TOP SECRET! Don’t bring your car in on Friday afternoon. The mechanics might rush the job to get out for the weekend.
1. Watch out for scare tactics. Admonitions like “I wouldn’t drive this another mile” should be viewed with suspicion.
2. Check their credentials. Look for ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) or AAA (America Automobile Association) certification, as well as a state license. Reputable shops are proud to display them.
3. Ask, ask, ask. Get recommendations and find out years in business, warranties offered, licenses, and the type of equipment used. Look for a clean garage. A floor cluttered with empty oil cans, worn tires, and dirty rags is a red flag.
4. Never sign a blank authorization form. Always get a signed work order with a specific estimate for each job and warranties that apply.
5. It’s nuts to take a car with engine problems to a shop without a good engine analyzer and scan tool. Any mechanic who says “I don’t need fancy equipment” should be avoided.
6. When you go for a second opinion, don’t tell the mechanic what the first diagnosis and price were.
7. Coolant flushes and power steering flushes are very common gimmicks at quick lubes. Check your owner’s manual; many cars have fluid that is designed to go 100,000 miles. And cleaning fuel injectors is a waste of time and money. There are additives on the market that do a great job. Transmission flushes are another one of the biggest scams going. Manufacturers don’t recommend them, and your car almost never needs one.
TOP SECRET! Don’t bring your car in on Friday afternoon. The mechanics might rush the job to get out for the weekend.
8. Always ask for OE (original equipment) brake pads or at least equivalent material. A $49.95 brake job will usually get you the worst friction material you can buy—it’s the difference between stopping short and causing a pileup on the way to work.
9. The market is being flooded with cheap parts from China. Request a name-brand replacement and ask to see its box. Then get your old parts back. This way you’ll know they’ve been changed, and you can tell if they were worn out.
10. Beware of a mechanic who shows you a transmission pan with metal particles in it and recommends a major job. The shavings are usually a sign of normal wear.
11. Know what your state’s tread specifications are before buying new tires. Then have the mechanic measure the old tread with a gauge. Ask about your new tire’s “build date.” If you’re getting an unusually good deal, you might be receiving three-year-old treads, especially risky for snow tires.
12. Lifetime mufflers? What would ever make you think a muffler will last a lifetime? Yes, they’ll give you free replacements, but they’ll hit you over the head for expensive pipe repairs.
13. Consult your dealer before you have work done on a catalytic converter or emissions parts. Some of these items carry a very long warranty, and free replacement is often required by law.
SOURCES: Domenic DiSiena, manager, Bedford (New York) Shell; Gary Montesi, owner, Montesi Volkswagen, North Haven, Connecticut; Bob Sikorsky, automotive writer, Tucson, Arizona; anonymous mechanics in Minnesota and New York.