Attention: If you enjoy this column, you should consider attending the People’s Law Clinic at 8:30am on Saturday, Feb. 28, on the UT Law School campus. Volunteer expert lawyers from the Travis County Bar Association will educate the community about a wide variety of common legal issues. It’s a great way to learn more about the law, and it’s free! For more information, look at www.travisbar.com.
Cars – Car Repairs and the Law
What happens when you have problems with the repair shop? Below are answers to some common car repair questions.
I brought my car to the repair shop to check it out for potential problems. The shop started major repair work on the car without my permission. Can they do that?
Probably not. First, you should have been asked to sign an authorization to inspect your car. A written authorization to inspect gives the repair shop permission to diagnose (and sometimes even disassemble) any part of your car in order to give you an estimate of the potential cost of repairs. The authorization to inspect does not give the repair shop the right to begin repairs on your car without permission. You must also sign an authorization to commence repair work before the repair shop can start any repair work. You should double-check the documents you sign when you turned your car over to the mechanic because sometimes a car owner is asked to sign both the authorization to inspect and the authorization to commence repair work at the same time. Also keep in mind that if you only gave authorization to repair a specific problem, the repair shop should get your authorization before it can begin to repair any additional problems they uncover.
What are my options if I have a serious problem with the final amount I was charged for the repairs?
One option is to pay the bill, but make it clear that you disagree with the costs that you were charged. Next, you may want to consider filing a complaint with the Consumer Protection division of the attorney general’s office (www.oag.state.tx.us) or with the Better Business Bureau of Central Texas (www.centraltx.bbb.org). Alternatively, you could file a complaint against the repair shop in small claims court if you feel strongly about what happened.
From a practical standpoint, the best way to avoid problems between you and your mechanic is to ask your friends and family to suggest a reputable repair shop. Then check these places out with the Austin Better Business Bureau or the attorney general’s office to see if any complaints have been filed against the repair shop.
This article appears in February 20 • 2004.