How do you get macanics to diagnose a car properly?

Asked by shelley Jan 21, 2021 at 04:42 AM about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze LT Sedan FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Help! I have a chevy cruze, which by
the way has had all the same issues
everyone else has had, and getting it
fixed during covid has been a
nightmare. But after narrowing down
my issue, and disclosing ahead of
time. I was just told the same thing I
already knew, recommending a 1000
job with no guarantee it'll fix the
problem. What do I do? They want to
charge me to take it apart to
uncover the issue which is 5 hours
plus. I'm so frustrated he should
have said that from the start. Right?
I already have heard about macanics
attempting this, charging a fortune,
and still having issues. How do I
approach this situation more
effectively?

3 Answers

41,320

It all depends on what the problem is as you didn't specify. Can you be more specific? Some parts that need replacing are buried in the engine bay and take time to access due to removing other parts, so labor costs are high. Good mechanics will warranty their work and be upfront with you on costs. Most will charge a $100 diagnostic fee, as they can't always go by what the customer states is the issue. I'd recommend you look for an ASE certified shop with good reviews in your area.

Find a mechanic that you can trust and then trust them. Word of mouth is probably the best way to find one.

If you will tell us the actual issue maybe we can help. Some things can only be diagnosed by taking the engine apart.

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