Being without your own car can be frustrating, no matter how brief that period of time may be. As you can imagine, it is very common for our customers at Ward Automotive to ask, “How soon will my car be ready?” Every time we examine and repair a car, we try to factor in how much time might be needed. It is our goal to be as accurate as possible in the time estimate that we provide. However, some factors can cause us (or any shop, for that matter) to need additional time.
To prepare you ahead of time, here are some problems that might cause delays with your car repair:
The shop is experiencing peak repair activity.
Some days of the week and months of the year are busier than others. For instance, Mondays tend to be much busier than Wednesdays and May is usually much busier than January. The best thing you can do is to call ahead to schedule your repair needs. If you choose to just show up, there might not be a technician readily available to service your car.
The problem is unusually difficult to diagnose.
Lots of times, assessing what’s wrong with a vehicle can be somewhat straightforward. However, as cars have become more and more sophisticated—particularly with their computerized and electronic elements—the potential problems have become more challenging to diagnose and repair. To make things even more complicated, some problems happen only intermittently, so the technician will need to try to replicate the situation in which the problem occurs.
The parts might not be readily available.
Because we service all makes and models at Ward Automotive, we are unable to stock every possible car part that might be needed at any given time. We try to stock parts that might be needed more often and then order the rest. Depending on your particular make and model, the parts might need to be ordered from another state outside of Maryland. Another parts problem that can occur is if your particular car parts are on backorder due to high demand.
Not all repairs are equal.
Some repairs are quick and easy for technicians to take care of, like replacing brakes and rotors or changing your oil. Other problems, though, can be much more time-consuming, such as changing spark plugs (on certain vehicles), repairing a water pump, or replacing a catalytic converter.
We have to let your car cool down.
If you just drove a lengthy distance and are scheduled to have your car serviced, the technician might need to let your vehicle cool down before examining it or beginning any repairs. Your car’s heat can cause many of its fluids to reach extremely high temperatures, for instance, which would be too dangerous for a technician to touch.
If you ever need an auto repair shop that you can trust, call us at Ward Automotive in Bel Air. We are a complete car care shop offering everything from routine maintenance to serious automotive repair, engine work, and autobody work. Why not trust your car to the company who knows the proper repair procedures from autobody all the way to the mechanical? Bel Air Autobody and Ward Automotive have been servicing the residents of Harford County, Maryland for over 20 years.
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