When things go wrong.(automobile repairs)(Autos: Special Section)

Publication: Consumer Reports

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COPYRIGHT 2002 Consumers Union of the United States, Inc.

This is a story about how to minimize hassles if your vehicle has a problem, get the repair you need at a fair cost or no cost at all, and stick up for yourself if you're not satisfied. In short, nobody wants to have to read this report.

Auto-repair facilities (not including transmission-repair shops) generated more complaints to the Better Business Bureau in 2000 than banks, long-distance telephone companies, or credit-collection agencies. Auto-repair complaints were also among the top four categories logged by consumer-protection agencies, according to the most recent annual survey of the Consumer Federation of America and the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators. Moreover, consumers can be put off by the complicated laws and grievance procedures designed to protect them.

Getting satisfaction needn't be such a challenge. In most cases, ironing out service issues requires only that you locate the proper forum and follow some prescribed steps. Read on.

Step by step

Many service issues are resolved in a single visit to a dealership or independent repair shop. If yours is not, here's what to do. Exhaust each step before moving on. Be firm and persistent but not adversarial; belligerence won't get you anywhere.

THE PAPER TRAIL

Get receipts for all service work, including regular maintenance (oil and filter changes, tire rotation, and the like) and repairs. Organize them into a service history showing which jobs were performed and when. (Include vehicle mileage.) This record will serve as proof that you've kept up with regular maintenance should you have car problems.

If a persistent problem does surface, keep a written record of each time you take the car in for service, the car's symptom, how long the car remains out of commission, what the mechanic does to rectify the problem, and whether or not the repairs are satisfactory. Include the name of every person you speak with along the way, noting the date and time of each conversation and what was said. Keep a copy for yourself and submit another to the person who writes up your service order each time you drop off the...

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