Note: This is an article from TheCarConnection.com

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Break the language barrier of putputput, vroom-vroom and hack-cough-wheeze.

by Eric Peters (2005-02-14)


Are mechanics from Mars and the rest of us, from Venus? Not really. But we each speak a separate language and often talk at cross purposes. Mechanics too often slide into eyes-glaze-over jargon that non-mechanics can't understand - "your car's oxygen sensor is sending a false reading to your ECM" - while the non-mechanics often have great difficulty explaining exactly why they brought the car in for service and what they expect the mechanic to do.

As a result of all this garbled back-and-forth, the problem sometimes doesn't get identified, let alone fixed, or it gets fixed in the wrong way (a more expensive procedure vs. the one that'll get you by for awhile, etc.). You leave thinking you've been ripped off; the mechanic secretly thinks you're an idiot.
Neither of you is happy.

To avoid unpleasant and time-wasting misunderstandings, keep the following in mind whenever you have a problem with your car:

Define the problem as clearly as you can.. If the car stalls, don't just say "it isn't running right." Tell the mechanic it stalls. If there is a vibration coming through the steering wheel, but you only feel it at highway speeds, do not neglect to tell him that critical fact. Otherwise, we may drive it around the block a few times and, finding no vibration, wonder why you brought the car in. He's a mechanic, not a medicine man. Don't leave him to guess and assume!

Tell the mechanic every detail you can recall.. Under what conditions does the car tend to stall? In the morning when it's cold? Or only when you're stuck idling in traffic? Does the overheating problem happen on the highway - or only when you're in the bump and grind?

Tell him or her the circumstances. For example, the problem seemed to start just after that really big rain storm, tell him that, too. If one of those little "check engine" lights has an aggravating habit of randomly coming on, try and keep a record of exactly when it comes on and for how long, etc. This will help the mechanic isolate the trouble when you bring the car in - and the less time he has to spend scratching his head, rooting around under the hood, the less money you'll have to pay in labor fees.

Be clear on your expectations. If all you want is a basic tune-up/tire rotation/transmission flush, etc., be sure it's understood that before any additional work is done you expect to be consulted. Frequently, a secondary problem or service issue is discovered in the course of dealing with the problem you brought the car in for. Most shops will go no further without receiving specific authorization from you, but it's in your interests to make it clear from the get go that you want to be asked about it before anything beyond the work you originally okayed is done. If you want to be given the old/broken parts, make sure you make that clear as well.

Evaluate your options. As with many physical problems our bodies develop, there is often more than one way to deal with an automotive problem. For instance: If your car is an older model near the end of its life, you probably don't want to spend $2000 for a brand-new transmission when you could spend a fourth of that amount instead on a serviceable used transmission obtained from a salvage yard. Or, you may prefer to use less expensive aftermarket components (alternators, water pumps, etc.) than the often much more expensive factory pieces. On the other hand, nothing less than factory parts and a repair that brings the vehicle back to "as new" condition will suffice. Either way, be sure you discuss your repair options with your mechanic and select the one that best fits your situation.

Drive it before you drive it home. Finally, it's always sound policy to take the car for a quick test drive before you pay the bill, just to be sure that the problem has, indeed, been fixed. If you had a problem with a high-speed noise, take it out onto the highway for a quick drive. If the car had a cold-start problem, ask that it be left overnight so that you can try to start it yourself first thing in the morning - just to be sure you won't have to bring it back tomorrow. Most reputable shops will have not balk at this request and those that do may have a reason for being gun-shy about their "repairs." Ask about it before you authorize any work. And think seriously about going to another shop if they say no way.

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Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

I REALLY don't think the dealerships even allow the last item! You have to pay your invoice even before they call up for your car to be driven to the pick-up bay.

As far as the others? A lot of owners wouldn't be that specific...I know when my wife discovers a problem, she just wants it fixed...she doesn't care to do an autopsy or go through a week-long investigation searching for clues...that's what I'm there for. She figures I will take her car for a few days and eventually confirm what she had discovered...only with more detailed info...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car