Any lawyer would define this is as one side hiring a project and the other agreeing to do it for a set fee. In this moment the owner of the car and the manager of the repair shop reach an agreement that generally is verbal. And that does not fail to stand up legally in case of conflict. It is a relationship of trust, like that which can exist between any consumer and a store. But if a dispute arises and there is litigation, a written document between the two sides settles a lot of doubts.

Avoiding lawsuits and mistrust
The harmony that appears to exist generally between a repair shop and a person in need of its services is not unanimous. Confrontation is much more common than people would want.

To avoid disputes, uncertainty, mistreat and ill-will with consumers, associations of repair shop owners have devised a catalogue of good practices. The goal is to erase any stain that could hurt the reputation of this sector of the economy.

Things the shops keeps in mind
  1. Suggest an estimate before having any work done.
  2. Don�t do any work without providing a bill for it.
  3.  Warn the customer about unforeseen repairs and their cost before carrying them out.
  4. Turn in used pieces even if the customer does not ask for them.
  5. Meet the repair guarantees.
  6. Charge only for the hours actually worked.
  7. Only do work the shop is authorized to do.
  8. Don�t do repairs with used pieces, at least without telling the customer about it and the risk involved.
  9. Meet deadlines for turning in the repaired car.
10. Tell the consumer about his rights.

The most common problems
One of the most common sources of friction occurs when the repair shop does work that was not agreed on by the two sides. The law protects the consumer. If there is any change in the agreed terms, they must be approved by the consumer. Don�t let them charge you for things you do not ask for.

Some shops offer the possibility of doing the Technical Inspection of Vehicles but this does not mean the car will pass the test without incurring in added costs.

The bill: the only proof
The bill is the key document for filing a complaint in the three months that follow work
being done. It is the period of the guarantee for this kind of work. At the same time getting
a bill avoids the proliferation of work done under the table to avoid paying taxes to the government.