How do you know if a repair was done, if you can't see it?

Maintenance/Repairs
,
21

no, not banks. They just have rules written in the fine print that allow highway robbery. I just know how long-term useful it could be for an poil-change place with a few thousadn shops all over the country to save (if they have oil in bulk, which I doubt they do—just an example, old school–if they saved 1 of every 4 quarts yet charged the customer full price all day long. You want to say it wouldn’t add up? I didn’t say there weren’t big heists, too, just that the “little things” add up, so there might actually be a motivation for small-scale theft by deception.

I see certain people here may have anger management issues, so I will not address their comments after this. I have seen how petty arguments grow and grow and some of the "regulars go at it for days!

Thanks to those who had useful advice. I will avoid oil change shops, dealerships if I can, and trust those who give me reason. I didn’t say, for example, that I would badmouth the 2 shops discussed today; only that loyalty should go both ways and I wondered what was really wrong with my car and where should I go to get it fixed for real–and is it safe to drive it 3 more days, to avoid paying a taxi 60 miles a day to work until I can get in into the shop?

22

Thank you for the insights. I learned to number my tires before paying to have them rotated (discreetly, with colored crayon dots) and to look for the clean filter. In one case th old filter was there and in the other the tires didn’t move.

And of course when you go to a new shop they will sometimes criticise old work another shop did, saying what idiots or they made a fool out of you and it has harmed your car, too.

But for much of it, there’s just hope and check what you can til you find a shop to trust. I thought I had that, for a while there, in both places.

I am going to try one of 2 shops here with great ratings on this site. I used one a few years back, and he was good, but his shop does limited work on imports. That’s often the case. Probably he’ll turn me away on the clutch, too.

Thus I want to give the cable guy a chance to make it right, with him being local, a struggling immigrant, too…wouldn’t even argue with the 14 days-expired warranty…but it’s too scary too be nice and ultra-trusting when you stand to lose so much. No car=no job=no mortgage=no home and no credit=ruin…One bad car-destroying repair when you’re strapped can do you in. So instead I’m out about 200 bucks, my pride, trust in my new neighbor, and some more of my optimism. Oh, well, life goes on.

23

Well, CSA , you have an awful lot of free time for an employed person…hmmmm. Even for a free-lancer. You get much business with that attitude?

As for bedpan duty, it’s great to know you looked down on the nurses who cared for Dad and son…bet they were fully aware of your ignorance, and didn’t take it out on your loved ones.Nor did they let you know directly how little you know, because that’s not professional.

Get a clue yourself, CSA…did you not at least watch ER? Do you have the tiniest idea what nurses do these days. Did you know that research has proven that for every patient in excess of 4 each Registered Nurses cares for per hospital shift, the likelihood of any patient dying goes up 10% minimum? And that’s no matter how many aides, LPNs, and other licensed caregivers help, let alone what “bedpan duty” assist there may be. And the helicopter “flight nurse” may be all that keeps you alive enroute to a trauma center after a horrific accident…and then help wash you up once you’re safe.

Yet hospitals are WAY less staffed than 4:1 ratios, and a nurse is lucky to see a patient twice a shift…let alone deal with the family members like you, who want to be the squeaky wheel or "I just got my medical degree this month watching over Dad, so listen up, nurse, before I have’em fire your @$$!

Nurses are unusual in that even a doctoral-degree nurse in a business suit who has just taught a class with MDs among her attendees will more often than not be willing to drop her briefcase and help a hospital patient get to the bathroom or just get a drink when they have suffered too long due to drastic understaffing.

And I do not consider the menial task of bedpans pleasant, but neither is it degrading to be able to do for my patient what you will want someone desperately to do for you in your final hours, allowing you your dignity no matter how nasty the chore…and not be ashamed to touch you and your dirty bed, nor too “above it” to be compassionate.

Trust me—I’ve seen the overly high and mighty pretty helpless and I did not rub it in. I gave them expertise that has saved several lives, plus compassion and above all, honored their dignity when they felt they had lost it all. But the surprise on their faces someone will see on yours, too, someday—when they and you realize sometimes you DO need others…and how LUCKY you are the nurse will be there. Sometimes when no one else in the universe still cares for that person.

Few people can do that—and I would NEVER have guessed you were one. End of subject.

24

I Have Never Watched ER. I Don’t Watch Any Of The CSI Type Shows, Either.

However, this whole question is about auto “mechanics” and your lack of trust in them and your lack of knowledge. You want somebody to tell you how to have more of it.

I’m starting to think you posted any old question to get on a “I’m a nurse” soap box.

I have probably spent more time in hospitals than you. Here’s a little nurse stuff:

“Yet hospitals are WAY less staffed than 4:1 ratios, and a nurse is lucky to see a patient twice a shift…let alone deal with the family members like you, who want to be the squeaky wheel or "I just got my medical degree this month watching over Dad, so listen up, nurse, before I have’em fire your @$$!”

Here’s one experience. I watched as the nurse caring for my father turned on a television in a vacant patient room in ICU and adjusted it so she could watch a daytime soap opera from a comfortable spot behind a counter. She was so absorbed in it and kept putting off my elderly dad’s requests for assistance that I had to finally go in search of ice chips and a blanket, down the hall, outside of ICU. That’s when I was questioned. The boss came in to see and the nurse was immediately taken out of ICU.

“Nurses are unusual in that even a doctoral-degree nurse in a business suit who has just taught a class with MDs among her attendees will more often than not be willing to drop her briefcase and help a hospital patient get to the bathroom or just get a drink when they have suffered too long due to drastic understaffing.” Nobody was dropping anything and they weren’t understaffed.

Also, I had to do some medical research in order to get special care that my father needed when he was in the hospital. The hospital was incapable of securing the specialist that was required. I had to get the ball rolling, in other words. After having a foreign doctor tell me that everything was being done, I got him the care that was needed.

I’m not complaining that it’s just nurses who have weak or incompetent employees among them, but what I’m saying is that when you are paying for services, it’s up to you to expect them and receive them and make sure that you do. Sometimes you need to educate yourself to make it happen.

You need to look after yourself and if you are ever hospitalized be sure to have someone watching out for you. I have seen a “comedy of errors” several times in hospitals and it’s not funny. Don’t get me started.

Thanks for being a nurse. It’s not for everyone, as you say. I’m sure you are good at it because you sound like you are “into it”.

CSA

25

There are several shops where you can watch them work on your car. One local dealership in my town has a large window through which people can watch the work as it is performed. However, even if you can’t watch the work be performed, you can do a few things to ensure you get what you pay for. You can inspect the quality of your transmission fluid before and after the job. You can mark your oil filter to make sure a new one is installed. You can do the same with belts and hoses. You can also ask the technician to show you your old parts after they have been removed. In order for this to work, it helps to know what your parts look like so you are not shown parts from other models. You don’t have to be a genius to tell the difference between clean oil and dirty oil.

Even if you can’t sit in the shop and watch the work be performed, you can stand by the service bay entrance and see the work performed.

The best way to make sure they use the right fluid is to ask questions before hand.

There are no “hidden” places on your vehicle. If they drain the oil in a pit under the floor, you can see the area between the bottom of the car and the floor, and you can see the oil flow. If they put the car on a lift, it is much easier to see.

If you don’t trust your mechanic, go to a place where you can watch them perform the work. Try not to be so apathetic and take control of the situation. It is your car and your money.

26

where and how do you check the gear oil (or whatever it’s called) on my manual-transmission Suzuki? I feel embarrassed to have not a clue, but where?

This procedure is listed in plain English in your owner’s manual. I suggest you read it.

Most manual transmissions don’t have dip sticks. They use normal gear oil. So as long as you watch for leaks and get it changed on time, you should not have an issue. However, if you want to verify yours has oil in it, you remove the plug at the top of the transmission that is used to add oil and verify it is filled with oil up to the top. If you can’t see it, you can stick your gloved finger in there to make sure it has oil, and then you can check the condition of the oil on your gloved finger.

27

Most signs say “Insurance regulations prevent us from allowing UNAUTHORIZED customers in the work area.” So ask for authorization. Bring yourself a pair of safety glasses, ear plugs, a hard hat, and a lawn chair. Then ask for authorization to quietly sit in the corner and watch the work. Chances are, you will be granted authorization.

You could also go to a place like Goodyear or Firestone, where you can stand outside the service bay and watch the work in plain sight.

Your sarcastic attitude is keeping you from seeing the possibilities that would solve your problems.

28

Boy are you bitter and sarcastic. Maybe you should have a stiff drink and get a massage, or take a vacation.

29

I’d like to go back and address the initial conversation in this tread that took place between the O. P. and common sense answer. While I admire CSA’s resourcefulness and ability and I do a lot of things regarding maintenance and repair on my own car and home, I realize that many do not have the time to learn and/or perform every task that needs done. I think the original poster’s question could be re-phrased thusly: Why is it that certain professions such as auto mechanics are so rife with people who are not trustworthy.

Although I like to cook (I make exceptional home-made pizza), I do like to eat at a restaurant occasionally, and while sometimes the food has been better than others, I’ve found it easy to apply my own judgement as to the quality and price of the food and service. If I don’t like it, I don’t return. I’ve never been poisoned or suffered long-term effects from a bad restaurant experience.

I do however know of many people who have been very seriously ripped-off and have had VERY expensive damage done by incompetant and/or dishonest mechanics, and it almost seems that getting ripped-off is more the rule than the exception when it comes to auto repair.

30

Geez - I got hopeful when I actually searched for “how do you know repairs are actually done” and these 3 pages came up. But sadly, I found only one or two posts that had somewhat helpful commentary.

I’ve taken my Nissan Pathfinder to the Nissan dealer and to independent mechanics, same with my Audi. I don’t freakin know much at all about cars so how the heck would I know if the timing belt, catalytic converter, drive belt, cv boot transmission fluid, brake fluid, pads and rotors and valve cover gaskets MOST IMPORTANTLY actually are replaced? I put below average miles on each car per year so its not like they get heavy wear and tear. I always leave the dealer and the independents though feeling like I’ve been hosed yet again.

So no, for most people and particularly most women, I think its not at all remotely easy to verify that the work you pay for is actually done. And no, other than looking at the oil dipstick (which tells me nothing), I wouldn’t know where the timing belt is or the cv boot and wouldn’t know if a catalytic converter should go bad after 10 years or not. Isn’t this exactly WHY we have (and Love) Click and Clack??? I want their advice.

When I have ever asked for proof of what they’ve repaired, the boys get awfully nasty suddenly. Considering the literally THOUSANDS of dollars the above repairs end up costing, I want PROOF that they’ve actually done the work - and without the attitude, thank you.

So - anyone actually have practical tips? Because I won’t be sliding underneath either vehicle anytime soon to look for this belt or that belt.

31

trust, I have an excellent mechanic.

32

Going back the original question, and I think it is a good one. Some repairs you can tell pretty easily if the work was done. Something that didn’t function, or leaked now works and/or the leaks are gone.

Other repairs or maintenance items are tough to prove. Changing fluid in a manual transmission, or a differential are good examples. There are no dipsticks for a manual transmission, nor a differential. There is a plug to drain the fluid and then there is the “fill plug”. You add fresh fluid up until it runs out of the fill plug that’s how you know it is full and stop adding fluid at that point. The drained fluid goes into the drain pan with all the other old oils so a customer never see’s the old stuff.

This is were trust comes into play. Sure you can ask to see the old parts, and I usually do want to see them. But, can you be scammed by being shown fake parts from a different car? Yep. Perhaps a customer can ask the shop "how do you plan to prove to me all this work I’m authorizing is really done on my car? as they sign the work order. At least this tells the shop you are a skeptical consumer and they can find a way to reassure you the work is completed that you paid for.

33

Asking for the old parts back is something that can at least help in this area. In my opinion a shop should retain all old parts and offer them back to the customer if so desired. A shop should not be offended by this request at all.

Most shops will do the work asked of them. Only a very few may pull stunts like not replacing parts and unfortunately, these few tarnish the entire lot.

If a mechanic appears to take offense at a request for proof it’s nothing more than getting riled up at the insinuation that they’re trying to pull a fast one. Most mechanics are honest and they certainly do not want to be thought of as a thief.
Mechanics are often walking on egg shells anyway due to the fact that many people are quick to blame every problem on a car (past, present, and future) due to the mechanic actually laying a hand on it in the first place.

34

Folks, this thread is three years old. What the heck is going on here?

35

I’m sure the OP is long gone but just in case, I would suggest that having your car worked on is like getting a colonoscopy. You, hopefully, are not there for the actual work. You might get to look at some pictures, but who is to say if they are yours. How do you know it was done properly? You don’t. You depend on the reputation of Doctor, his staff and the institution. If you aren’t satisfied you get a second opinion from another Doctor who you also have to trust. If you don’t trust your doctor or mechanic find one you do or resign yourself to a life of perpetual dissatisfaction.

36

Personally, I always double check the work before leaving. In combination, I won’t patronize any shop that does not allow me to watch. This can take the form of watching from outside the garage door, as I do at the Pepboys where I get my tires, or through a viewing window, as in one local shop that I’ve used in years past.

And if something is found to be needing repair, I want to see it. I want to be taken in to the car and shown the problem. I recognize that not everyone has the knowledge to know if they’re being “snowed” and I realize that these “snowjobs” are common, but that’s my own protocol when having work done.

A colonoscopy is different. I want to be put to sleep first. During car work I want to be awake.

37

@derlabster picked up the original thread (which dates back to June 2009) because it dealt with her concerns. Good for him or her for researching and then asking for more advice. Hopefully the new replies are useful.

38

I’d say the best way to make sure without having to actually check the manual transmission would be to not have the work done at a fast oil change place. Places like this are notorious for slip ups like stripping drain plugs, forgetting to fill things, using wrong fluids, etc.