We all know it’s important to have our cars serviced regularly. Now the question is, do you trust your mechanic? To make sure that nothing fishy happens when you take your car for a service, the following are a few things you can check when you get your car back from the workshop.
Preparing a job sheet is standard practice for any service centre, irrespective of the station where your car is being serviced. The work order sheet is very important because it acts as a means of communication between the mechanic and the service advisor. Always request a work order/job sheet whenever you take your car to a service centre for servicing.
Before you take your car home, ensure that all indicated issues have been repaired by going through the car and the sheet. You wouldn’t want the situation whereby a certain fault in your car was missed and left unrepaired.
Just like the human heart, the engine is the core of your car, and for your car to function optimally, it requires engine oil and filter change. It is also the same for your transmitter, though it doesn’t come with a filter like an engine.
Depending on when you decide to change your engine oil, make sure you take note of the colour before you change it and after you change it. New oil is always clean, and they have a light appearance.
When your car undergoes servicing, an itemized bill is always prepared. Carefully scrutinize this bill and make sure it has the inscription of the items that were given to you by the service advisor.
Go through every detail on the bill and in situations whereby your engine oil was refilled make sure you aren’t charged for the replacement. Of course, human and machine error is possible in every situation, so ensure you keep your eyes peeled and remain vigilant.
After running a few thousand kilometres with your vehicle, you must change the engine coolant of your car because it loses its properties gradually. Depending on what was specified by the manufacturer of your vehicle, you may be required to refill or replace the brake fluid as well.
Unless you were around when this was being done, you can’t ascertain if your brake fluid has been replaced or if the engine coolant of your vehicle has been changed as per agreement with your service adviser. For you to closely monitor this process, it is better you stay in the observation bay of a service centre where you can see the process.
To make sure that your fuel isn’t wasted or used inappropriately, service advisors often indicate the fuel level on the job sheet. In countries with hot weather, such as Malaysia, it is a usual practice to examine the air conditioning system of your car to ensure that they are all working. Some mechanics take advantage of this and waste your fuel relaxing while your air conditioner soothes them.
Solution? Check your fuel level upon delivery and compare it with what was indicated when you brought it in for servicing.
Takeaways
Bringing your car for service and maintenance is important in ensuring that it always functions at tip-top condition. However, not all workshops are reliable. If you own a Honda vehicle, the best solution is to have your car serviced at an authorized Honda service centre. Skipping a car service may save you some money, but in the long run, you risk having to pay more for potential issues, which may cost you even more. For more information about Honda car service and maintenance, get in touch with us!
