The majority of us own or at least rely on a car to get us to and from work and to get the kids to school; worryingly, without our cars a lot of us would find that our daily lives would grind to an unpleasant halt. It’s essential, therefore, that we keep our cars in full working order to keep our lives on track and most importantly, to keep us safe on the roads.

Don’t Trust Every Mechanic You Meet!

Although the majority of us own or use a vehicle, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re mechanically minded and in fact, a lot of us wouldn’t know where to start if we encountered a problem with our vehicle. All of this means, of course, that we rely heavily on mechanics to tell us exactly what is wrong with our cars and then to fix it properly.
Unfortunately, there are a number of unscrupulous and deceitful mechanics out there that are just itching to rip us off and take our well earned money. Check out these useful tips to help you get steer clear of rip off merchants and cowboy mechanics.

Do Your Research before You Go To a Garage

In an age where virtually any information you need can be found at the click of a mouse or a tap of a screen, there’s no reason why you should ever have to go to garage without a good idea about what’s wrong with your car and how much it will cost to fix it.
If you can’t get this information then don’t be afraid to go to a number of garages for quotes so you can get a better idea of price. Don’t become a victim of simple overcharging.

Beware Of the Hard Up-Sell

We’re all aware of the same old trick that lots of tradesmen use to squeeze that extra bit more from their customers; the hard up-sell. Many rogue mechanics have been known to exaggerate or even invent problems with vehicles and carry out unnecessary mechanical work which their customers will then have to pay for.
Of course, as a lot of us don’t know enough about our cars to know if we’re being ripped off. The important thing to remember in this situation is to not feel pressured into agreeing to work straight away. Take your time and if necessary, get a second opinion, especially with very expensive work.

Choose Your Garage Carefully

A reputable, honest and efficient mechanic can be difficult to find so it’s important that you choose your garage based on testimonials and recommendations. Look for mechanics will a lot of previously satisfied customers as this will give you a better idea about what to expect.
Your mechanic should never use technical jargon to confuse you, and if they do don’t be afraid to ask them to explain things more clearly.

What Should You Do If You’re Not Happy With the Work?

It’s always tricky to know what to do if you’re not happy with the work that your mechanic has completed, especially if you have already paid for it.
According to Trading Standards you must first give your garage the chance to remedy any substandard work; if the garage fails to do so, you are within your rights to take your business elsewhere and bill the first garage for work that was necessary to rectify the initial mistakes.
Always do your research before asking for money back; you need to know your rights and ensure that the garage knows them too. You should not accept substandard work when you have paid good money.
It’s essential to keep our car in working order so that we and other road users are safe but when you’re paying out your hard earned money for work to be completed, you need to be sure that you’re getting what you’ve paid for.

This article was written by Jennifer Griffiths on behalf of Insure 4 a Day. If you’re in need of short term car insurance to legally drive another vehicle while yours is in the garage, Insure 4 a Day is the perfect place to go.

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