Protecting yourself at the garage

Originally Posted by The Montreal Gazette

Protecting yourself at the garage

Brian TurnerFor Canwest News Service

The most frustrating part of taking your car in for service is being unable to see what you got for your money.
When else do we ever pay for something we can't see, touch or smell?
Take Mr. Jones. He drops off his car at his favourite repair shop. When he returns at the end of the day to pay his $1,200 bill, he finds his vehicle looking exactly like it did when he dropped it off.
As consumers we place blind trust in those who service our vehicles and, for the most part, that trust is well placed. But it would be nice to know exactly what was done, why and if it actually needed doing in the first place?

What follows is a game plan for protecting yourself. But remember, nothing is more important than establishing a trusting working relationship with a repair shop.

THE MAINTENANCE CONUNDRUM
Dust off that owner's manual in the glove compartment to find out when oil changes and tire rotations and such are due.
The if-it-ain't-broke school of maintenance doesn't consider the cost of inconvenience and unreliability. Who do you think gets emergency priority in my shop on the Friday afternoon of a long weekend; my regular as rain customer or some stranger who has been staring at a dash warning light for three weeks and now has a car that is overheating?
With warning lights the check engine and low tire pressure icons top the list of repeat performers. If you want to save money, check your gas cap. A loose one is the leading reason for the check engine light coming on. It will take three start and warm up cycles on the road to self extinguish it. But if you have any type of symptom to go along with that light such as a rough idle, stalling or transmission shift problem, get it checked.

OIL CHANGES AND A TALE OF THE DIPSTICK
Do yourself a favour and check your engine oil before you drop the car off. If you pull the dipstick before starting the car and it's parked on a relatively level grade, you won't even have to wipe the stick and re-dip to get an accurate reading.
Check the colour of the oil and smell it. For most vehicles the oil will be a very dark brown (almost black) and will smell of gas.
See if you can spot the oil filter. On many front-wheel drives with four cylinder engines it is located low on the front of the engine block. On some four bangers and on most V6 or V8 engines it's impossible to see from above.

Check the other vital vehicle fluids. Many reservoirs are made of plastic that lets you see the fluid level without removing the top. Don't try to remove a pressurized cooling system cap if the engine has been running in the last four hours or so (hot antifreeze burns!). After the oil change has been done, recheck the dipstick. New oil should be a light brown colour (like medium toasted bread) and should have no gas smell. Check the other fluids. Were they topped up? Did anyone take a grease pen and indicate the engine coolant protection mark on the radiator cap?

AIR FILTERS AND TIRE VALVES
Locate the air filter box and look for signs that the latches or screws that hold the lid on have been opened lately. Take a look at the tire valve stems before you leave the service lot. Are the caps clean, indicating they were removed to check the air pressure? Don't forget the spare.

THE TIRE TREATMENT
Did you get the run around wheel treatment? The easiest way to know if your tires were rotated is to mark one on each side of the vehicle and then check to see if they changed position.

FOUR FLUID FLUSHERS
Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, engine coolant, and brake fluid are all targeted these days by service advisers trying to sell their shops' power-flush treatments.
Check your owner's manual to verify the time and mileage recommendations. If your service provider is suggesting an early replacement, ask why.
Automatic transmission fluid will have a very dark red colour (almost brown or black) at the end of its life and a marked burnt smell. Your new fluid should be a much lighter red (rose wine). Power steering fluid will go from brown to clear, coolant from dark green or red to a clearer brighter shade.
Brake fluid will likely look the same before and after. The reason it's replaced is to remove any water content caused by condensation. Find the brake master cylinder cap (yes that owner's manual is good for something) and see if it's been opened lately.

SIGNS OF BRAKE REPLACEMENTS
The rotors should have a clean, dull silver finish if they've been replaced or resurfaced. There should be no rust if they were changed and rust on the edges if they were resurfaced.
When a tech replaces pads or rotors, he will clear rust away from the tracks the pads travel on and thoroughly lubricate them so the pads can retract when letting off the pedal. This means more distance for the pad to move when going from no brakes to full application and more pedal movement.

DON'T BE SHY, JUST ASK
If your service consultant is patient and explains the repairs made, then he deserve your repeat business. Keep in mind time restraints and peak customer traffic periods at your shop's service counter.
If you're thoughtful enough to ask when's the best time for a few questions, you're bound to get all the professional attention you need.

Originally Posted by Anatoray

From the title, I thought it was goign to list the best tools to grab first for self defense lol.

This was a good read, and I'm sure everyone can relate to fears about how their cars are treated at repair shops. That's one reason some of my friends build brand loyalty and go to the same dealership every time.