Nine in 10 women believe that they are treated differently at auto repair shops than men, according to a national study by the Car Care Council, an association that encourages consumer education. Even I have been the target of repair shop gender politics. Take our advice on taking control — but keep in mind, anyone can get ripped off. These rules are gender-neutral. » Get a clue. You can diagnose what’s wrong before you hit the shop by using the CarMD tool ($99; carmd.com). Just plug the hand-held device into your car and it reads the car’s computer codes. You can then plug it into your computer for a full report of what problem the codes indicate. The report also lists recalls for your vehicle and summaries of technical service bulletins (recall notices are also available at nhtsa.gov). You can also use the car care guide at carcare.org to learn about typical repairs and questions to ask the mechanic.
» Show them that you know. Familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual — you’ll avoid unnecessary maintenance if you know what needs to be done at every service interval. When choosing a repair shop, make sure the technicians are ASE-certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
» Use all your senses to describe a problem, says auto expert Lauren Fix, author of “Lauren Fix’s Guide to Loving Your Car” (St. Martin’s Griffin, $17.99). If you say you feel the car pulling to the left, particularly at speeds faster than 40 mph, or you hear a knocking sound only when you turn right, it shows that you’ve been paying attention and may help the technician diagnose the problem faster.
» Don’t overpay for repairs. If you’re getting the car repaired by an independent shop, call the service department at your dealership after you get the diagnosis to see whether it’s covered by the warranty, a recall or a technical service bulletin; having the car fixed at an independent shop won’t void the warranty, but you may have to pay for the repair.
RepairPal.com can help you find out whether your mechanic is quoting a fair price. Enter your car’s make, model and year, plus your ZIP code. You’ll see a price range for dozens of fixes at dealerships and shops in your area.
» Get a second opinion. If you’re unsure about what you’re being told, go somewhere else. Don’t repeat what the other shop said; just provide the same information about the problem and see what the mechanic finds and what the shop will charge to fix it.
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