Auto Service Fraud: How to Protect Yourself
Let’s face it, sooner or later we all have to service our cars, and I think it would be safe to say that none of us are looking forward to the day when we have to bring our vehicles into the shop. The fact is that auto service fraud is consistently ranked as one the top consumer complaints in the U.S. This fact alone can leave consumers feeling uncomfortable whenever they need to have something on their car repaired. It is possible that the suspicion will never go away, however, there are steps consumers can take to protect themselves.
Most of us are not car experts. I’ll admit that my experience goes no further than checking the oil. Nevertheless, I’m still capable of hearing or feeling what is going on in my car, because I drive it every day. So who would be better at describing what is wrong with my car than me? Well, the answer is nobody, and that’s why it’s important to write down the problems you’ve been having with your car before you bring it into the shop. I’d go so far as to make notes of what I’m hearing or feeling when I drive. This way when I finally do get into the shop with my car I can be sure of what I’m going to tell my mechanic. In the same way that doctors want to know the symptoms when you are sick, mechanics want to know your car’s symptoms so that they can prescribe a remedy. Try to give as much information as you can so that they are able to quickly find out what is malfunctioning.
After the mechanic has made the diagnosis they will prescribe a line of action. Make sure that you get work orders, part prices, and labor rates in writing. I can’t stress the fact enough that it is important for the buyer to get all possible documentation possible. This can help you avoid that shocking invoice after your car has been fixed. Also, if you’re unhappy with the quoted price it is prudent to get a second opinion. If it is a simple problem it should be fairly easy to get a quote from other shops.
It is also important to have a clause in the agreement that affirms that the mechanics are not allowed to undertake any work besides that specified in the contract without contacting the owner of the car. This can be undertaken quickly by using the attached form and having any changes written down and the document faxed to you. In this way you can guarantee that you always have a hard copy of what is being done to your automobile. This protects the consumer from hidden charges as well as unnecessary add on work, and assures that there will always be a record to fall back on in case of a disagreement.
This form also helps protect you against any extra add on work that the mechanic may decide to do. When you look at the form you’ll notice that there is a clause stating that, “any unauthorized work is done at the sole risk of the provider; it will be the client’s choice to allow the removal of any part that is installed during unauthorized repairs.” What this means is that if they repair something you didn’t ask for then you are not held responsible for the repair or its associated cost, and that you have the right to do what you wish with the extra part. This is important because the mechanic can’t go rip out the necessary part in your car and then do some further damage putting the original one back in.
Another detail to look at is the warranty policy of the repair shop. It is important to get written documentation of what warranties the shop has for parts used for the repair as well as for the warranty on the repair itself. These documents will be important if you have further problems with the car after the repair is completed.
There is one other approach that the consumer can take to make sure their mechanic is honest with them. If a part needs to be replaced ask for the broken part back when the repair is done. This way you can make sure that the part you paid for was actually installed in your car. This could even prevent them from doing something wrong just because they know that you are watching to see that you are not taken advantage of. If you do get the parts and something seems amiss just take the part to another shop and make sure the puzzle fits.
When it does come time to sign the work order it is important that you read everything in front of you. This means dismissing what you were told by the mechanic and reading through the entire document. The fact is that the mechanic can only charge you for what is in the contract. So, if you sign it you agree to follow what is written. It’s possible that your defense would not hold up in court if you had signed a document agreeing to the specified terms in front of you and then went back on them. To help you with this there is a form below that when completely filled out should help you get the documentation that you need. The bottom line is that when you sign you agree to the written word not the spoken word. It is important to remember that you can’t fall back on what you heard, but only what you see.
When searching for a mechanic it is helpful to use a service like www.metroinfo.com that truly refers a provider. Most referral services allow anyone to leave a referral or rating. This means that even if they provide poor service, friends and family of the business can give perfect ratings that inflate the ranking of a company. A service like this just hurts consumers. The chance of you getting scammed is highly diminished through the use of the www.metroinfo.com system. The truth is that www.metroinfo.com gets real world referrals that are analyzed, not just listed. Also, www.metroinfo.com provides certified audits that continuously review the performance of their listed service providers. They also perform random spot checks that make sure the company is running ethically. This adds up to the ultimate level of consumer protection. In this way you can be sure that the information you’re getting is the most recent and up to date anywhere. When you think about it, the best way to protect yourself and your investments is to get informed, and www.metroinfo.com is the best place to find that information.
There isn’t a clear and perfect solution for ending auto service fraud. However, by taking these simple steps and by using www.metroinfo.com it is possible to protect yourself from most of the fraud that could otherwise come your way.
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