Q: How do I determine if a repair shop is properly qualified to work on my vehicle?

A: The first thing to look for is some sort of certification, such as AAA Approved Auto Repair or ASE Blue Seal of Excellence.  By being approved by AAA, or meeting the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence standards, the repair facility is showing they only employ technicians that have proven their knowledge and prior experience to work in the areas of their certification.  And the facility has the necessary equipment to service vehicles properly. At Mike's Quality Car Care we are a Blue Seal of Excellence Member of ASE.  This award is given to less than 10% of all repair shops with ASE Certified Technicians, putting us in an elite category of ASE Certification.  You can also check with the Better Business Bureau, they provide a great service to consumers, keeping track of complaints against all types of businesses and if those complaints were resolved.  The BBB can't tell you about an auto repair facility's capabilities, but they can tell you if any customers have reported bad experiences with the facility you are inquiring about.

Q: Should I shop around for the lowest labor rate to choose a repair facility?

A: That may be a poor way to choose a repair facility.  A facility with a well trained staff of technicians has to pay them higher wages than uncertified less skilled mechanics.  That costs the facility more, plus the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to properly diagnose today's high tech vehicles is expensive.  Those costs will generate a higher hourly rate than a facility with lower labor costs and old equipment.  However, the skilled technician working with the latest equipment can diagnose and repair your vehicle more efficiently, actually saving you money in the long run.  So choose your repair facility by their credentials and reputation, not hourly labor rate alone.  In the end, a higher labor rate with less time spent diagnosing and repairing the vehicle may actually cost you less, and provide a much better value.

Q: Why do parts prices vary so much?

A: When getting quotes for a repair, it is critical to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Any part generally has several quality levels available, from Premium to Economy.  The Economy part will cost less than the  Premium part every time, but may not be the best choice for you.  Discuss how you use your vehicle, and how long you plan to keep it with the repair facility to help determine the best choice.  The old saying, "you get what you pay for" is usually true, and having to perform the repair a second time because the inexpensive part failed prematurely, and beyond the warranty period, will be more costly in the long run.

Q: What is the difference between rebuilt and remanufactured?

A: Rebuilding is the process of restoring a part to its original state before failure. Remanufacturing is the process of replacing all of the components of a part to make it like its new condition.

Q: Are auto repair facilities required to give me an estimate?

A: Any ethical facility would not perform repairs on a customer's vehicle without providing an estimate of the repair first, regardless of the law.  As with any kind of repair, there are things that you can run into during the repair that can't be discovered until disassembly.  However, you as the customer are entitled to an updated estimate, and are not liable for any charges over 10% of your original estimate, unless you agree to the increase ahead of time.