The Risky Phrase To Avoid Telling A Mechanic Before You Get A Written Estimate

Receiving a large repair estimate from your mechanic, and then actually handing over the money, are two experiences most people try to avoid. Most mechanic shops will provide a written estimate upon request — some states like California, Connecticut, and Michigan even have laws requiring written estimates for all customers. And while these estimates can protect you from overpaying or getting tricked into extra charges, these shouldn't be your first line of defense when it comes time to get work done on your car. There's plenty of advice out there on what to do to save money on car repairs: Buying a car brand with lower maintenance costs, comparing mechanics in your area, and driving responsibly to avoid excessive wear are all great ways to cut down on repair and maintenance expenses.

But when you do have to bring your vehicle into a mechanic's shop, one thing you'll want to avoid doing is telling your mechanic to "just fix everything" before they even look at it. ConsumerAffairs reports that the average cost of car maintenance is between $400 and $1,200 per year, depending heavily on your vehicle and location. This being a fairly substantial expense that some people forget to put in their budgets, you'll want to avoid saying or doing anything that might inadvertently increase your repair bills. In most cases, mechanics are not allowed to charge more than a certain amount over their written estimates, but if you encourage them to assess and repair every possible issue with your vehicle, even those estimates might come back prohibitively high.

If you've been seeing the same mechanic for a long time, or if you're simply feeling overwhelmed at having to meet with a new mechanic, you might be tempted to hand them your keys and let them handle the rest. Unfortunately, this puts you at risk of overspending. According to ConsumerAffairs, about 80% of people feel they have been overcharged at least once by their mechanics. This could take the form of something as subtle as choosing a slightly more expensive part for the repair, or convincing you to get an oil change more often than necessary. But when RepairPal estimates the average price of an oil change to be between $160 and $188, anything extra can add up fast. Instead of telling your mechanic to "just fix everything," try to focus on one or two things at a time. Describe the main issue you're experiencing in as much detail as possible.

While preliminary estimates are often free if the necessary repairs are easy enough to find, being too vague about the issues you want assessed could spur the mechanic to do a more complex diagnosis. Modern Collision estimates diagnostics alone can cost between $50 and $150 at an independent shop — and that figure could go up depending on how much time the mechanic spends on the examination. Being as specific about the problems you need addressed as possible could limit the amount of labor needed to identify and fix them.