How to Effectively Communicate With Your Denver Auto Mechanic

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I liken communicating to your Denver auto mechanic to speaking with your doctor: Both you and your mechanic will benefit from a clear explanation of the problems that brought you into the shop, and sometimes the communications can be difficult, for a variety of reasons. Believe it or not, auto repair is relatively complex problem solving, and your shop will appreciate a clear explanation of what you are noticing, as that explanation will help them in making needed repairs as efficiently as possible.

When communicating with your auto repair shop staff, we recommend that you do the following:

• If you trust the repair shop, treat the employees with respect. Insist that they treat your with the same respect. If you don't trust the shop, seek a second opinion. If the shop employees do not speak with you respectfully, find a shop that does.
• Bring the vehicle into the shop at a time when the shop is less likely to be busy, so that you have time to speak with the technician regarding your symtoms. Monday mornings tend to be slower than later in the week, but it varies from shop to shop. 
• Before taking the vehicle to your auto shop, write down notes on the vehicle's symptoms and performance so important information is not overlooked or forgotten. Include any observations, even if they seem silly or irrelevant.
• Describe the symptoms to the auto technician rather than guess at solutions. Explain what you have been seen, smelled, heard and felt while driving the vehicle. For example, does it vibrate or pull to the left? Explain under what type of driving conditions the problems takes place and how long ago it started. With respect to this last point, don't be embarrassed by the length of time that you have overlooked the problem, it's a natural reaction to ignore things that may cost you money down the line.
• In describing the symptoms, try to be precise. Such as explaining a shaking in the steering wheel starts at 60 mph or an issue occurs only on cold days after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.
• When describing symptoms, refer to the driver side and passenger side instead of the right or left side of the vehicle.
• Resist the temptation to use technical jargon unless absolutely sure what it means. Explain what is being experienced in terms that do not direct the shop to a single solution. This will help eliminate unnecessary or ineffective work being performed due to misinterpretation or misdiagnosis.
• If the vehicle has been serviced recently, bring copies of the previous repair orders rather than trying to explain what work was done.

There also are some things Denver motorists can do to help protect themselves from unexpected charges or unneeded auto repairs. We recommend that you:

• Ask questions if the shop employee uses jargon that is not understood or if something is not clearly explained. A quality repair shop should be willing to take time to clearly explain the problem in advance of the repair and the proposed solution. If the shop does not explain the problem and the remedy in a clear and convincing manner, or suggests the repair is too complicated to explain, consider seeking a second opinion from another shop.
• In some cases it makes sense to ask that an auto diagnosis be performed and an estimate provided before a final repair is authorized.
• Read over the bill, and question any charges that are not clear. Insist on descriptions of parts, be listed on the final invoice. In some cases, motorists might want to specify in advance that the shop will show them the parts that are to be removed and replaced on the vehicle.
• Before authorizing a repair, be sure to obtain a written description of the warranty the shop provides, including the warranty on parts as well as labor. Most auto repairs carry a warranty of at least 12 months and 10,000 miles.
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Contact Gary's Auto Repair Service in Denver or Call (303) 744-6362 and ask for Dan