I had my car for a few months and was informed of a recall for a common/known problem with the head gasket on the engine. I brought it into the local repair shop/dealership for my make of car. While replacing the head gasket they had to take the engine out and ended up breaking another couple gaskets (they’re not very thick and so would break very easily). When I picked up my car they told me it would cost $62. I didn’t like that but wasn’t sure what to say so I went home to think about it.

I figured that I really shouldn’t have paid the $62 so I called them back to see what they could do for me. I ended up speaking with the manager and told her that I didn’t think I should have to pay for what they broke while doing the recall repair.

They said it wasn’t part of the recall and so they don’t cover the cost on that. I told her I understood what she was saying and so wouldn’t be fair for her location to pay for a mistake that was really originally caused by the manufacturer. So I asked who was next up from her to talk to at the manufacturer to have them fix the problem. She asked me to hold on that thought and that she would call me back again. When she called back she said that her location would pay for the repair.

Sometimes it takes a great deal of courage to open your mouth and let a business know nicely of a mistake that they made that needs to be taken care of. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand what the expense is, what the breakdown of the expense is, or why you are paying for it (especially if it’s their mistake).

When have you inquired further and saved on your expenses?