Something is different since the car came back
You picked the car up, and within a day or two you notice something that was not there before: a scuff on a bumper, a rattle under the dash, a light on the cluster, a seat moved and a radio preset gone, a drip on the driveway. It may be connected to the visit, or it may be a coincidence. Either way, the next steps can be calm and orderly, and they begin with a record rather than a phone call.
Write down what you noticed
Before you call anyone, gather the details while they are fresh:
- the date you first noticed it, and the odometer reading;
- what you saw, heard or smelled, and where on the car;
- photos taken in daylight, with something in the frame for scale if it is a mark or a dent;
- for a drip, a photo of the spot on the ground and a note of its color;
- for a light, a photo of the dashboard with the car parked.
Note, too, what the shop worked on. A new noise near the front wheels after brake work tells a different story from a scratch on the rear hatch after an oil change.
Sort the new from the old
Pull out any photos you have from before the visit, and the paperwork the shop gave you at drop-off. A work order may carry a note on existing damage; read yours to see what it says. If your photos show the car without the mark, keep them with the new ones. If you are not sure whether something was already there, say so honestly when you raise it. A clear account of what you know and what you don't can make the conversation easier for both sides.
Drive it back, or have it moved?
Some changes may affect how the car stops, steers or runs, such as a soft brake pedal, a new pull to one side, a flashing warning light or a fluid leak. If you notice one of these, call the shop before driving back and ask whether the car is safe to bring in on its own, or whether it should be towed.
Taking it back to the shop
Call or visit and ask for the person who handled your car. Bring the invoice and your notes. Then ask:
- Could this be related to the work you did, and how would you check?
- Will you look at it without charge, and when?
- If the shop decides it is responsible, how will it be put right, and by whom?
- If the shop believes it is not responsible, can it explain why in writing?
Keep the tone factual. Ask that any offer, such as a free inspection, a repair or a refund of part of the bill, be confirmed in writing with the date.
When the conversation stalls
If calls go unreturned or you and the shop see the problem differently, write a short summary and send it to the shop by email or letter. Include the dates of the visit and of what you noticed, what you asked for, what the shop has said so far and what you are asking for now. Attach copies of the photos and invoice, and keep the originals. A single page in plain words can help someone at the shop who was not part of the first conversation understand what happened.
The Alabama Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division
The Alabama Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division takes consumer complaints online and by hotline (1-800-392-5658 or 334-242-7335); each complaint is assigned to a Consumer Specialist. The office says filing a complaint is not a legal action and the division does not give legal advice.
Should you choose to file, the papers worth having ready are the summary letter you sent the shop, the invoice, your photos and your notes from each call or visit.
The license question
Before the next visit, at this shop or another, ask: "What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?" Write down the answer with the date, and ask for proof of liability coverage while the car is in the shop's care.
Habits for the next visit
- Walk around the car at drop-off and take a few photos, inside and out.
- Read the work order before you sign and ask what any note on existing damage means.
- Ask for a written estimate, and approve changes only after hearing the new total.
- Check the car at pickup in good light, before you leave the lot, and mention anything new at the counter.
- Keep the photos, estimates, approvals and invoices from each visit in one folder, marked with the date and mileage.
Anniston/Calhoun in NOAA's engineering weather data
For the station named Anniston/Calhoun, at 610 feet of elevation, NOAA's engineering weather data gives a 1% summer design temperature of 93°F, paired with a mean coincident wet-bulb temperature of 76°F, and a 99% winter design temperature of 23°F.