It’s important when you drop your vehicle off that you’re very specific about what car problems you want fixed and what issues there might be with your car. Don’t assume that your mechanic will be able to find and solve all car problems without your help because cars don’t talk. Remember, you’re driving the car more often and under all kinds of conditions.
The mechanic might only take it for a quick test drive, so it’s not surprising that they won’t identify all of the issues. Quite often you can make it quicker and easier for them if you help to identify the problems with the car.
Save Money on Car Problems
If you don’t explain why you are bringing your car for repair, your mechanic might fix something that was not bothering you instead. We are not saying this will happen but is always a possibility. The best way around the problem is to write everything down. That way, there should not be a misunderstanding.
Discussing Car Problems with Your Mechanic
When you do identify car problems, be careful how you communicate them with your auto mechanic. Try to be specific about the symptoms of the car problem and don’t try and diagnose the solution yourself. Don’t say there’s a problem with the right wheel, as a mechanic might immediately think that all you need is a new set of tyres. Try to describe how you know there’s a problem with the car. For example, when turning right, there is a constant whirling noise that’s coming from the front right side of the car. Or when braking at high speed the steering wheel shudders quite violently.
Tell them the signs that are wrong with the car rather than what you think the problems are. The example of a steering wheel shuddering while braking could be a number of issues, like worn brake pads, warped discs, wheels out of alignment, etc. If you just said I need new brake pads then a mechanic might only replace the brake pads and won’t necessarily investigate the other potential causes.
If you tell your mechanic you think you need a new battery, rather than you have a problem starting your car, you could end up with a new battery but find the car starting problem still exists.
Describing cars problems is a little like reporting a tooth problem to a dentist. You don’t tell them you have a cracked tooth, you show them where it is hurting. That way, you have the best chance of sorting out the toothache. If it is an electrical problem rather speak to a mobile auto electrician.
In the same way, help your mechanic do his job easier and sort out your car problems by highlighting any issues that you having with the car when you drop it off. Also, pay particular attention to how you describe the problem to your mechanic. Don’t try and diagnose the problem yourself, simply describe the symptoms that you have observed. The easier you make it for them to identify the cause of your car problems, the faster they will get resolved and the cheaper choosing a mechanic will turn out to be.
