Over the past few holiday weeks, money has been flying out of my bank account like Tim Burton's Dumbo. Unfortunately for me, that didn't stop my car from deciding its battery was just sick and tired of working. The story starts with me, stranded in the Cast Member parking lot of Disney's Hollywood Studios after a 12-hour shift. Enter Disney Security, alerted via pixie dust that my sputtering engine would require assistance. I shuffle over in my fuzzy driving slippers and admit that my 3-year-old battery needs a jumpstart.
That's not especially surprising. I get it, car ownership is paying through the nose to drive the vehicle off the lot, and then continuing to pay to keep it driving. However, that rationalization didn't ease my indignant shock the next morning when the lady at the mechanic shop quoted me the price of a car payment to replace my battery. After a hasty search for less expensive alternatives, I admitted defeat and allowed the repair. That evening, the receipt showed a more expensive battery than I agreed to and a higher price than my original estimate.
If you're anything like me, you know nothing about what goes on under your hood, but need it to keep doing what it's doing. Here's what I learned from my repair experience how to avoid getting swindled or underestimated as a buyer.
1. Always do your research.
The new battery in question.
Tayler Klinkbeil
As I said before, I know nothing about the pieces under my hood and how my car works. I could find the oil dipstick, and as of last week, the battery. That being said, if a mechanic or garage gives you a price or recommendation you just don't think makes sense, Google it. Chances are someone else had the same question and wasn't sure if they were doing the right thing either. Some sites have articles for dummies too. For example, Advance Auto Parts has a helpful Battery Buyers Guide if you're in the market for one.
2. Bring someone with you.
Little sis is always down to tag along.
Tayler Klinkbeil
I hate confrontation. I brought my dad to see if they'd change the price if a big dude was doing the asking instead of little me at five-foot-two. (No such luck). Maybe we're completely different, and you don't mind calling someone out on inflating the price or giving you iffy advice. Even so, it helps to have moral support when faced with a significant financial decision that many times you're going to have to make when repairing your car.
3. Be patient with the mechanic.
Tayler Klinkbeil
Chances are, they're working on multiple cars at once and trying to get them all done as soon as possible. Their snippiness with your incessant questioning or hesitation may be the sass we all develop after a long day. That being said, if you're asking legitimate questions (for example, why they wouldn't honor my coupon unless it was presented to them and it was in my hand) and still feel like it's a little disrespectful, try backing off. Mechanics are trained on a ton, including hundreds of procedures and parts I couldn't even begin to understand, but not to deal with a skeptical broke college kid. Let both of you breathe and take a minute to reevaluate what you're asking and how the mechanic can best help you.
4. Trust your repair shop.
Tayler Klinkbeil
This goes hand in hand with doing your research. You can find dozens of local repair shops with Bluetooth-activated Siri (does Android have something like Siri?), and reviews and ratings are often listed right below their hours and address. If you know that your cousin's best friend's uncle is a mechanic, unless their training certificate is written on loose-leaf paper, they probably have a better idea of what's going on than you do. Trust their advice. I can almost guarantee their suggested decision is going to be more informed than your knee-jerk resistance to more than two-digits after a dollar sign.
5. Enjoy the fruits of your labor (or rather, the mechanic's).
Turtle Scentportable, although he's missing an eye.
Tayler Klinkbeil
As I said before, adulthood has taught me that buying the shiny new car comes with signing onto years of repairs and maintenance fees. If your experience with a repair is over and done with, and you can drive out of that shop windows down and music blaring, enjoy it. The joy in driving your now-perfect car (no matter what it looks like, or how old it is, or if the back right window doesn't roll down all the way) comes from knowing it won't last forever. I suggest finding peace and relaxation that you've done all you can, for now, to keep your car running in tip-top shape.
I hope that what I've learned in my most recent car repair experience (there will undoubtedly be more) will help someone else who's not so mechanically inclined to navigate car jargon and stereotypes. As for me, I'm putting in the Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Car Scentportable that was in my stocking and riding out the rest of the holiday season in well-oiled and supercharged style.
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