Whether you have a trusted repair shop that you always do business with, or you’re looking for a new one, it’s important to know the right questions to ask your mechanic. After all, car repairs can be expensive. And, you likely want to keep your vehicle for a few years. Asking the right questions when it’s time for auto repairs can help you get the best price, ensure quality service, and help you make informed decisions.

Price-Related Auto Repair Questions

Like most other things in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to auto repairs. Cheap is not always best. That’s not to say that you can’t get a fair price for auto repairs, however. And, learning about prices and fees before your mechanic gets started will help prevent surprises later. Here are a few cost-related questions to ask your mechanic:

Do you charge a fee for diagnostic testing or repair estimates?

Not every auto repair shop offers free diagnosis and estimates, and that’s okay. But, you want to know up front exactly what those fees are and how they’re structured. If there is a fee, is it flat rate or per hour? On the other hand, if it’s free, what exactly is included and are there any conditions?

Are your auto repair estimates in writing?

When possible, it’s always a good idea to get a quote in writing – for auto repairs, or for anything else. This eliminates issues of “but, he said it would be this much…” when different staff members are involved in your service experience.

What kind of warranty do you offer?

Ideally, you want to choose a mechanic and auto repair shop that stands behind their work. The national average warranty is 24 months or 24,000 miles on services. At Good Works Auto Repair, we are so confident in the quality of our work that we offer an industry leading warranty of 60 months/60,000 miles on parts and labor for major repairs. That’s just one way we guarantee you get quality service at a great price!

WASHINGTON (May 27, 2020) – Nationwide, more than 8,300 people died in crashes involving teen drivers from 2008 to 2018 during the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s more than seven people a day each summer. The combination of schools closed, activities curtailed, summer jobs canceled, and COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, could prove deadly as teens take to the road this summer. AAA recommends that now is a good time for parents to both model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them too.

“The last decade of crash data show shows that teens continue to be over-represented in crashes and summertime marks an increase of fatal crashes for this age group,” said Dr. David Yang, Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our data analysis has found that for every mile driven, new teen drivers ages 16-17 years old are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.”

Due to their inexperience, teen drivers are at a higher risk of crashes. According to the new AAA Foundation Traffic Safety Culture Index, about 72% of teen drivers aged 16-18 admitted to having engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors in the past 30 days:

NEW YORK, May 26, 2020 -- According to Pretected.com, one of the largest insurance comparison websites in the US, the most popular car in America for the first half of 2020 is the Toyota Camry, followed by the Honda Accord in second place. In third place is the good old Ford F-150.

In the last decade, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), that includes a lot of well-known brands (including: Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru, Yamaha, Kawasaki and more) has invested billions of dollars in convincing US drivers to drive Japanese cars. As well as opening many local manufacturing plants. And it seems like it's paying off.

Although the two most popular models come from overseas, Pretected also names the top 10 most popular car makers overall in America for 2020, With the American manufacturers leading the list:

As shelter-in-place orders are eased and dealerships across the country begin to reopen, experts say Memorial Day presents an opportunity for the auto industry to capture some deferred demand

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 20, 2020 -- Consumers in a position to purchase a new car can look forward to bigger bargains than usual this Memorial Day weekend, according to the car shopping experts at Edmunds. Edmunds' experts say that prior model year selldown efforts were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic: Edmunds data shows that 1 out of 10 new vehicles on dealer lots in May were 2019 model year vehicles, which means that shoppers can find more clearance vehicles to choose from this holiday weekend compared to years past.

Edmunds analysts also note that since this is the first big holiday shopping event since the outbreak of coronavirus, and it's happening as states begin to ease up on shelter-in-place restrictions, Memorial Day weekend presents a good opportunity for automakers and dealers to attract buyers after bleak sales numbers for the industry in April.

"We're seeing far more generous incentives and deals out there than we typically would for Memorial Day weekend, and since more consumers might be looking at vehicles for summer road trips instead of airline travel, things might look up a bit for the industry," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of insights. "We're optimistic that sales could improve after the record lows we saw in April, but there's still a layer of uncertainty around whether consumers will really show up en masse to shop given the severe effect that the pandemic has had on personal finances and the economy."

Sadly, not everyone has an honest mechanic that they can trust with their auto repairs. And, not everyone has a trustworthy auto repair shop servicing their vehicle. That brings us to this question: how do you know if you’re getting a fair price for auto repairs?

The short answer is … sometimes, you DON’T know. But, by asking some questions and doing a little research, you can certainly find out.

Tips for getting the best price on auto repairs

There’s no question that vehicle maintenance and repairs can be expensive. That’s why it’s so important to plan ahead and ask the right questions. Here are some great tips to follow:

Avoid surprise auto repairs when possible.

Often, the most expensive auto repairs are the ones that catch you by surprise and become an emergency. You know, when you get stuck beside the road because something breaks and you just can’t drive your vehicle any further. In addition to a potentially large repair bill, you’re also hit with a towing bill to get your vehicle to the repair shop. Or, you only have one vehicle and need it repaired ASAP.

But, how do you prevent surprise repairs? The truth is, they can’t always be prevented. However, if you pay attention to how your vehicle looks and sounds, you may be able to detect small problems before they become big ones. Solving the problem before your car breaks down means no tow truck bill. And, you can choose which auto repair shop you use instead of having to settle for one that’s simply nearby.

Practice preventative maintenance.

There are some vehicle parts that are meant to be maintained and/or replaced on a regular basis, even if they’re not broken. This is part of a regular or preventative maintenance schedule. When your vehicle is in the shop, your mechanic may notice something that is starting to wear or hear a sound that you never noticed. These can be clues that further investigation and/or repair may be warranted. By taking heed to these warnings, you can plan for upcoming repairs.

How does this help you get the best price? Well, you can budget for repairs if you know about them … and that means that you can potentially pay cash and not have to finance the repairs or put them on a credit card with high interest rates. Also, it means you have the chance to …