One of the reasons many people delay auto repairs and routine maintenance is because it’s hard to find the time for it. Even if you just need to get new tires, this could mean taking time off work, swapping vehicles with your spouse and all sorts of other inconveniences. And that’s just a simple tire replacement that can typically be done within a few hours. Imagine if it was a bigger repair that would require you to leave your car in the shop for a few days?
At Hillmuth, we value your time and we understand that you want your car back as soon as possible. We do our best to stick to our estimates, and that’s one of the reasons our customers keep coming back. But there are some circumstances when a repair can take longer than expected. So here are some things to take into account when planning how much time you would need for auto repair.
Maryland Auto Repair Shop You Pick
Naturally, one of the major factors in the speed of auto repairs has to do with who does the work. Is your mechanic experienced and ASE-certified? How busy is the repair shop? Can they do the job right the first time? You are welcome to do a bit of research and read reviews of different repair shops in the area. If bad reviews are prevailing and frequently mention slow repairs or poor quality, pick a different shop.
Extent of Damage
The bigger the problem, the longer it may take to fix. For example, if your car has both cosmetic and mechanical damage, this may take a few days to fix, while a rusty loose muffler can be welded back in a few minutes. If you know that the damage is serious and your insurance doesn’t cover a rental, ask your auto repair shop if they can help. Many shops can lend you a free car for a few days, provide shuttle rides or offer a discount on a rental thanks to their agreement with a rental company.
Type of Car
The type of car you drive is important because it determines how readily available the replacement parts are. Most auto repair shops keep many high-wear parts in stock and order others from a trusted auto parts supplier. But if you drive a historic, exotic, imported or otherwise rare vehicle, locating parts may not be that easy and could cause some delays. If that’s the case and your car is still derivable with the old part, have your mechanic get the part first and then drop your vehicle off for service.
Customer Care
The speed of auto repairs may also depend on how much your auto repair shop cares about you and your vehicle. For example, if they order a part and it doesn’t fit, will they communicate this to you promptly and pay for overnight shipping to get the new part ASAP? Or will they hide a problem and put your vehicle on the “back burner” while they attend to other customers? If you are not a priority for your mechanic, auto repairs can drag on. At Hillmuth, we use OEM and OEM equivalent parts that are backed by our 36 months / 36,000 miles guarantee. And if a part wasn’t a perfect fit, we do everything we can to get another part here as fast as possible, even if it means picking it up in person, because we care about our customers.
Insurance Claims
If your or other driver’s insurance will be paying for auto repairs, there may be additional delays. Probably the most common way for an insurance company to pay you is by sending you a check. If your are still paying off your car, you may have to fill out a special form with your lender to make sure they approve the repairs. Most shops won’t start working on your car until all of this is cleared, so it’s in your best interest to get this taken care of fast. Some shops may have special relationships with certain insurance companies, in which case the shop gets the check directly from the insurer after the job is completed.
As you can see, there is no easy answer to how long an average auto repair may take. At Hillmuth, we are often able to complete repairs within the same day, but some projects may take longer. In any case, we’ll be happy to provide a written estimate and we’ll stand by it!
Call us to schedule an appointment at one of our Maryland auto repair shops in Clarksville, Gaithersburg, Glenwood or Columbia.
