What Is a Certified Repair Shop?
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Owning a car is expensive, with maintenance and repair costs rising over time. It is important to seek expert assistance from trained professionals you can trust to ensure that you pay a fair price for work and that your car continues to be dependable. That is why Consumer Reports has partnered with RepairPal to provide easy access to quality shops in your area.
Participants in the Certified Repair Shop program must meet stringent requirements to enroll, including a technical assessment, consumer satisfaction, repair warranty, and fair pricing. By choosing to book an appointment online and/or go to a certified shop, CR members can have confidence that they are working with among the best car repair shops.
And you shouldn’t have to travel far to find one. In fact, 78 percent of Consumer Reports members have a RepairPal Certified Shop within 10 miles and 52 percent of Consumer Reports users have four or more certified shops within 10 miles.
What Does It Take to Be Certified?
Technical assessment: RepairPal ensures that the shop’s staff has the experience, training, and industry certifications to properly diagnose and repair cars. Further, RepairPal verifies that the shop has the right equipment, including diagnostic tools, to do the job right.
Customer service: Participating shops must meet high standards for customer satisfaction, as measured by surveyed feedback from verified customers—not just gleaned from online reviews. The minimum requirement for inclusion in this program is more than three times the repair industry average. Satisfaction is measured on an ongoing basis to ensure continued compliance with the program’s standards. And the feedback is shared with the shops to identify ways that customer experiences can be further improved.
Warranty: Certified shops must stand behind their work with a minimum 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty on all parts and labor. And the parts they use must be original equipment (from the car factory) or high-quality aftermarket components. More than half the participating shops go beyond this standard to provide 24 months or more of warranty coverage.
Fair prices: The estimates generated online or in person were developed by Master ASE Certified mechanics and based on using quality manufacturer and aftermarket parts. Labor pricing is based on industry guidelines, and factors in national averages and costs in your area. If the repair exceeds the online estimate, RepairPal will refund the difference.
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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
