No one wants their car to have issues. However, when problems arise, you need to be prepared. Taking your car to an auto repair shop is vital in determining what is going on with the vehicle. From there, a car repair shop will provide you with an estimate to fix your vehicle. If desired, you can obtain estimates from multiple shops to help you find an affordable company for repairs. Knowing what should be included on a car repair estimate can help you ensure you are getting complete estimates and properly compare one estimate to another.
What Is Going On With the Automobile
Anytime you are obtaining an estimate for automobile maintenance or repairs, the estimate should always state what is going on with your automobile. For example, the estimate may state that you need a regular oil change or that your vehicle is stalling and you need to determine why. If the problem has diagnosed, the estimate should include the exact issue with your automobile, such as diagnostic testing revealed bad spark plugs.
What the Remedy Is For Your Problem
An automobile estimate should also include a remedy for the current issues. This may be running a diagnostic test in the beginning to determine what the issues are, or listing what parts need to be repaired or replaced based on the results of a diagnostic test. The remedy for the issue should be as detailed as possible. For example, instead of simply stating they need to fix the brakes, the estimate should state that the remedy is to replace brake pads and resurface the rotors. You want to know exactly what the shop is doing prior to authorizing work.
The Estimate For Parts and Labor Costs
An estimate should also break down the specific costs associated with your repairs. For example, if you need a brake repair, the estimate should list a price for new brake pads, a cost to resurface the rotors and the estimate labor cost for doing the work, rather than a flat price. This allows you to see what you are being billed for and compare parts prices and labor expenses as you look at various estimates.
When the Repair Shop Will Contact You
Finally, an estimate should always include a clause about going over the estimate and contacting you. Some estimates state that the shop will contact you and authorize work if the price of the estimate changes in any way. Other estimates give the repair shop some leeway, stating the shop will only contact you for additional authorization if the work exceeds ten percent or $100 of the estimated price. Always carefully read this clause to find out if you have to authorize additional work or more expensive parts, or whether the repair shop can do additional work or change up unavailable parts to more pricey options without notifying you until you receive the final bill.
Do you need auto repair for your vehicle? Here at Morgan Automotive Repair, with locations in Tracey, Manteca, Stockton and a new location opening soon in Sacramento, CA., we can help to diagnose and repair your vehicle. Whether your car is running rough, failing to start or the check engine light is on, bring your car to us and let us prepare an estimate for you.