Before you choose a repair shop, take the time to shop around at one that is reputable. One of the best ways to find a reputable shop is to ask family or friends for recommendations.

Be cautious about discount offers. You may be better off in the long-run sticking with a single reputable mechanic who knows your car well and will not perform unnecessary repairs.

Call the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) at (202) 442-4400 to find out if the shop and its technicians meet their licensing or registration requirements. You may also want to look for evidence that the technicians are certified in special areas of automobile repair.

Never sign a blank repair order. Make sure the written repair order says exactly what you want done on your vehicle.

Get a written estimate. If the repair shop cannot give you a written estimate because it is not yet clear what the problem is, tell the shop to give you an estimate when it does find the problem before it does any work. (Get a price estimate for the diagnostic work that the shop will do to identify the problem.) 

For costly or complicated repairs, try to get a second opinion from another shop.

Find out whether the charge for labor is a flat fee or is based on the actual repair time.

Keep records of all repair work done to your vehicle, including written estimates, invoices, names of the people involved in the repair transaction, and payment dates and amounts.

Dealers' service departments routinely get notices about car defects from manufacturers. If your vehicle’s problem is not covered by the warranty, ask the shop if the manufacturer has sent out a technical service bulletin (TSB) on this type of problem before you have the repairs made. The repair may be free if there is a TSB.