You’re driving along and suddenly you notice a problem with your car. You’re going to need to take it in for service. Worse yet, you’re going to have to explain what’s wrong to the people at the repair shop.
That’s okay: The folks at Cottman are professionals. Talking to you about your car’s problem is a big part of their job. They don’t expect you to be able to diagnose the problem: Just explain what you noticed.
In fact, the worst thing you can do is try to ask for a specific repair or service when you have a problem with your car.
Talking To An Auto Repair Technician
Too often, customers ask for what they think their car needs; then they get it back and it’s doing the same thing they brought it in to have fixed. The repair they asked for wasn’t causing the problem, and the technician didn’t know he was supposed to be fixing something. He did what the customer asked for instead of diagnosing the problem. 
To avoid this, explain what’s going on in simple terms. If it’s making a thumping noise when you apply the brake pedal, say so. If it seems to lose power when you give it gas, tell them. Let them handle the diagnosis.
Is there anything you can do to help yourself talk to your mechanic better and make the diagnosis easier? Yes: pay close attention to the these three specific details of the condition:
- How long you have to drive for the problem to appear — as soon as you start the car, only after you’ve been driving for 10 minutes or more, etc.
- The external circumstances for the problem to occur — hot weather, at night, raining, etc.
- The driving conditions when the problem occurs — at a stop, while accelerating, only during left turns, etc.Your friends at Cottman want nothing more than to get your car fixed right and get you back on the road as quickly as possible. The best way you can help is to explain your problem clearly; never try to diagnose it for them or ask for a specific repair.
Auto Service Shop
Even better, see if you can demonstrate the problem. Take someone from the shop for a drive and point out the problem. That way the technician knows exactly what you’re complaining about, and won’t waste time chasing ghosts.
Your friends at Cottman Transmission and Auto Repair Shop want nothing more than to get your car fixed right and get you back on the road as quickly as possible. The best way you can help is to explain your problem clearly; never try to diagnose it for them or ask for a specific repair.