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Service & Repairs

Unfortunately there are many people who are tainting the name of the Motor Industry. One needs to be very careful these days when it comes to having work done on your motor vehicle. The last thing you want is to break down on the side of the road or even worse, not to be able to go to work because your car is broken.

Do your homework when choosing your Auto Repair Shop or Service Provider

A. Below is a list of the most important issues that should be taken into account when deciding where to have your vehicle worked on:

• Has the shop got a good reputation?

• Is the shop AA Quality Assured?

• Does the shop meet all the minimum municipal requirements regarding fire, health and safety acts?

• Does the shop have adequate short term insurance?

• Do they offer a warranty on their work “in writing”?

• Do they have courtesy cars to offer if necessary?

• Are the technical personnel qualified to do their work?

• Do they train apprentices in their workshop and if so on whose car?

• If you were on holiday in another part of the country, would they be able to assist you if you had a problem and if so, how quickly?

• Ask for referrals and use them.

You need to be rest assured that your vehicle is in good hands.
Remember things do go wrong and if they do you don’t need to be in trouble. Spend enough time deciding where you want to go and then once you have decided spend some time preparing for your visit.

B. At the visit, a few points to remember:

• What is the real reason for your vehicle going to a repair shop? It could be a misfire; a rattle or it could just be due for a service.

• Communicate with service adviser and if necessary show him or her what the problem really is. Rather spend an extra few minutes at the reception than be upset afterwards.

• Find out the name of the person that you are dealing with, this will save time when you need to contact him or her.Make absolutely sure that they have your contact numbers, more than one is always better.In fact it is essential.

• Walk around the car with the service advisor and do a simple quick visual check with him or her.If you are the type of person who really looks after your car and you don’t like scratches or dents on the car.

• Don’t leave valuables in your car and if you do, mention it to the service advisor.

• Put all your trust in the person you are dealing with, seeing as you have chosen them to work on the car. If for some reason you are nervous then rather say so in the beginning and let them know the reasons why.

• Provide details. It is always better when complaining about things like fuel consumption to have the facts.Proof of the fuel used versus the kilometers covered are a good example.

• Create a good working relationship with your service provider and don’t get a reputation of moving around from shop to shop. This is an important point as it takes a long time to build a relationship. You will find you can get more and more from the same service provider. Maybe one day you would need assistance in assessing a new car purchase or a panel-beating job and you may be pleasantly surprised.

• Make sure that the service advisor you are working with feels the same about your car as what you do, this is very important. If for some reason you can’t get on with the person you are supposed to be dealing with, ask to speak to someone else, this will be far better than breaking your ties with your service provider and going somewhere else.

• Don’t allow a dispute to turn into an ugly argument, rather arrange mediation where more people are present, this way problems get solved.

Remember if you buy a pair of shoes or an item of clothing you normally spend some time trying them on and making sure that they are what you want.

Servicing your car will make it last longer. It also makes it safer for you, your passengers and the environment.

C. Here are some tips to help you avoid dodgy garages, get effective work done and achieve good value for a service or a repair of your car. If you have bought from a dealer, the last thing you want is to be paying huge bills as well as your monthly payments for your motor if its on finance.

START NOW

• Don’t wait until you need a service or repair

• Spend time comparing garages beforehand

• Get your car serviced regularly

• Ask around about good garages

A RELIABLE GARAGE WILL CERTAINLY DO SOME, OR ALL, OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Display a menu of fixed cost works

• Tell you how much they will charge to diagnose a fault if it includes dismantling and putting  back together

• Be a member of a trade association (such as the Motor Vehicle Repairers Association)

• Have trained staff and display certificates

• Have a complaints procedure

The key thing is that most people only think about it when a problem happens or the service is due. By being prepared and taking a few minutes out of your day to prepare for the inevitable, it will save you money, time and stress.

If all else fails, ask your family and friends about a good place. They will more than likely be able to tell you the ones to steer clear of as well as make some good suggestions for you.