Here's a list of valuable guidelines for getting satisfaction in a repair--or subsequent attempts to repair a problem.
TIPS TO REMEMBER
Following these six tips may help you when your vehicle is in the shop:
NEVER LEAVE THE REPAIR FACILITY without a copy of the work orders. A complete record of the vehicle history is very important, especially with repeated problems. Although not absolutely necessary to prove your claim at a later date, copies of the records prevent the dealer from writing several repair visits as one, a common practice. [I'd add one more item--always be sure your problem with the vehicle is written on the work order, not just the instructions to the mechanic on what to do.]
ASK ABOUT TSBs - TSB(Technical Service Bulletins) are instructions from the manufacturer that alert dealerships about defects or repairs in certain models. However, dealerships do not generally tell the customer about TSBs unless asked! So speak up. Ask the dealership to write your TSB request on the repair order even if told no TSBs exist for the concerns you are experiencing.
DEMAND RESPECT-You paid a lot for your vehicle...so don't be afraid to go over anyone's head if your vehicle isn't repaired properly. Part of the price of the car is the warranty service for which repairs are being made. You paid for it, you should get your moneys worth.
ARBITRATION- At present, the Federal Trade Commission has determined that no manufacturer has in place an "arbitration program" which complies with Federal minimum standards. What this means is that the FTC finds these programs to be unfair to consumers.
DON'T BE MISLED-In some situations, the dealership may claim that the consumer is causing the problem. This is a common tactic when the dealership cannot fix the problem or the manufacturer has no repair to correct the condition. Ask about the TSBs as stated above and stick to your guns. Your situation is not as unique as the dealership represents. http://www.lemonlaw.com/kit.html
Also remember that the dealership, and many times the mechanic, are paid less to do warranty work than they are paid to do work where the customer pays. If they try to sluff off warranty work, this may be one reason.
Ken
I don't want to start an arguement or debate here, (so please, lets not go there),but I used to be on the other side of the fence, so to speek. I was a mechanic for seventeen years, and always hated for the customer to "tell" me what was wrong with his car or truck, and "tell" me what to do about it. I always worked better when he would tell me what it "acted" like. When he "asked" me if I thought I could do this or that. I would bend over backwards to help the customer that was nice and polite to me. The ones that were demanding and rude, well, what goes around, comes around.
Don't let your mechanic treat you like you are a stupid nobody. Don't let him pull the wool over your eyes. But treat him with the same respect you want to be treated with also. Granted there are exceptions to every rule, but in general, you take care of your mechanic, he'll take care of you.
Mack,
As I wrote, the customer's description of the problem should be on the work order if for no other reason than to establish a paper trail in case the problem isn't fixed.
Of course it usually isn't appropriate for the customer to diagnose the problem, nor to demand specific repair procedures. What I have seen is the service writer put down a repair instruction that does not correct the problem. Perhaps if the repair tech knew what the problem was, he'd have a much better chance of getting if fixed. The tech certainly knows far more than most service writers--and customers.
Yes, yes, yes. The service writter telling the tech, (mechanic), what to do can be just as bad as the customer telling the tech what to do. Best to feed all the info you can directly to the tech himself. (or herself). No matter how small. That small tid-bit of info could turn a "my car pulls to the right", (alignment?), to a "my car pulls to the right ever since I rotated my tires", (bad belt?), or to a "my car pulls to the right when I brake hard", (caliper? brake hose? worn steering/suspension letting the alignment shift when braking?). But, alas, that's not always possible. So before you get mad at the mechanic, try to remember that he could have just done what his boss told him to do. But again, don't "tell" the service writer what to do. Ask. Suggest. But, don't "tell". Unless of course things have already gotten out of hand, in which case you really should have a third party involved if at all possible.
And about that paper trail,,, another point to remember is while I'm sure that you know and remember exactly what the mechanic has done to your car or truck, keep in mind that mechanic has worked on many, many, cars and trucks since he last worked on yours. When you are fighting a re-accurring (spelling?) problem, that paper trail can turn a blank stare from the mechanic, into an "oh yeah, now I remember" expression.
Ken, I was not saying that you were wrong about your tips. They are very good tips, and good things to remember. I was just pointing out that there are two sides to the repair/service issue. If one starts "demanding", well, one could very well find that he has an uphill battle on his hands. One that very well could have been avoided in the first place.
I try to be as descriptive as possible when I bring my car in with a problem. I already have a pretty good idea of what it is anyway and I mention that they may want to look at that specific area. I also make certain that what the service writer writes on the work order is pretty much what I told him/her.
Also, follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. Give them 3-4 hours and if you don't hear from them, give them a call to find out the status.
I always treat people with respect unless they do something to warrant otherwise. If they do that then I simply don't give them any more of my business and I recommend to others that they do the same.
It works for me. Then again, I know quite a bit more about cars than the average shmoe.
In addition to what's already been posted, try to talk to the guy/gal who's actually doing the work...lotta times your description and/or requests will be passed down 2nd or 3rd hand sometimes, going from your contact at the shop to the new kid who's actually doing the dirty work of diagnosing and replacing your front differential . First hand is always best...personally that's why I prefer a local 4x4 joint to the dealership, because the guy at the counter is probably the same guy who's doing the work.
Guidelines for a satisfactory repair
. First hand is always best...personally that's why I prefer a local 4x4 joint to the dealership, because the guy at the counter is probably the same guy who's doing the work.
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