I Took My Car in For Repairs but I Can’t Afford To Pay the Bill
Author: Most people use their cars everyday and they depend on them to get them from point A to point B. We rely on our cars to get us to and from work and when they break down it can be very costly. We sometimes take our cars for granted and we just assume that they will work properly every day. However, that is not the real world and if you own a car it will break down at one point and time.
Car repairs can be very costly and consumers often do not realize how costly they can actually be. Before purchasing a car you need to factor in your monthly payment along with the cost of maintenance. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case and people will purchase a car without ever thinking about the cost to keep them running. When your car breaks down you will take it to an auto repair shop to be fixed. The auto repair shop will look at the car and give you an estimate to fix it. Before checking the car into the shop you will be given the estimate and you will be asked to sign it. Once you sign the estimate the repairs will begin and your car will be fixed. The full payment will be due in order for you to pick up your car but what happens if you don’t have the money to pay the bill?
If you are unable to pay the repair bill you will be given thirty days to come up with the money. If you don’t pay the bill within the thirty days the auto repair shop can place a mechanics lien on your vehicle. If there is an active loan attached to your car the finance company will be notified and they will be given thirty days to pay the amount of the repair bill. At that point if the finance company does not pay the full amount due the car will become legal property of the auto repair shop. Is this allowed? Can they do this? The answer is yes to both of the questions. This is why it is very important that you make sure you have the money to pay for the repair bill before signing the estimate. If you are given an estimate and you are unsure if you will have the money to pay for it, simply take your car back home and wait until you have the money.