Avoiding Scams And Ripoffs In Transmission Repair (NAPSA)—You can stay on the road to safety and saving if you heed a few hints about tracking down transmission repairs and replacement. Experts offer this advice: 1. Get Recommendations—Ask friends and family to recommend a shop where they weretreated well. 2. Look for a Professional Appearance—A ATRA clean, organized . shop indicates a professional attitude. That usually carries over into all phases of business, including repairs andprices. 3. Avoid Phone Estimates— Today it’s virtually impossible to give an accurate estimate over the phone. Any shop that will give you a price before seeing the car is probably low-balling you. Expect the price to go up considerably before the job is finished. 4. Ask for a Detailed, Written Estimate—After checking your car thoroughly, the repair center should have a fairly good idea of what’s wrong with your car. It should be able to provide a written estimate that specifies what’s wrong with your car, and what it’ll cost to repair. 5. Look for Membership in Consumer Organizations—Most a Automatic transmission repairs are expensive; some can cost $2,000 and more.A little planning may save you plenty. reputable shops are members of an organization or association that provides consumer arbitration in the event of a dispute, such as the Better Business Bureau and AAA. The Automatic Trans- mission Rebuilders Association (ATRA) provides this service to its members. ATRAis an international association, dedicated to providing proficient service and ethical standards in the automatic transmission repair industry. It has nearly 2,000 shops from coast to coast, so you can find an ATRA member whereveryougo. For more information, or how to locate an ATRA member near you, visit www.ATRA.com.
