Taking care of your car means having to keep it in good condition by maintaining it and sending it for repairs if need be. However, there are times when you find yourself unsatisfied with the way the repair job was handled or you feel that you have been ripped off by the auto service center you brought your car into.
When this happens, the first thing you need to look for is the job order you and the technician have agreed upon. Hopefully, for your sake, you have kept it in a safe place where you can easily find it too. This repair order form should indicate all the services to be rendered to your vehicle, and all the parts that are needed for the repair job to be completed. This should also cover every problem that you have described to the car mechanic regarding your vehicle.
Aside from the job order form, make sure that you have the warranty information with you. The warranty information sheet should be signed by you and the mechanic or the car service center’s manager. Never rely on verbal agreements on warranties; you should have the warranty in written form. Even if there is no formal and separate sheet for this, the extent of your warranty, and its time duration should either be indicated on the bill or the repair order form.
Additionally, you should have the receipt for the job performed on your vehicle, detailing how much each repair task and each auto part used costs. The repairs order form is different from this since the receipt can only be issued after the car repairs have been done.
If you find that you need to dispute certain facts on the bill, or on your car’s performance and condition after the repair has been done, the first thing you need to do is to go back to the service center and the mechanic. You will need to show him all the documents mentioned above and then tell him what problems you have noticed in the car or on the bill. Always give the mechanic or the service center manager the benefit of the doubt. Most car repairs disputes can be quickly settled in a calm manner.
On the other and, if the car service center’s manager or mechanic does not want o settle the problem, you can take legal action against them. Car repair disputes generally center on the car trouble not being fixed, or there may have been other problems that were caused by mishandling of your vehicle by unqualified hands. You could also have a dispute about irregularities on the bill and the original repair order. These discrepancies can be prices of automotive parts, or higher service fees than what was agreed upon.
Your options in taking legal action include gong to the Attorney General’s Office, or the Better Business Bureau, and your own legal representation.
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