Yes, you can. However,
you will still be required to pay the original auto repair shop for its accurate estimate
, because they committed a certain amount of time and labor to the teardown process to come up with that accurate estimate.
What if repair costs exceed the value of my car?
If the repair costs outweigh the price, then
your car isn’t worth fixing
. Once that determination has been made, you can sell your junker vehicle to a private buyer, dealership, online car buyer, junkyard, or part out the car on your own. At least you’ll get some money for your car in this situation.
Do mechanics lie to make more money?
Car mechanics are notorious for lying to their customers in order to gain extra work for things that don’t really need doing or for charging extra for things if they can tell someone doesn’t really know what they are talking about. Sadly, this can lead to people spending lots of money without actually needing to.
Can you negotiate auto repair costs?
Most people simply don’t realize
they can negotiate auto repair work
. And while some itemized charges may stand firm (like some parts prices), others have significant wiggle-room (shop mark-ups are often as much as 200% to cover operations).
How long can a mechanic legally keep your car to fix?
How long can a mechanic keep my car?
There is no legal limit
to how long a mechanic can keep your car. If you are unsatisfied with your service, you can always take your business elsewhere and try to find another mechanic.
What should a repair estimate consist of?
Every auto repair estimate should detail some very important information: A description of the specific work to be done on the vehicle. All of the costs involved, both parts and labor. A statement that the quoted amount will not be exceeded by a specified dollar amount or percentage without prior approval.
How does the insurance company determine the value of a totaled car?
To determine whether a car is a total loss, the insurance company must
calculate the vehicle’s actual cash value immediately before the loss occurred and estimate the amount of damage
. Most insurers work with a third-party vendor that aggregates vehicle data to determine the ACV.
When car is totaled How is value determined?
Assuming the vehicle is totaled,
the adjuster then conducts an appraisal and assigns a value to the vehicle
. The damage from the accident is not considered in the appraisal. What the adjuster seeks to estimate is what a reasonable cash offer for the vehicle would have been immediately before the accident took place.
What costs more car repairs?
Edmunds offers a simple rule to follow: “If the cost of repairs is greater than either the value of the vehicle or one year’s worth of monthly payments,
it’s time for another vehicle
.” Remember, though, that repairing an old car is almost always cheaper than buying a new one.
How do you know if a mechanic is ripping you off?
- Telling you your brake rotors need to be replaced, when they don’t. …
- Changing the spark plugs on a 50,000 mile car. …
- Emotionally blackmailing you into a repair. …
- Recommending miracle cure additives. …
- Sucking you in the door with free tire rotation or winter inspection.
Why do mechanics charge so much?
Also, the cost of becoming a mechanic can be expensive.
Mechanics must put themselves through school and the common practice in the auto industry is for mechanics to supply their own set of tools
. “Every mechanic’s got at least $25,000 in tools that they own. They’ve had to pay for them themselves,” said Larsen.
How do you know if your mechanic is scamming you?
- The Neverending Repair. …
- The Scare Attempt. …
- Fishy Terms. …
- Cheap Spares. …
- Unnecessary Repairs. …
- Refusal to Show the Old Car Parts. …
- Straying From the Manual. …
- Bad Explanations.
What should you not say to a mechanic?
- ‘Just do what it needs. ‘ This can leave a vehicle owner open for a very expensive repair. …
- ‘I don’t know anything about cars. ‘ While many people may feel this way, I never believe it.
How do I ask for discount on car repairs?
just ask!
try saying, “i would give you approval for this repair if you could give me a break on the price.”
trust me, it works. most times, service advisers are commissioned and would rather make less than lose a sale entirely. most places offer military, aarp, and aaa discounts, if requested.
How do you negotiate auto body repair?
- Understand the issue. There’s a difference between feeling like the mechanic’s estimate is too high, and knowing so. …
- Leverage the facts. …
- Get quotes from the competition. …
- Offer to provide the parts yourself. …
- Get car repair financing.
Can a garage hold your car?
Can a garage keep your car?
A garage that has repaired your car has what is known as a ‘lien’. This is the right to keep the car until they’ve been paid for all work done
. If you take your car away without authorisation you risk both civil proceedings and criminal prosecution.
Can a mechanic keep my car if I refuse to pay?
If you are refusing to pay while you dispute the bill,
the garage has the right to keep your vehicle until the debt is paid
. If you need the vehicle back before you can settle the dispute, you should pay “under protest”.
Do I have to pay a garage if they don’t fix my car?
If you told the garage to do whatever needs to be done to fix the car, then you gave them the right to decide what work to do.
You’ll have to pay if the work was necessary and the price is reasonable
.
What does repair estimate mean?
A repair estimate
provides an estimate, not an exact amount, on the cost to repair a vehicle
. The reason for the estimation is because there can be unseen damages that will later affect the repair costs; sometimes the mechanic is not aware of a broken part until it is found.
What does the Bureau of Automotive Repair do?
The Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), part of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), serves Californians through
effective regulation of the automotive repair and Smog Check industry
.
What should a technician look for during a visual inspection?
The Courtesy Inspection is a “visual” inspection and takes a few minutes to perform. The technician will look for obvious problems such as
tires that look low in air, leaks, frayed wiper blades, corroded battery terminals, a dirty air filter and a few more items
.
Can you negotiate total loss value?
You can negotiate with insurance for a higher payout if your car is deemed a total loss
. Bear in mind that insurance companies are businesses, and their ultimate goal is to make a profit. They won’t raise the estimated value of your car just because you think it’s worth more.
What is ACV price?
Actual cash value (ACV) is
the amount equal to the replacement cost minus depreciation of a damaged or stolen property at the time of the loss
. The actual value for which the property could be sold, which is always less than what it would cost to replace it.
What is ACV on insurance estimate?
What Is Actual Cash Value? After a loss,
actual cash value (ACV) coverage pays you what your property is worth today
. Actual cash value is calculated by taking what it would cost to buy your property new today, and subtracting depreciation for factors such as age, condition and obsolescence.
Is ACV higher than trade in value?
The actual cash value, also referred to as the ACV, is equivalent to the trade-in values
listed on these web-based tools. You can also get the actual cash value of your vehicle by visiting a local dealership and asking for an appraisal from the used car manager.
How is actual cash value calculated?
Actual cash value is calculated by
determining how much it would cost to replace a certain object and subtracting depreciation
. Insurance companies assign a lifetime to an object and determine the percentage of its lifetime left to calculate depreciation.
What is the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost?
While both types of coverage help with the costs of rebuilding your home or replacing damaged items after a covered loss,
actual cash value policies are based on the items’ depreciated value while replacement cost coverage does not account for depreciation
.
