When the car can't make it to the shop
The car won't start in the driveway, or it starts but you would rather not drive it with a new noise or a light on the dash. A mobile mechanic, who brings tools to where the car is parked, is one way through. A visit like that moves the repair to your doorstep, and it also moves some of the shop's usual paperwork and decisions to a conversation on the phone. Taking those steps slowly can help.
Before you call
Write down what you know so you can describe it the same way to anyone you call:
- what happened, and what the car does now when you try to start or drive it;
- any warning light, with a photo taken with the car parked;
- the year, make, model and engine, and the current mileage;
- where the car is parked, how much room there is around it, and whether it sits on a level surface.
Ask whoever manages the place where the car is parked, such as a landlord or an association, whether repair work is allowed there.
What BAR says about mobile repair
BAR says a mobile automotive repair business must obtain a separate automotive repair dealer registration for each motor vehicle used to perform mobile repair, with the vehicle's license plate number included in the registered business name.
What BAR says about repair dealers
The Bureau of Automotive Repair says a valid automotive repair dealer registration is required for any business that, for compensation, tests, repairs, maintains or diagnoses malfunctions of automotive or motorcycle components such as brakes, engine, transmission, electrical, air conditioning, body and frame, and glass; the registration must be renewed annually.
The registration question
On the first call, ask: "Does your work on this car fall under California's automotive repair dealer registration, and if so, what is the shop's BAR registration number?" Ask, too, which vehicle will come to your address and what business name appears on its registration. Write the answers down with the date, and compare the name with the one on the estimate and invoice you receive.
Settling the charges on the phone
A mobile visit can come with its own charges. Ask before anyone sets out:
- Is there a charge to come out, and is it credited if I go ahead with the repair?
- How is diagnosis charged, and will you call me with a written estimate before doing any repair?
- Will you bring the parts, or order them after you see the car, and does that mean a second visit?
- If the repair can't be finished on site, what will I owe for the visit?
Ask for the estimate by text or email, and reply in writing to approve or decline it.
Getting ready for the visit
Clear space around the car so the technician can open the hood and doors fully and reach underneath if needed. Have the keys, any wheel lock key and the owner's manual ready. Move other cars, bikes or bins out of the way. If you won't be home, agree in advance how the technician will reach you before starting work beyond the estimate.
While the technician works
Keep children and pets well away from the car, especially while it is raised on a jack or stands. Don't start the engine, open a door or move the car unless the technician asks you to. If you need to leave, say so first, and agree how you will be reached if a question comes up partway through. When the work pauses for a part or a test, ask what has been found so far.
Old parts and fluids
Ask what will happen to the parts that come off the car and any fluids drained from it. If you want the old parts, say so before work begins and ask that they be left with you. Ask how spills will be caught and cleaned up, and look at the ground under the car when the job is done.
When the job outgrows the driveway
Some repairs may need a lift, heavy equipment or a long time with the car apart. If the technician finds the job is one of those, ask for the finding in writing, what you owe for the visit, and whether the car is safe to drive or should be towed. Then call the shop you choose, share the written finding, and ask it to confirm the cause before quoting the repair.
Paying and the warranty
Before you pay, read the invoice against the estimate and your written approval. Ask which parts went in, which kind each one is, and what warranty covers the parts and the labor. Ask how a warranty claim works when the business comes to you rather than you to it: whom you call, and whether a return visit is charged.
Ask for proof of liability coverage for work done at your address, and call your insurer if you want to know how your own policy treats damage during a repair at home.
A record for next time
- Keep a photo of the registration answer, the business name given for the service vehicle, and the date.
- Keep the estimate, your approval and the invoice together.
- Note the mileage and what the car did after the repair.
- Save the technician's number with the invoice.