In my first blog entry I will be addressing a topic that has come up a few times here at the shop recently: Communication. In order for your mechanic to quickly and accurately diagnose and repair your vehicle, it is vital that the driver of the vehicle describe the symptoms they are concerned about rather than describe a course of action.
Here is a real example of how poor communication at the beginning of the transaction can cause a repair to go south. Last week, a gentleman came in to the shop and said “I have my wife’s car here and she said it needs and alignment”. Now, we understand that many people know the symptoms that a vehicle in need of an alignment would exhibit but many don’t. This was the case here. Had we performed the operation that the customer requested, the vehicle could well have left the shop with the exact same symptoms it arrived with as well as an alignment it did not need and an unhappy consumer with a few less dollars in his pocket. .
Of course it is okay to give your opinion about what you think your car needs but let your mechanic diagnose your car. That is what he or she is trained to do and that is what you are paying for.
Next time, I plan to give some tips on how to communicate with your mechanic to get the best possible results. I am new to this blogging thing so please, if anyone has any general automotive topics they would like to discuss, go to our website and send us an email. You will find lots of helpful information there as well.