Purchasing car is likely to be the biggest investment you’ll make hence, to keep your car in good condition it is crucial to carry your car to the car workshop at a specific point of time. As a car owner, you should probably establish a relationship with a go-to car repair workshop, if you already having a good relationship with the car repair shop, great but the truth is, many of the car owners don’t.
Having a car is a huge investment already and getting your car serviced is an added expense, in case you are neglecting regular car maintenance you may expose to further car damage that would cost even more money and time. Some of the car repair shop owners are cunning, if you are a new car owner and went to an unknown car workshop for the first time, it might be possible that you could have charged more for services that are not needed or the services that don’t even perform.
Here you will get to know how you will avoid unreasonably high prices, offer for unnecessary repairs. So, here are some tips that you can use before heading to a car repair workshop for the first time.
1. Make Sure That You Will Get Genuine Spare Parts or OEM
Original equipment are the parts your car was fitted with when it was made. Or if the parts are made by another company they will probably come in a car When your car is at car repair workshop, most of the workshop’s owner install second-hand car parts or the parts that are not by the original manufacturer and also, they will charge you as if they have put the original parts, this is the most common thing that probably car workshop owners do. But you can now have an alternative for that. You can buy car parts yourself and have the mechanic to install them.
You can also ask mechanics to show you the parts they are installing and show you the bill of sale. Sometimes the car shop owners will report that the parts are ready to change and they will even charge you more as they changed it but they will leave the old part in the car.
This is the reason you should ask your mechanic to show you all the replaced parts.
2. Do Not Fall for Oil Tricks
Oil is the most essential component thing your vehicle requires when it comes to the proper functioning of your car parts. Whenever you go for your car servicing most of the car repair workshop owners use oil tricks one of the common tricks they use is they will ask you for changing the oil and use synthetic instead of mineral oil.
Generally, every car has its specific oil change intervals, probably around every 10,000 kilometers. In case your mechanic insists to change the oil more often then you have to be suspicious also if he suggests using synthetic oil instead of mineral oil which is recommended for your car then it’s high time to check another car repair shop.
3. Ask the Mechanics to Explain You the Terms
Most of the car repair shop owners try to puzzle new customers by using unfamiliar terms. Whenever they do so, do not embarrassed to ask them to explain to you exactly what they are saying and what they are going to do to your car so that you can understand and see it makes sense or not.
Some terms like “coolant flush” and “power steering flush” is being used by them is the strong suggestion that they are going to trick you. Generally, the coolant flush is a regular car maintenance job but it is done once in 100.000 km, not for every 6 months. Also, the term steering flush doesn’t exist so when you hear such this form the car shop owner just runs away.
4. Tyre Build Date
Whenever you go for car tyre replacement service in car workshop always ask the mechanics to show you the exact date when the tyre was made. The date is available on the side of the tyre near the description of the size of the tyre. The car repair workshop owners often try to sell tyres a couple of years old whenever they notice an inexperienced customer.
The old tyres also look the same as the new ones, but the compound is not as good since the rubber start deteriorates after a while so, check if the tyre is only the couple of months old not years.
5. Authorized Service Centre or Local Mechanic – Choose Wisely
Many car owners face the dilemma of whether to consider an authorized service centre or go for a local car workshop because both of them having their pros and cons in terms of providing car servicing.
Here are a few factors which you should keep in mind while choosing an authorized Car Service Centre
- Warranty Issue- If your vehicle is in warranty period then you should go to an authorized service centre.
- Challenge of New Technology- The new generation vehicle equipped with the electronic system so, if you go to an authorized service centre you can be assured of good service.
- Resale Advantage- Visiting an authorized service centre creates an explicit service history of your car which will be helpful in case you are looking forward to resale your car.
- Expertise in Subjective- The authorized service centre having expertise who specialises in particular stream hence you do not need to personally supervise the mechanic while he services your car.
Here Why You Should Choose an Independent Workshop
- Advantage- visiting a local car repair shop will help you save a lot of money, only you have to ensure that spare parts, filters, oils are genuine. Getting cheaper labour cost is one of the biggest advantages.
- Warranty Is Not a Problem- Getting your car serviced from a local car workshop can be a good alternative. It’s a myth that getting a car serviced from an independent car repair shop will lapse its warranty. You can get done with the basic services like oil and filter change from the local car workshop while your brand new car is in warranty period.
Final Words:
If you have become a new car owner and searching for the best car workshop then the above tips will be going to help you get prepared before reaching out to an unknown car workshop so that the car servicing will not cost you more. Before visiting a car workshop, carefully consider the above-mentioned aspects and must ask for an estimate and itemise it before getting your car serviced or repaired so that you will get the best quality and cost-effective services.