Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

Your Car and Truck Doctor: Asking the Right Questions

You bring your car or truck into a service station for maintenance or repair. Then what? Do you rely entirely on the mechanic to alert you to any problems and fix them? Most people realize that their car’s health depends on a discussion between themselves and the mechanic, similar to a conversation you might have with your physician about your physical health—what’s working, what isn’t and why.

The questions posed during your doctor’s visit and the answers you give allow the physician to make a more accurate diagnosis of your health. Our auto service technicians are the doctors for your car. And as your automobile or truck’s health professionals, we need as much information as you can supply to determine what is going on under the hood or the chassis.

What Our Technicians Need to Know

When you bring your car or truck into AutoAid, whether it is for a routine checkup or a specific problem, our ASE Certified Service Adviser will ask questions depending on the information you supply. For example, in a no-start situation, he might ask, “Did the engine crank, or was there complete silence? Did the vehicle die and not re-start, or was it running fine but did not start in the next attempt?”

The answers you provide will allow our technician to isolate the problem more quickly and accurately, and will save on diagnostic time, labor costs and correct part replacement. In addition, our adviser will perform a 38-point visual courtesy inspection which will then be sent to the client via email or text (photos included) for review and discussion. Our focus is on safety, reliability and an overall better understanding of the vehicle condition at time of inspection.

What You as the Customer Should Ask

If we suggest repairs to your vehicle, you have the right to ask any question you want, such as:

  • Can I see the defective part?
  • Can you explain how you fixed it or why you replaced it?
  • What happens if I don’t fix it?
  • Can you prioritize the repairs in order of urgency (our form of triage!)?
  • What type of warranty do I have on the work?

AutoAid offers a three-year or 36,000-mile warranty on all new parts we install. This warranty is beyond that of dealerships or what the AAA Approved Auto Repair program, which we have belonged to since 1988, requires of its member shops.

We’ll happily answer your questions. And if you forget to ask us something you can always call or email us, or refer to the Car MD page on our website. Our goal is to make your time on the road enjoyable and carefree.

The AutoAid & Rescue Treatment Plan

Once we have all agreed a plan of action, our technicians will devise a treatment plan to keep your car’s health at optimum levels, whether that’s scheduling a future maintenance appointment, giving approval for a repair or signing you up for our AutoPass program.

AutoAid believes in total transparency with our clients. Contact us today and find out why our clients use words like honest, efficient, amazing, professional, outstanding and stellar to describe us.

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