.
   Who knows a vehicle best? The person who drives it. So, when your vehicle suddenly starts making strange noises or behaving strangely, describe what you hear, smell, feel, or see as specifically as possible. For instance, is the sound a rhythmic swish, swish coming from the right front or an irregular hollow clunking sound coming from the rear. Does any strange behavior accompany the sound? When does it happen? How long has it been going on? Does it happen in some situations and not others? Write the symptoms down to take to the service center. Go over these symptoms carefully with the service manager or the mechanic. Ask them to drive with you if that would help you point out a vague problem more clearly.
6. Don't offer your diagnosis or guess to the service center.
   After you describe your vehicle's symptoms, let the service center make the diagnosis. If your car is hesitating for three minutes on startup, just describe that. Don't say, "It must be the rotor and distributor cap." If the transmission is slipping, don't say, "I guess I need a new transmission." Voicing your own idea about what's wrong at worst makes it easy for a less scrupulous shop to sell you something you don't need and at best may mislead even the most honest.
7. Ask for a diagnosis and estimate in writing before you authorize the repairs.
   After you've worked with a mechanic or shop for a long period of satisfactory service, a verbal diagnosis and estimate and authorization over the phone may be fine. But a written estimate protects both owner and mechanic.
8. Don't be intimidated.
   Ask questions. If the diagnosis doesn't make sense, ask questions courteously. Ask for an explanation you can understand. Good shops are happy to explain what's wrong and to present options for repairing it to a customer. Informed customers are usually happy customers. Good shops will also tell you if more extensive diagnostic tests are needed to identify the problem and what the options and costs are.
9. If anything about the shop makes you uncomfortable, don't hesitate to take your vehicle to another shop.
   Perhaps, the diagnosis doesn't seem quite right, the staff doesn't have time to answer your questions, or the cost seems excessive. Even if you have to pay a diagnostic fee to the first shop, it's okay to get a second opinion on a large repair or on any recommended repair that has not been explained to your satisfaction.
10. After the repair, the shop should explain exactly what work was performed, return the old parts if you requested them when you authorized the repair, and present a detailed bill or invoice for your records.
    A good center will also have a written policy about warranties, refunds, and "come-backs" (how they respond when you come back immediately because the symptom/problem you observed has not been fixed or recurs within a few days).