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How to ensure you're being treated honestly at a dealership
Here are some things that will give you the right or wrong feeling about a dealership.
1. Is it neat and clean. As a mechanic for over twenty years nothing bothers me more than a dirty shop. The mechanic is supposed to be a professional and if he truly is his shop will be clean. In my opinion how can you concentrate on someones car if you are constantly looking for tools and parts.
2. Don't try to be more than you are. If you know nothing about cars then ask tons of questions and if you do know some things ask a ton of questions. Provide as much information as possible. If the mechanic is reputable he will ask a ton of questions and I admit it might sound like you are being interrogated but really you are not. Things happen sometimes all of a sudden and you are going to be the only witness to the enviroment when the problem occurred. The mechanic needs to know this information to know where to start. If you are not asked any questions then go somewhere else.
3. If you feel like you are at a singles bar instead of a shop then go somewhere else.
4. Compare names on wall to names on shirts. All dealer mechanics have to certified and the certification placed in view of the customer.
5. Use commonsense. If the sound or the problem occurs in the front of the vehicle and the shop say you need a transmission or something further back then it is a sign that you need to go some place else.
6. Call manufactures. In order for a place to service and sell new cars from ford, chevy, gmc and others they must be certified by the manufacture. The dealership must also maintain high integrity within the community it does business or the manufacture will remove authorization to sell and service their products. You can ask if a dealer has had any complaints and if it has recieved any awards from them.
7. Make sure that their policy is to have you sign authorize any work to be done and ask them if they take authorizations over the telephone. If they do then that is a questionable act because they don't know for sure that you are authorizing the repair.
8. Read your service estimate carefully even the fine print and if you arent sure about sdomething make them explain it to you. BEWARE OF FINE PRINT SAYING THINGS LIKE YOU AUTHORIZE THE CENTER TO PERFORM ALL REPAIRS NECESSARY. The only thing the contract should say is that you authorize the repair facillity to perform the work listed above or in the estimate.
These are just some guidelines to help you out in a time of need to find a good service center. Ultimately it comes down to if you do not feel comfortable with the center go somewhere else and file a report with manufacture.
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