How a car repair should go
Explain what the car's doing
When it happens, how often, hot or cold, at what speed. NSW's advice is to explain all the symptoms clearly. Consumer Affairs Victoria warns that intermittent faults are often difficult to identify, so the more you've noticed, the less time goes into finding it.
Agree on the diagnosis
Finding a fault takes time, and it may carry a fee. NSW says you must pay it even if you decide against the repair, so ask first. Our diagnostics page covers what's involved.
Get the estimate in writing
NSW says to always get a quote in writing. In NSW, a price agreed before the job starts is generally binding, even if the final cost runs higher.
Say what happens if more turns up
NSW says the repairer must only do work you've authorised. Tell them to call you first.
Agree how you'll pay
Sort this before the work starts. Consumer Affairs Victoria says to be cautious of mechanics who want payment upfront.
Collect the car and the paperwork
You want an itemised invoice, the warranty conditions written on it, and a note if reconditioned or exchange parts went in.
Who should do the repair?
A general mechanic handles most of it. NSW's motor mechanic class covers engines, transmissions, fuel, exhausts, electrics, steering, suspension, cooling, air conditioning and brakes, which shows how wide the trade is.
Some jobs go better with someone narrower. Electrical faults suit an auto electrician. Automatic gearboxes often go to a transmission specialist. European cars, diesels and hybrids each have their own tools and habits. A mechanic who sees your kind of car every week will find the fault faster, because they've seen it before.
If you don't know where the problem sits, start with a general mechanic who works on your make. They'll tell you if it needs to go elsewhere.
Does a mechanic need a licence?
In NSW, WA and the ACT, yes: repair businesses need a licence. NSW and the ACT have public registers, and WA suggests an online licence check. In Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the NT we've found no general mechanic licence, so ask about trade qualifications and experience instead.
What are my rights with a car repair?
Under the Australian Consumer Law, repair services must be supplied with due care and skill, be fit for any purpose you've told the mechanic about, and be done within a reasonable time if no date was set.
You can usually see what came off the car. NSW suggests asking to see the old parts. Consumer Affairs Victoria says the mechanic must give you parts removed from your car if you ask, apart from parts going back to the manufacturer under warranty. Ask when you leave the car.
The mechanic has rights too. If you can't pay, they can keep the car until the bill is settled. That's called a repairer's lien, and it's why the payment conversation belongs at the start.
Warning signs before you say yes
- No written estimate, or a vague one with a single figure.
- Pressure to agree on the spot, before you've seen what's wrong.
- Work done that nobody called you about.
- A request for full payment up front.
- No warranty on the invoice.
What if the repair goes wrong?
Go back to the mechanic first, calmly, with the invoice. Most problems end there. If it doesn't, take it to your state's consumer regulator.
NSW's steps are a good model anywhere: talk it through, gather the invoices, quotes and job cards, then contact Fair Trading. It usually assesses complaints within 30 days, but it can't order payment or the return of a vehicle. For that, there's the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which can make binding orders.
What a good written repair estimate shows
- The fault found, in plain words.
- Parts and labour, listed separately.
- New, reconditioned or exchange parts, named.
- When the car will be ready.
- What's urgent, and what can wait.
- The warranty on the parts and on the work.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Note the symptom: when, how often, how fast, hot or cold.
- Take a photo of any warning light, or a short video of a noise.
- Dig out the service history and any recent invoices.
- Decide what you want done before the call, and what's a stretch.
Leave to the mechanic
- Finding the cause. Replacing parts on a guess costs more.
- Anything that touches brakes, steering or suspension.
- Anything under the car, or involving hot coolant.
- Clearing fault codes, which can wipe useful clues.
What we'd do
We'd treat the first conversation as the job that matters most. Say what the car's doing, ask for the cause, and get the estimate in writing before anything comes apart. Tell them to call before doing extra. Then keep the invoice, because it's what backs you up if the same fault comes back. If you're unsure what the car needs, say so in the card. That's a normal place to start.