Prevent on-the-road breakdowns
When you load up the car and hit the road for a vacation or for a long business trip, you don’t want to make any unexpected detours to a repair shop. To help you stay safely on course, here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau.
A pre-trip, preventative maintenance check by a reliable mechanic is your best assurance against unexpected breakdowns on the road. This check should include the oil level, and the fluid levels of the brakes, power steering, cooling system, battery, transmission, and windshield washer fluid. Check the car’s tail and headlights and flashers. Also, have tire pressure adjusted and tires inspected, including the frequently neglected spare.
Despite your best preventative measures, however, your car may still break down while you are on the road. If that happens, get the car off the road and out of the flow of traffic as quickly as possible, especially if your breakdown occurs at night.
Make a quick check of obvious, but often overlooked, causes of engine failure. Is the car out of gas or oil? Are there loose connections? Are there wet engine parts?
If you must have repairs done away from home, ask the mechanic for a written estimate itemizing the parts and labor before any work is started.
Specify no repairs, other than what you originally authorize, should be done without your approval. Whenever possible, stay with your car while it is being serviced and don’t be afraid to ask the mechanic questions. Insist on being given a repair order that lists all parts by description, number and cost, as well as the labor cost for each repair.
To best protect yourself, pay by credit card and be sure the credit slip contains the name and address of the business and makes reference to the itemized list or repair order you receive. Keep the receipts in a safe place in case problems develop later.
If your car breaks down while it is under warranty, you should have the repair work done, when possible, by an authorized dealer. However, some warranties do allow non-dealer or do-it-yourself repair or maintenance work.
Since it may not be possible to have your car serviced by an authorized dealer, you may wish to contact your manufacturer’s representative before repairs are made. By contacting a representative, you will know exactly what to do to be reimbursed at a later date.
Remember information is available in most areas of the country from your BBB system to help you check out the reputation of repair facilities BEFORE the work is done.
Many BBBs have 24-hour information systems that give you access to business reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You may contact your Better Business Bureau 24 hours a day, seven days a week by telephone at (615) 242-4222 or toll free, (800) 989-4222 or online at www.middletennessee.bbb.org for reliability and performance information concerning business products and services, as well as local and national charities.