How Long Does a Mechanic Have To Fix Your Car?
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We’ve all been there. There’s something going on with your car, you can’t quite figure it out, and you take it to the mechanic. What can be a frustrating experience to begin with can get worse if you face delays and a longer repair time than expected. When your car is in the shop, how long does a mechanic have to fix your car and what can you do about it?
Typically, a vehicle should be repaired within 15-20 days, and with a maximum of 30 days for insurance and warranty requirements cumulatively from entering the shop. After 30 cumulative days of repair, the car can be considered a lemon under the lemon law which exists in some capacity in all 50 states. When looking at cumulative repair days, it simply means that the car has been in the shop for repair for a total of 30 days during the warranty term. It could be 30 days straight, which can be common for major safety recalls, or multiple trips that total 30 days while under warranty.
How long does a mechanic have to fix your car? A legal perspective
This may not come up as often as some other reasons, but until you pay the whole repair price, the mechanic and repair shop have the legal right to retain or hold your car. This is commonly known as a mechanic’s lien, and it effectively guarantees payment to the repair business for the services that were performed. Even if you disagree with the final cost, the repair shop can keep your car until you pay the full amount or set up a payment agreement.
In the event that the final cost is considerable higher that you expected, you should ask the repair business to write down the precise duties performed for itemized service prices. In the event you’re unable to reach agreement, you may want to just pay the amount in full to reclaim your vehicle and can submit a complaint with the appropriate documents for repairs.
When you take your car in for repairs, the repair shop takes a lien on it. This implies that if you haven’t paid for the repairs, the repair shop isn’t required to return it to you. They also have the power to hold the vehicle if you fail to pay for the repairs in a reasonable time. Unless you signed a letter confirming the repair’s right for the shop to do so, the repair shop is not legally authorized to seize the vehicle - so be sure to read all paperwork when dropping it off.
This could actually be stated in the repair contract where it would have its own unique language. If you signed an agreement like this you’re basically allowing the shop to hold your car until you pay for the repairs performed.
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How long does a mechanic have to fix your car? A professional expectation
Many of the basic and standard repairs should just take a few hours to complete. If the business advises you to wait in the lobby or run a few errands and come back later in the day once they call you, this shouldn’t be an issue. Most shops will make a reasonable effort to complete your repairs while you wait, especially if you had an appointment. In the case of substantial repairs and damage, questions concerning repair schedules and delays may become more of a problem.
The overall workload at the shop will be a big factor in getting the more extensive repairs completed in a timely manner. Other factors like your make and model could impact the overall repair time if parts have to be shipped or located from a salvage yard. This is common for foreign cars or custom and classic models.
While both the technician and the customer should have a timeline for the repair we all know things can come up suddenly. Asking the technician to keep you updated on any new developments with the repairs might help both parties involved, especially if you’re going to be left without a car for some time. In general, repair shops rely on word of mouth for a good portion of their business and it’s in their best interest to complete jobs in a timely manner.
How long does a mechanic have to fix your car? A lemon perspective
A fairly common reason vehicles will end up at a dealership for an extended period of time is for recall repairs. These are typically a bit longer and they may set you up with a rental car or courtesy vehicle while the recall is repaired. But at a private mechanic, keeping your car for an extended period of time could indicate a bigger problem.
If the mechanic (usually at a dealership) has kept your car for 30 days for repair reasons and made numerous efforts on a specific problem, this likely indicates that your car is a lemon and driving might be dangerous. A vehicle is generally considered a lemon If any of the following requirements are satisfied within 18 months of purchase or before 18,000 miles:
- The mechanic attempted to fix your vehicle at least twice because of a routine problem that might have caused significant harm or death.
- During the warranty term, the dealership attempted to remedy an issue four times.
- The car was in the shop for almost 30 days while it was being repaired.
If you think any of the above has been met, you should consider filing a lawsuit or getting a lawyer that specializes in vehicle and Lemon law. At the end of the day it’s risky to drive a lemon car since it can cause significant harm or death to you and others. If it is a lemon, you can potentially get a refund, return your automobile to the dealership and cancel your contract, or keep the car and demand reimbursement from the dealership for the repair/pre-existing damages.
In addition to each state having basic Lemon laws, there are six states that also have used car Lemon laws: Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Minnesota. While this isn’t especially common, the closer you get to the 30 day mark you may want to start considering taking action. While these are all very different scenarios, it’s important to try and build a relationship with your mechanic so you can stay in the loop and make reasonable requests for your repair timeline.
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