What To Do When An Auto Repair Goes Wrong

Excellent advice!

Found on www.thecarconnection.com and brought to you by Car Repair Salinas

 

You did everything right in selecting an auto repair facility--you did your research, took your time to understand the technician's explanations--and still a repair has not worked out.

So what do you do now?

There are some steps that every car owner can take to salvage an otherwise bad experience:

Know the law. Take time to research the consumer protection statutes in your area. Some states have specific regulations that apply to auto repair. One eastern state requires signage to be displayed that states the consumer's right to a written estimate. Not displaying this sign is a violation that could award the customer a refund equal to three times the cost of the repair.   

Take the emotion out of the negotiation. Treat this as business transaction and don't make things personal. An automobile is a very complex machine with interrelated systems that can make them very difficult to diagnose. At this point, you should be willing to concede that the problem is due to a good faith attempt that has failed, rather than anything fraudulent.

Set goals. It's important to know what you would like to get from your discussions. It could be a refund, or it could be having your car restored to its pre-repair condition with all the replacement parts removed. Be fair. For example, if there is only one part of the service that was deficient, don't expect everything to be forgiven. For instance, don't expect a refund for an oil change if a tire wasn't repaired properly.

Allow the shop a second chance. If you discovered a problem after picking up the vehicle, you should contact the shop and assume that your problem would be a priority to be handled as soon as physically possible. At this time set very strict guidelines about any additional charges being approved by you, so that the issue doesn't escalate. Offer to take the car to another shop for diagnoses and repair, with an arrangement for the new charges to be paid by the first shop.

Evaluate your dispute. If you haven't reached a settlement at this point, it may be time to go to the next level. Try to determine if this dispute is the result of a failure of communication, a lack of expertise or outright fraud. The answer to that question will dictate where to go from here.

Involve other agencies. The shop may be approved by AAA or be affiliated with a national auto parts program which may have an arbitration process that you can use to settle the issue. The Better Business Bureau has a reporting process that can be utilized to resolve disputes. The next step would be to involve local media to cover it on their "problem solver" type segment. Your attorney general's office may have a consumer protection division which can advocate for you if they believe the shop is at fault.

Take legal action. Unfortunately, a few of these disputes will end up in small claims court. Filing is cheap.  

No one wants the added stress of dealing with faulty repair, but when it happens, it's important to know how to handle it. 

Hurdles of New Bankruptcy Laws Can Be Overcome by Focusing on Quick Case Analysis

Found on www.prlog.org and brought to you by Lawyer Salinas

The new bankruptcy law of 2005 was designed to make it more difficult for consumers to use bankruptcy to deal with their debts. In 2011, Financial Freedom Law Is proving how difficulties can be overcome on a case by case Basis.

 

Apr 08, 2011 – Sacramento, CA – [04/08/2011]

“We filed a case to stop foreclosure with Chapter 13 and we stopped repossession of a car with Chapter 7.”  His list of missions accomplished flows easily, as it would for anyone who is committed to helping people solve their financial problems.  “With a Chapter 13 plan, the client can catch up on arrears that they owe and possibly strip the second mortgage.”  Talking with Kaushik Ranchod, bankruptcy attorney serving California’s Sacramento areas such as Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, and Fair Oaks, is talking with a man on a mission.  

And his mission is to take action in the specific area of consumer debt where people are hurting the most, which is typically helping “individuals who have had their car repossessed or owe thousands in credit card and medical bills.”  Since the bankruptcy laws of October 2005 made bankruptcy filing more complex in respect to both attorney and debtor obligations, and in order to obtain the fastest, most cost-effective use of attorney time, Kaushik knew success depended on everyone’s ability to focus and act quickly.  And this he did by committing attention to:

1)   Expertise and success in applying the debt relief options of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, providing more than just a “fresh start” [a process which may take months], but he focused on immediate relief for individuals.  Families should not and need not feel at the end of their rope regarding credit card debt, medical bills, second home mortgages, and car loans.

2)   Immediate action in tackling specific details on a case by case basis.  This requires a thorough review of each client’s situation.  In order to do this with full focus and attention, Kaushik says, “we do not review client documents unless we are retained to prepare their case.”  Of course there’s no charge for the initial consultation because it doesn’t take much more than 15 minutes for both attorney and client to know whether they are a team that can make the touchdown.  But decision, action, and results are the focusing factors.

3)   Working as a team from the beginning.  Lawyers and staff at Financial Freedom Law work together at every step with the client.  “We believe in educating our clients and have provided articles on Chapter 7 bankruptcy (http://www.california-bankruptcyattorney.com/chapter-7-b ...) and Chapter 13 bankruptcy (http://www.california-bankruptcyattorney.com/chapter-13- ...) on our website.”  Visitors are invited to download a free Special Report from Financial Freedom Law’s website.  Also, Kaushik’s blog contains frequent posts since “We strive to keep clients abreast of the latest bankruptcy-related issues, so our blog is truly a web log of things to know about bankruptcy.”

Understandably, in order to make these services cost effective, he had to limit his practice to obtaining a discharge of clients' debts: means he doesn’t provide coaching for clients who want to represent themselves or want him to take on partial representation of their case.  
In order to provide ready channels of communication, there are paralegal and secretarial support staff in place to complete the legal team.  

The bottom line is service to improve the client’s bottom line: “We strive to provide excellent client service.  Financial Freedom Law is not about a high volume of cases, but it is personalized service with a focus on maximizing our client‘s financial freedom.”

For more information, please visit: http://www.california-bankruptcyattorney.com

# # #

Financial Freedom Law is a bankruptcy law office in Sacramento, that handles Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies. Their offices are located at 8880 Cal Center Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95826.

Average car ownership nearly $9,000 a year, says AAA

Found on www.boston.com and brought to you by Car Repair Salinas

Posted by Bill Griffith April 7, 2011 03:15 PM

 

Back in 1950, AAA published its first "Your Driving Costs" analysis. That year, driving a car 10,000 miles cost 9 cents per mile and gasoline was 27 cents per gallon.

Now, 61 years later, both costs and annual average miles driven have gone up considerably. AAA's 2011 study is based on 15,000 miles of annual driving.

2011 Costs	Per Mile	Per Year
Small sedan	41.5 cents	$6,758
Mid-sized sedan	57.3 cents	$8,588
Large sedan	73.2 cents	$10,982
4WD SUV	75.9 cents	$11,382
Minivan	63.3 cents	$9,489

Averaging the three sedan costs, AAA concludes that the cost of buying and driving a new average sedan rose 3.4 percent or 1.9 cents per mile to 58.5 cents per mile, or $8,776 per year. (Note that the above annual costs are a sum of two figures -- the fuel cost per mile and ownership costs per day. The per-mile cost is the quotient of this sum divided by 15,000 miles.)

That's of interest to all homeowners who live on a budget and any employee reimbursed per mile for business use of their vehicle.

"Despite seeing reduced costs for both maintenance and insurance this year, there is an overall increase in the cost to own and operate a vehicle in the United States this year," says John Nielsen, AAA national director of auto repair, buying and consumer programs. "The 2011 rise is due to relatively large increases in fuel, tires, and depreciation."

He noted that the cost of tires rose 15.7 percent to an average of 96 cents per mile.

AAA's study presumes five years of ownership at 15,000 miles per year. It includes:

1. The price of one set of replacement tires of the same quality originally supplied.

2. Annual insurance costs for a married 47-year-old male with a good driving record and three- to 10-mile daily commute.

3. Fuel costs of $2.88 per gallon (the study was based on December 2010 prices)

4. Depreciation: The difference between purchase price and estimated trade-in value after five years.

5. Finance costs: Based on a five-year loan at 6 percent with a 10 percent down payment.

6. License, registration, taxes at time of purchase and due each year, based on the national average.

7. Maintenance costs include parts and labor for routine, specified maintenance. For comparison, it also included an extended warranty cost and one warranty deductible claim of $100.

Details and charts are available on the AAA Public Affairs website.

What to Look For and What to Avoid When Searching For a Bail Bond Agent

Good advice from Lawyers Salinas

Found on www.prlog.org

 

Apr 05, 2011 – Calabasas, CA  – How can you tell the good bail bond agents from the not so good bail bond agents?  Most people don’t have a clue of where to even start when posed with this question.  It is for that reason, AIA, the nation’s largest family of bail bond insurance companies created ExpertBail, the bail bond industry’s first ever national brand and largest network of professional bail agents.  “We know that most people don’t understand the bail bond industry and to be honest more often than not, have a negative perception of it,” says Eric Granof, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA .  “With ExpertBail we are not only trying to change that misperception, but also provide consumers with a list of proven and trusted agents that they know will treat them the right way…in other words, we want to take the guesswork out of the process.”

With over 5000 agents across the country, ExpertBail is the only brand that can write bail in every state that surety bail can be written.   All consumers need to do is go to http://www.expertbail.com and type in a location and they will get a list of trusted bail agents near them.  So next time you need a bail agent or have a question about the bail bond industry, turn to ExpertBail.  When you combine the size of the network, the experience of the agents and the commitment of the brand you get an enormous collection of bail knowledge and resources to help you find a trusted bail agent anywhere you need to.

Below are just three of the experienced, professional bail bondsmen who can be found on http://www.expertbail.com and who are ready to help you now.  

JS&J Bonding located in Plymouth, North Carolina, is a verified and trusted ExpertBail agent servicing Washington County in North Carolina. JS&J Bonding has committed themselves to raising the bar in the bail bond industry and providing the best bail bonds in Washington County, North Carolina.

Los Banos Bail Bonds, located at 5361 in Los Banos, California, is a verified and trusted ExpertBail agent servicing Merced County in California. Los Banos Bail Bonds is an experienced, professional bail bond agent who will walk you through the process and provide you with the best bail bonds in Merced County, California.

Enriquez Bail Bonds, located at 666 Sunset Avenue in West Covina, California is a verified and trusted ExpertBail agent servicing Los Angeles County in California. Enriquez Bail Bonds is one of the most experienced bail agents in Los Angeles County, California.

So, when looking for a bail bondsman in Plymouth, North Carolina, Los Banos, California, or West Covina, California, definitely turn to one of these trusted and proven ExpertBail Agents.  Because you never want to rely on an Amateur when there is a trusted Expert waiting to help.

A hidden threat to drivers

Some more "good" news for drivers.

Found on www.latimes.com and brought to you by Car Repair Salinas

U.S. traffic safety officials should get a better handle on the problem of missing air bags in used vehicles.  (editorial)

 

April 4, 2011

In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study examining fatal accidents in which a car's air bag should have deployed but didn't. The most common reason wasn't poor manufacturing by automakers. It was that the air bag was simply missing, never replaced after a previous crash.

The numbers weren't large, averaging 51 accidents a year nationwide over the five years studied. But that doesn't mean there's no cause for concern. Who knows how many more cars are on the road without air bags? Presumably a whole lot more than the 51 that happen to get into accidents each year. Many used cars being offered for sale have been in accidents, then salvaged and resold, possibly without air bags. And the buyers may never know.

Air bags cost $1,000 to $3,000, expensive enough — and difficult enough to check on — that some auto repair shops charge for replacing them but don't do the work. In 2009, a jury awarded $15 million to a couple whose son was killed in a truck whose air bags they paid to have replaced after they bought it as a salvage vehicle. The steering column had instead been stuffed with paper. A 2008 investigation by National Public Radio uncovered other cases in which repair shops had stuffed paper or other materials into the air bag compartment, or simply left it empty.

Most consumers aren't aware that when they buy a used car, they should have a trustworthy, independent mechanic check the air bags. And because the NHTSA never looked further into the issue of all those missing air bags, there are no estimates of how many drivers are unknowingly driving without this protection.

A bill introduced this year by state Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) would make air bag repair fraud a crime punishable by a $5,000 fine, up to a year in prison, or both. It's a good start. Dishonest repair shops would face charges whether or not there had been an accident. According to the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, tougher penalties have been effective deterrents to other types of car repair fraud.

But the unknowns here demand a bigger and more comprehensive response. The numbers in the NHTSA study should have set off alarms and prompted a federal investigation into how commonly this fraud occurs. The agency should inspect a sampling of cars sold as used, especially salvage vehicles that were in previous serious accidents. Meanwhile, used-car buyers should be cautioned that kicking the tires doesn't go nearly far enough.

Importance Of Jewelry Insurance

Found on www.prlog.com and brought to you by Lawyer Salinas

Sofea Joshua   Apr 03, 2011 – Expensive and exquisitely beautiful jewelry materials such as diamond and gold rings, watches, certain antique jewelry and precious stones are always subject to theft and other risks that would result in the loss of the item or decrease the value of the same. Another risk could be the accidental damage and loss in fire or theft of these sentimental and expensive items. This can certainly result in unwanted and extreme psychological and physical torture. The multi-dollar question that you should consider is: How much and why is it very important to have jewelry insurance in the first place? Firstly, it may helpful to know that comprehensive jewelry cover is primarily provided by the insurance firms at somewhat low premiums with even some providing full accidental compensation for damage and loss depending on the cover chosen. These insurance policies target all forms of jewelry cover groups ranging from low-value to high-value products. Generally, most insurance firms would target large or quantitative assets such as houses and automobiles coupled to life assurance, thereby lacking in expert high-value jewelry insurance systems. Secondly, do note that deciding on the right insurance firm to handle your protection needs is mostly pegged on policy flexibility coupled to the current rates on offer. Most jewelry insurance firms cover the basic repair expenses on damaged products right up to competitive repayments on placing claims. However, the important criteria protocols attributed to the coverage details, time for claim and the claim process should not be left out too and should be considered carefully with a fine tooth comb. Consult at least two expert jewelry insurers before insuring your jewelry based on the two main coverage policy types. These would include Blanket coverage as well as scheduled property policy type. The blanket policy does not necessarily require an appraisal of insured pieces under the renter's policies unlike the scheduled property that requires constant appraisal to ensure that it is still in accordance with the basic requirements. Based on all the above fundamental information, an individual will be in a better position to address the question why it is important to have jewelry insurance. # # # Sofea loves shopping for jewelry, exquisite pieces, beautiful ones or even antique enchanting gems. However, she is extremely careful to ensure that pieces that are previous to her, either from the cost value or emotional value, she covers those gems with adequate insurance. To find out more on how and why you should do that, head over to: http://www.jewelleryinsurance.info

Look beyond sticker price for a car's true cost

Found on www.latimes.com and brought to you by Car Repair Salinas

By Kathy M. Kristof Personal Finance

April 3, 2011

 

Ongoing costs — for insurance, repairs and fuel — can vary markedly from one vehicle to another. Ignore those differences and you could vastly underestimate the cost of ownership.

f you're thinking about buying a car this year, you're far from alone. Auto sales appear to be ramping up after a couple of fairly lackluster years.

But with the economy still on tenterhooks, consumers may want to pay careful attention to auto economics, said Jack Gillis, author of "The Car Book," an annual compendium of information on auto safety, reliability and costs.

The price of the car is an important consideration, of course. But ongoing costs — for insurance, repairs and fuel — can vary markedly from one vehicle to another. Ignore those differences and you could vastly underestimate the cost of ownership, Gillis said.

Consider, for example, two luxury sedans. The Dodge Charger has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of about $38,000, according to Edmunds.com. The Lexus HS 250h, a hybrid, costs $35,600. Does that mean there's a mere $2,400 price difference between the two? Hardly.

The Lexus gets roughly 35 miles to the gallon in both city and highway driving, while the Charger speeds through fuel about twice as fast, getting just 13 miles to the gallon in city driving and 19 on the highway. With gasoline prices near or past the $4-per-gallon mark, the consumer who drives about 15,000 miles annually is going to spend roughly $1,700 on fuel each year with the Lexus but about $3,750 on the Charger. That's more than $2,000 in additional costs every year you own the less fuel-efficient car.

The differences don't stop there. The Charger is also one of the most expensive cars in the nation to insure, Gillis said. The final cost of insurance will depend on your driving record, miles driven and where you live. But even a good driver is likely to pay hundreds of dollars more to insure the Charger versus the Lexus.

Gillis' best car-buying advice: Pick three or four cars that you like and then start comparison shopping on a variety of criteria, including how the car scores on safety tests and on the comprehensiveness of the new-car warranty. (A few companies, such as Volvo and BMW, even pay for oil changes in the first few years.)

In addition to insurance costs and fuel economy, Gillis also looks at the cost of preventative maintenance while the car is still under warranty and the cost to repair big-ticket items when the warranty expires.

How long you keep an auto can be a consideration. If you don't keep cars for more than a few years, you might put less weight on the cost of repairing big-ticket items, particularly if you buy a model that offers an extensive warranty. If you drive a lot, you might put added weight on fuel economy.

"There's no one car that's best in every category," Gillis said. "We're forced to make trade-offs."

Gillis said he largely ignores resale values because supply and demand can make those figures swing widely. Besides, he looks upon cars as an expense, not an investment.

"You should never imagine that a car is going to retain its value and be worth a lot when you sell it," he said. "They're great for transportation, but they're lousy investments."

To prepare for a price negotiation with a dealer, Gillis advises doing research on the Internet. Sites such as Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) show how much buyers are typically paying for a model in a specific part of the country.

Don't get talked into extras you don't want. There are plenty of dealerships, plenty of cars. If you don't like how you're being treated, walk away.

If you know what you want to buy but hate negotiating, Gillis said you might consider the CarBargains service offered by the nonprofit Consumer's Checkbook. The service charges $200 to shop five area dealerships for the exact make, model and options you want. Each dealer provides a firm quote that's good for seven days.

business@latimes.com