The joy of getting your very first car can only really be matched by the despair that you feel when the car experiences its first major mechanical fault. For many new car owners, this will necessitate their very first trip to a garage and may require a significant investment back into the vehicle to get it on the road again. If you want to make sure that investment is as low as possible, while still getting the high standard of workmanship that your car deserves, keep the following in mind to deal with your first major car repair.
Examine The Car
Your trip to the garage will be a lot more fruitful if you have a basic idea of what is happening to the vehicle. Of course, you won’t be expected to develop detailed mechanical knowledge – that’s what your mechanic is for – but if you can give a good description of what happened prior to the breakdown you offer your mechanic something to work with. Try to consider the issues you experienced while driving, such as unresponsive breaks or loose steering, as this may help your mechanic get to the root of the issue quickly.
Ask Around About Garages
It is usually a good idea to ask around at a number of garages before making your decision about which is right for you. However, wherever possible you should also try to get a little bit of independent feedback from friends or family members who have visited a garage that you have in mind before. They will be able to tell you about the sort of prices you can expect, the quality of the workmanship you will likely receive and just give you an overall idea of how satisfied they were with the service. It is always best to go with a garage that you can trust.
It May Take Time
Major repairs to vehicles often take a fairly long period of time, so you need to put some thought into your transportation options while the car is in the workshop. Some garages may offer courtesy cars to remedy this issue, but this will not always be the case. This is an especially important point for people who use their cars to commute to work, as they may need to arrange a life with a colleague or look into public transport timetables. Once the problem has been figured out, make sure to ask your mechanic about how long they expect to have the car in the garage.
Don’t Rush Your Decision
While you will obviously want to be able to get your car back on the road as quickly as possible, you should still take the time to carry out some research and make sure that you pick a reliable garage to carry out the repairs. Failure to do so could lead to you choosing a garage that uses poor equipment or one that is incapable of providing the level of service that you need. In worst-case scenarios, this may lead to further damage to the car, resulting in it being off the road for even longer.
