You are furious over your mechanic for not returning your car in a couple of days. But you are not sure about how long does a mechanic have to fix your car. This is why you are helpless to take any actions against him.
In this article, we have described what parts need how much time. We also tried to focus on some of the other issues that you may easily overlook. Let us now know them in detail.
Determining Your Cars Repair Time How Long Does a Mechanic Have to Fix Your Car
Contents
The repair time or cycle time depends on many factors. Here are some basic ideas about how long does a mechanic have to fix your car.
Don't get puzzled if the mechanic is taking a long time then the mentioned time. It can be so your car has got some other problems that came in front of the mechanic while fixing the main problem.
Headlights- 5 To 20 Minutes
Fortunate enough for you, most modern headlights don't take a lot of time to fix. The HID and LED lights are simple and quick to replace. They are fixed to the car by rotating bayonet retainers or thin wire clips. So, it's easy to pop them out from the headlight housing.
This particular job is as simple as replacing a light bulb in your house.
Suspension- 2 Hours To 5 Days
Now, suspension repair can take a long time, moreover cost you some extra bucks too. Because of having a complex system, suspension repair can be a lengthy process.
For example, just replacing the shocks or the side control arms takes about 2-3 hours. Although fixing small things like shock absorber will be quicker.
For fixing the whole suspension unit, it can even take days for the mechanic. As it's a lengthy process, be careful to whom you are handing over your car.
Brakes- 1 To 2 Hours
If you ask a mechanic, what is the most common repair work they have to do in a garage? They will answer it's the breaks.
It may take 1 to 2 hours to change the front and the rear brake.
Most of the modern cars have disk brakes on all of the wheels. Some of them may have drum breaks in the rear brakes. In the disk brakes, the brakes can be replaced individually. Meaning, it's not necessary to take off the whole brake system and repair it.
Don't want to get scammed and pay extra? Examine which breaks needs to get fixed first. That way, the mechanic won't be able to charge you extra, saying that he had to make changes to the other breaks too.
Tires- 30 To 45 Minutes
Some cunning mechanics can exaggerate the time it takes to replace a tire. If the garage has the replacement tire in stock, and if the tire size is average, it can be as quick as only 5 minutes.
Changing all four tires will take about 45 minutes. If the mechanic is taking more time than that, know that he is bluffing. As most garages charge by hours, he will be prolonging the time intentionally.
Windscreen- 4 Hours
A typical windscreen repair will take somewhere between 2 to 4 hours. Even though the repair time is really short, you will be asked to wait for another 2 hours. The glue that is used in the windscreen takes time to dry completely. If it's not set correctly, it can fall off while you are driving.
Technically it doesn't take much time to respire a windscreen. You just have to wait for a couple of hours extra.
Exhaust- 1 To 5 Hours
The exhaust repair time will depend on the damage type. It should take an hour to replace the muffler or the mid-pipe.
However, the downpipe, which is the deepest part, will take 2 to 3 hours to repair.
As the body of the exhaust is made of metal, it easily catches corrosion. Usually, long warranties cover exhausts.
License Plate- 10 To 20 Minutes
Repairing a license plate doesn't take a lot of time. It only takes a screwdriver and some screws to do this job. To be honest, it is so simple that you can do it by yourself. But if you want it professionally done, go ahead, call your mechanic.
Fluids- 1 Hour
"Fluids" cover a wide range of fluids in your car like brake fluid, windscreen cleaner, engine oil, lubricant, etc. You can take care of the fluids like oil and coolant by yourself. You should handover the more difficult fluids like transmission and power steering fluids to your mechanic.
It usually doesn't take more than one hour to repair any issues with fluid.
Some Other Things You Should Consider
There are some important things that people often tend to forget while repairing their cars. For your convenience, we have listed them below.
Original Equipment's Will Take a short Time
If your mechanic is not installing the parts that were not made for the specific model, it will take a long time. Original parts tend to have fewer repair issues in a long time, and they also fit perfectly on the car body. This is why the mechanic will have to spend extra time if the replacing parts are not original.
It may so happen the original parts of the model are not produced anymore. In this case, the mechanic will have to use salvage parts by default. Finding a match from the stock or buying a new one will also take a long time for him.
Foreign or Special Cars Will Take a Long Time
It is so apparent that fixing an issue with a foreign car or a special edition car will take a long time as the replacing parts will not be easy to find.
For example, finding parts for a Toyota car is way easier than finding a vintage Ferrari.
The Severity of The Damage
The time in repairing your car will significantly depend on the extent of the damage. If you are doing a full-body repair, it may even take three days to repair fully. On the other hand, small repair issues like- dent straightening will take only one day.
Before you put pressure on your mechanic to hurry up, you should consider the intensity of the damage.
The workload of The Mechanic
Don't be so ignorant thinking that you are the only one with car repair issues. There might be a lot of people who need repairing just like you. So, be patient enough to wait until your turn comes.
You may find a few good repair shops who will inform you in advance. They will give you the freedom to take your car elsewhere if you think their queue is too long.
Things to Do While Picking Your Car from The Mechanic
Always checking your car before picking it up from the mechanic is the best way to avoid any trouble. Take a close look inside or out and also take a small test drive to make sure everything works fine.
It's a good idea to pick your car from the mechanic in the morning. Because of the bright sunlight, you will be able to detect any tiny details that your mechanic can be hiding from you.
Always ask for repair-related queries before you leave the garage.
What If the Mechanic Denies to Release your Car?
The mechanic is legally bound to give back your car whenever you ask for it. But mechanics can refuse to hand it over if the repair work isn't done entirely or they didn't get the full payment.
If none of the things happened above, your mechanic is still not returning your car; you should take legal actions.
You may call the police to inform them about the situation. You can also file a case with the municipal court.
Conclusion
We tried to give a general idea about how long does a mechanic have to fix your car. Please don't take it as a rule of thumb. The time may vary depending on the repair type, availability of spare parts, queue line, or even the mechanic's experience. Before cursing your mechanic for not returning the car, please consider the facts first.
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