What you need to know before taking your car to a garage for servicing or repairs

Taking your car to the shop for an inspection or repair is never fun. It is inconvenient, time-consuming, and often expensive.

It can also be a source of confusion, as many non-oil lovers feel out of their comfort zone when talking about a machine they can drive, but whose mechanics they don’t know.

Without the same level of knowledge as the shop, or complete knowledge of your legal rights, it is easy to feel defensive and ready to be scammed.

But a basic understanding of the law and knowing the do’s and don’ts will help you get ahead.

Here’s what you need to know before taking your car in for its next repair or service…

Express terms: Tell the shop what you want and set a schedule

Before doing any work, tell the shop what you want. These instructions are called “express terms.”

Wherever possible you will put these express terms in writing. It makes it much easier if there is a dispute or query about the work later.

More generally, you can say a general wish like; ‘the car does not start correctly and cuts out when starting; Please can you fix this for me?

But it’s best to be as specific as possible and relate the instructions to a particular fault (or faults) that needs fixing.

For example, this could be “install new spark plugs.”

Better yet if you can specify the brand required for the different parts, but it is not a necessity. You can also stipulate whether you are satisfied with the second-hand pieces in good condition or not.

The more general you are with the repairs, giving permission to do whatever is necessary, the harder it will be to dispute later.

If you need your car back by a particular date or time, make that clear, but give the shop a decent amount of time to get the job done.

Ask for a quote in writing and don’t be British when talking about money!

Implicit terms: What should be given?

The ‘implied terms’ are the basic assumptions that repairs must be carried out with care, skill and within a reasonable period of time.

Parts must be of good quality, well fitted and match the description given.

These are your basic legal rights, which we will discuss later.

Request a quote in writing

Don’t commit without getting a written quote – that’s the hard and fast rule.

The quote should cover approximately how much it will cost to repair your car and the timeline.

If the shop doesn’t offer this voluntarily, be sure to ask for it before agreeing to let the work begin.

You can also set a spending limit in writing with the shop, which they cannot exceed without contacting you first and getting your authorization.

Sometimes the workshop can only give an initial estimate to inspect the car and agree on what needs to be done.

Don’t expect this to be done for free, but make sure they call or email you once they’ve diagnosed the problem and gotten your permission to continue working on the updated estimate.

Ask around at different shops to get quotes because each shop will have their own labor costs, overhead, and parts prices, so estimates may differ.

Get multiple quotes

Just like when you do construction or plumbing work, multiple quotes are the smart way to go when your car needs repair.

Hourly labor rates vary, as do business overhead and parts pricing, so different shops will quote different amounts.

Ask the shop what hourly rate they charge. Don’t be British about it!

Go to a few different shops to evaluate a fair price and then decide based on price. Or, if there isn’t much to say, the deciding factor could be reputation or the specialized skills on offer.

How binding is a quote?

A quote is usually just an estimate of the price and is therefore not binding. You might end up paying a little more or, if you’re lucky, a little less, but it should be about what is listed.

Sometimes an exact price and a firm contract can be established, but this is quite rare and is usually a very particular job.

The shop can diagnose and then legally charge for the additional work needed if you don’t request a quote.

No quote? What is a reasonable price?

If you do not receive a quote, then a workshop is legally entitled to charge you a “reasonable” price for any work completed to a good standard.

The law of the land: your basic rights to take into account

As a customer who brings their car in for inspection or repair, you are protected by law for your consumer rights.

Broadly speaking, these include:

• The workshop must charge a reasonable amount if the price is not agreed upon in advance;
• They have to put in replacement parts that are in good condition, that fulfill their function and last a decent time;
• They must use reasonable care and skill and complete the work within a reasonable time.

Authorization:

• If the workshop carries out work that you have not authorized, they have no right to claim payment for this work;
• If parts are replaced without authorization, the workshop must remove these parts and reassemble the old parts. If they cannot do this, then the workshop must bear the cost.

Delays

How long is a piece of cord?

Auto repair delays are quite common because there are many variables.

From never-before-seen failures to spare parts shortages, there are quite a few reasons why engines can take a while to repair.

However, if you have set a time period and the garage is far away, you have options:

• Initially try to set a new end date.
• Ask at the garage for a courtesy car.
• If you rent a car, tell the garage because you may be able to claim the additional cost of renting the car.
• You can take the car back if it is safe and road legal, and bring it back for additional work at a later date.

If you want to dispute a job, start by talking to the workshop clearly and calmly, and resort to judicial means only as a last resort.

Disputing the job and if you get your car back

If you are not satisfied with the repairs performed, start by talking to the mechanic about it.

Legal procedures are expensive, time-consuming and difficult, so the last resort is always used.

You can also get another shop to look at it.

If the shop doesn’t agree, you can check to see if it belongs to a trade association and, if so, ask the association for help.

The shop has the right to keep your car until they have paid you for all the work done.

Unless you are going through legal proceedings, you will need to pay the bill, but write on the workshop copy “paid under protest.” This will allow you to recover your car but still defy the garage.

In this case, you can notify the workshop in writing that you intend to take your car to other workshops to obtain quotes to fix the faults and you will charge the additional cost to the at-fault workshop.

If you returned your car and paid only to find out new problems or faults, the shop is responsible, but you will have to prove that it is a related problem caused by the shop.

Unfortunately, it could just be a coincidence.

Arbitration and going to court: the last resort

Hopefully it doesn’t get to this point, but if all else fails, you can go to the trade association and go to arbitration or take the shop to court.

Most trade associations offer a low-cost arbitration service that hires an outside investigator to rule in favor of the shop or car owner.

This method has some drawbacks: the shop must accept it, the decision is binding so you can’t dispute it later, and you don’t get your fee back if you lose.

If you decide to go to court, you will not need a solicitor for claims under £3,000 and can go to the small claims court.

If your repair bill exceeds £3,000 you will need a solicitor to advise you.