When your car goes into the shop for repairs, you need to know how to deal with the dealerships. Knowing new car lemon laws can also be beneficial in certain situations to prevent you from being ripped off. Below are some tips to follow when your vehicle is going in the shop.

Research

A lot of people do not research their problem prior to going to a dealer to get it fixed. Researching the defect can be very beneficial to you, because you can see if the problem is a common repair within the car or something that seems to be out of the ordinary for your vehicle. If you find you are continuing to the dealer and the matter is still not addressed, you need to look at new car lemon laws, especially if your problem is not a common one.

Work Orders

Every repair facility should give you a copy of the work order, which explains what exactly was wrong with the car and what was done to fix it. If your car has repeated problems, a record of the complete history of the vehicle can be very important. A common practice dealers have done in the past is combining several visits and keeping the repair ticket open, which is why it is important to get a copy of the work order at each visit.

Technical Service Bulletins

These come directly from the manufacturer that alert car dealers about any defects or repairs that need to be made in the model of the car. Any time work is being done on your car, especially if something significant is wrong, it is always good to ask if there are any Technical Service Bulletins regarding the defect.

Ensure Everything is Fixed

Check to ensure that everything that was fixed on your car is working properly. There are times when repairs are made and the car is still not working properly.

Don’t Be Misled

In some situations dealers may say that the consumer has caused the problem. A majority of the time this is not true.  This only pertains to certain situations such as accidents, when someone is solely responsible for the damage of the car, or lack of maintenance, aftermarket modifications, or erratic driving habits. Do your research and be sure to check the Technical Service Bulletins to see if there are any manufacturer defects on the car.

Be knowledgeable of these tips before you bring your car in to be repaired.

Citations:

• Alll images credited to Flickr Creative Commons

Michele Filipkowski is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow her @micheleashley89

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