"Why Getting A Repair Quote Over The Phone May Not Be Such A Good Idea"

People ask for phone quotes for three reasons: 

1. They have almost no useful information about a car repair shop's quality, certifications, and reputation.  They don't know who is trustworthy and who will rip them off.  The only thing they can judge to make a decision is price.  So they call and say, “How much?”

2. They already have a quote from another shop and they want to see if they can find it cheaper.

3. It's easier to call than to bring your car in for an estimate.

"Top-rated, reputable repair shops
will always ask to inspect and test your vehicle first
to give an accurate estimate" 

Here's what can happen with a phone quote

1. You place of heavy burden on the honest mechanic.  He doesn't know what's really wrong until he sees it.  He's also putting you on the spot by making you give an exact technical description of the problem. 
   
   Most times problems diagnosed by car owners or their friends are off the mark.  Our shops tell us that almost 37% of the phone “estimates” given turn out to be higher than the actual repair cost because of mis-information received from the owner.  

2. The first quote they have is artificially low.  It's easy for a someone to “low-ball” an estimate knowing that no other shop will beat it. 
   
   Then before you get your car back, the shop always seems to “find” something else.  Or maybe, to get the low, low price, they install sub-standard or “knock-off” parts instead of original equipment quality.  You get a cheap price, but at what cost?  Quality shops aren't the cheapest, but they do offer the best VALUE in the long term.