ALT-4 What Women can do about getting Overcharged for Car Repairs
The main thing to keep in mind is that education and general knowledge of cars is great ammunition to have when it comes time to battle the greasy hand that wants your money. The Internet is the ultimate tool for gaining knowledge about your particular model and there are many web logs and forums to be found.Let's say you have a 1999 Ford Mustang and you begin to hear a "tweety bird" noise under the hood. Web search your 1999 Ford Mustang and start clicking on the pages that pop up, other than ad pages of course. It wont be long until you happen upon a car club, or a forum about your make and model of car. Get to know as much you can about your car and it's known recurring problems, most cars have recurring problems that become well known among it's owners.
Imagine the mechanics surprise when he tells you that your Flux Capacitors need to be changed for $1000 and you tell him to check your fan belt instead. And better yet, you'll be correct. Moreover, guys in general respect a woman that know their cars in which event you will likely fare better than us guys in the eyes of a mechanic.
Here are a few things I have learned along the path of having owned some 15 cars since age 17...
Get second opinions; If it sounds strangely expensive or something otherwise seems odd go get a second opinion. There is a technique shady people in the car business have called "de-horsing", meaning they have your transportation and you feel a bit helpless.Don't be afraid to ask for your car back unrepaired. Never act like you are desperate of in a hurry as sometimes this will reflect in the price as well.
Get to know your mechanic; If you use a dealership you will be talking to a service writer who usually gets commission on what you have done or in some cases, what he talks you into doing. In these cases you will never meet the person actually working on your car. It's best to find a mechanic that is actually doing the work and make him one of your best friends. Many oil and lube drive in shops have mechanics on duty who can be very helpful and you can actually speak with him in person and over the phone about problems. I have a sports car that requires a mechanic to do things that is usually simple on other cars such as changing parking lights. This is one of those examples that my small shop mechanic fixed for me for about $35.00 including the cost of the bulb, dealership cost...$150.00. It pays to know your mechanic, just be sure to keep your maintenance paperwork if you go outside the dealership.
Be kind: If you walk in expecting to be overcharged and taken advantage of you won't come off looking very good in the eyes of the mechanic. So be careful not to overstep bounds, be knowledgeable but let them make the final diagnosis. The best thing is to go in with the knowledge of the likely problem or set of possibilities and as long as he is on par with your educated guess things should go smoothly. All of these things including the usual normal scheduled maintenance such as oil and filter changes should make your life a little more happy with your car.
