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Avoid The Bad Apples When It Comes to Vehicle Service & Repair

    There are a few unscrupulous companies in every line of business including auto repair.The following scenario is the cause of frequent complaints at the BBB:

    A consumer takes his vehicle to a repair shop for an estimate. The mechanic estimates repairs to be $200 and may or may not issue a work order. The customer receives a call the next day that his car is ready. When the customer arrives to pick up his vehicle, he is told that there was additional work needed and the bill totals $900.

     The customer becomes angry and the mechanic explains that if the customer will not pay the bill, then the shop will sell the vehicle to cover the cost of the bill (a mechanic’s lien). The frightened customer reluctantly pays the bill to keep his car from being sold.

    There are several ways to avoid becoming a victim of this scheme:

• Call the BBB to listen to reliability reports on repair shops you are considering. Ask friends and relatives for suggestions.

• Pay with a credit card. This offers protection under Federal Regulation Z of the Truth in Lending Act. A customer has the right to have charges removed from his account if the product or service was misrepresented. See your credit card agreement for details.

• Request a detailed work order when you take your vehicle in for service. This is your proof of what repairs were authorized. If the mechanic notifies you of additional needed repairs by phone, ask that a written copy of the additional repairs and prices be faxed to you in advance. If you do not have a fax machine, then ask a friend to take you to pick up a copy from the mechanic.

• The mechanic’s lien is a legal way for mechanics to be paid when a customer simply walks away from a vehicle.

     The mechanic must notify the customer by certified mail that a lien will be placed on the vehicle if the bill is not paid within 30 days of the repair date. The mechanic then must take the return receipt card to the courthouse and file for a lien on the vehicle. After a lien is granted, the vehicle may be sold to cover all outstanding liens and the remaining balance must be paid to the customer.

     Some unscrupulous mechanics may threaten to immediately sell a customer’s car if the bill is not paid. In reality, the customer has 30 days to settle the dispute before this could possibly happen.