Do You Trust Your Mechanic?
Bad Auto
Repair Has Historically Been One Of by Patricia Simms, Wisconsin State Journal Dick Koegel
had a simple front-end alignment in mind when he brought his 1995 Ford Ranger
into a Madison repair shop last June. But, he said, he was told
his front brakes were "ready to go metal to metal," that the rotors
had to be replaced and the serpentine belt had pieces missing. Koegel is a retired
UW-Madison agricultural engineering faculty member who was getting ready for
a trip to Minnesota when he stopped in at the repair shop. "They claimed my
brakes were in desperate shape, and I should get them repaired right
away," Koegel said in an interview this week. "I had them do the
work, but I told them to keep the parts."
'Clearly marked suggest' He complained to the state
Department of Trade and Consumer Protection. A district manager for the
repair business told the state the shop had followed the rules, giving Koegel
an estimate of $748.87 and getting his signed agreement for the work. As for the
need, Smith said the vehicle inspection sheet signed by the mechanic "is
clearly marked suggest." Koegel's was one of 616
auto repair complaints filed with the state in 2005. Jim Rabbitt, director of
the state Bureau of Consumer Protection, said there used to be more than
1,000 a year. Bad auto repair has
historically been one of the top 10 consumer complaints nationally and in
Wisconsin. Baffled by the technical complexity of today's vehicles, consumers
can feel abused. "It's no different
than going to a doctor or a dentist," said Chris Fauerbach, who owns
Fauerbach Automotive Services on Fish Hatchery Road [in Madison].
"People depend on their cars, and they get pretty upset when things
don't go right. You should find a mechanic you trust just like a
doctor." In December, consumers
complained to the state about mechanics going belly-up, repairs that made
cars worse, work that went on for weeks or was never done at all, and
"fixes" that didn't fix anything. Brock Burnard, of Oregon,
said he was out $1,600 for an engine that never got rebuilt. "The shop
should be immediately shut down and licenses revoked," he said. Ah, there's the rub.
Mechanics don't need a license in Wisconsin, Fauerbach said. "All you
have to do in this town to be a mechanic is have a toolbox," he said. No license needed Rabbitt said mechanics and
repair shops in Wisconsin are covered by fair business law, not licensing. "It has a lot to do
with the contract you make with the repair shop," he said. "The law
in Wisconsin is that before they start doing any repair, they have to have an
agreement with you on the work that needs to be done and have to give you a
good estimate of what the cost will be." If the bill will exceed $50,
the shop has to give a written estimate. Shops post hourly fees,
Rabbitt said, "so consumers can ask before going for repair. Most shops
estimate jobs based on the number of hours they anticipate times their hourly
rate, so consumers can shop around." The shop has to call the
customer if repairs are going to cost more than the estimate, and the shop
needs approval before going ahead. The shop also has to give a
customer an invoice when the car is picked up. "But there can be a gap
between the consumer's expectation and the mechanic's reality," Rabbitt
said. Finding a good shop "Let's face it, the
repair industry has a bad reputation," said Michael Calkins, manager of
approved auto repair for the national AAA. "The best time to choose an
auto repair shop is before you have problems. "You should shop for a
repair shop. Establish a relationship. Give them your maintenance business as
well as your major repairs. They will be there when you need them. Like your
doctor, they will know your car's history. That saves money in the long
run." Calkins said each type of
repair shop has its advantages: New-car dealerships
generally have the best-trained mechanics and focus on new cars, he said, but
tend to be less cost-conscious and you don't get to talk to the mechanic. Mass marketers like tire
stores and chain auto centers, he said, are cost-conscious and pass along
savings from volume buying, but focus on high volume or high-profit services.
Independents may specialize
and are more likely to deal directly with the customer, but training and
equipment varies, he said. But is there a gold-star
list that consumers can go to? Well, no. Earlier this week, Brandon
Rompa, 20, of Madison said he opened the phone book to find a place to get
his exhaust system fixed—the pipe fell off his 1992 Nissan
Sentra when he was driving back from the grocery store. In the end, he
listened to a friend who had good words to say about Fauerbach. Talk to people That's what you're supposed
to do, Rabbitt said. Talk to friends and family. Good mechanics develop
loyalty, Fauerbach said. "One bad word can cause 10 times the damage as
one good word," he added. Call Consumer Protection
(800-422-7128) and ask for the complaint history of a shop, Rabbitt said. Look for shops that employ
Automotive Service Excellence certified mechanics. "There are
certifications for each of the major components—engine, transmission, suspension,
brakes," Rabbitt said. "Make sure your technician is certified for
the work." Make sure the shop has the
proper diagnostic equipment for your make of vehicle. "Most modern cars
have electronic ports, and the shops need to be able to read and interpret
the codes for your model," he added. In Koegel's case, the state
issued the repair shop a warning letter, said Jeanne Burt, manager of the
state's consumer information center. If more complaints accumulate, the state
would start investigating, looking for a pattern, she said. The process could result in
prosecution, she said, but mostly it involves working out agreements.
"We want them to correct the problem," she said. Repair tips Wisconsin AAA offers these
tips for getting the best car repairs: JOT IT DOWN: Before you
take your vehicle in, write notes on its symptoms so you don't overlook
anything. BE PRECISE: Tell your
service representative exactly what happens, such as what rattles or whether
you hear a noise accompanying the problem. If it's from one side of the
vehicle, refer to the driver or passenger side, not left or right. BE CLEAR: Don't use
technical language unless you're sure what it means. DOCUMENT: If your vehicle
recently has been serviced, bring copies of the latest repair orders. CHECK THE PAPERWORK: Before
you authorize any work, look over your new repair order. If the order is
vague, ask that it be clarified. Take the mechanic or service representative
for a test drive so they can observe the problem you've just described. CHECK IT OUT: Take a test
drive when you pick up your car so you can bring it back immediately if the
problem persists. REVIEW YOUR BILL: Don't hesitate
to ask about anything you don't understand.
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Afterwards, he took the parts to an auto-parts business for
a second opinion. "The brakes were nowhere near needing a
replacement," Koegel said. "I was hustled into doing work that was
really not needed at that time."