5 Things to Know Before You Head to the Garage

Don’t know much about mechanics? Are you worried that your mechanic might inflate the invoice or make unnecessary repairs? Your mechanic must follow certain rules when doing work on your vehicle.   

1 – More than $100? Written estimate required 

Your mechanic must give you a written estimate before working on your car or motorcycle if they think that they price will be more than $100.  
The estimate must mention the nature of the repair, its price, the replacement part, and its condition (new, used, refurbished). 

If you accept the estimate, your mechanic must respect it and can charge no additional fees without your consent.  

If your mechanic asks you to pay for the written estimate, they must tell you how much the estimate will cost before doing it. Otherwise, it must be free.  

You can opt out of a written estimate by writing and signing your own document. The document is invalid if your mechanic prepared it.  

If the repair is free under a warranty, a written estimate is not mandatory.  

2 – The invoice must be detailed

Once the repairs are done, your mechanic must give you a detailed invoice that  shows: 

• the repair made 

• the part installed and its condition (new, used, refurbished)  

• the number of hours worked, the hourly rate, and the total cost of labour 

• taxes  

• the total  

• the conditions of the warranty 

3 – Repairs are covered by a warranty 

Repairs come with a warranty. The warranty starts the moment you pick up your vehicle. It covers only work done and parts that were replaced. 

For a car, the warranty applies to the parts and the labour for three months or for 5,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. For a motorcycle, the parts and labour are covered for one month. 

If the repairs were not done properly or did not fix the problem, your mechanic must make the necessary corrections for free. This only applies during the warranty period.  

4 – Your mechanic can hold on to your car

Your mechanic has the right to hold your car until you pay for the repairs.  

However, they cannot hold onto your car if: 

• they did not provide a written estimate before working on your car as required by law 

• they want you to pay more than is written on the estimate and any other fees you had agreed to 

You must pay the full price agreed upon before you can take your car back. 

5 – Your mechanic must give you  the replaced part

Upon request, your mechanic must give you the part that they replaced when they return your car or motorcycle to you. 

However, they are not required to do this if:  

• the repair was free (for example, covered by a warranty) 

• if the part is replaced by a refurbished part 

• they must return the part to the manufacturer or distributer under a warranty