Murphy's Law in Auto Repair | Joe & Tony's Service Inc;.

Things happen in auto repair that impact price, completion time and ultimately customer satisfaction. Getting cars repaired correctly and on time usually makes for a pressure packed environment. So what happens that turns an otherwise well planned task into the repair from hell?

• Replacement Parts - They show up defective, boxed wrong or not at all. This is a major hurdle for all shops and a reality that they contend with on a daily basis. Sometimes they don't fit like the original which causes the estimated time of repair to become unrealistic.
• Inaccurate Labor Guides - All shops use databases that provide estimates on how much time it should take to complete a certain repair operation. For example a timing belt on a 2003 Honda Odyssey should take 3 hours, well, sometimes these estimates are not accurate in a real time environment.
• Unavailable Job Specific Tool - On occasion even a well equipped technician will encounter the need to acquire a tool to complete a repair. This may be the only time for months or even years that the need for this tool arises. Tracking down the tool takes time and inevitably delays the completion of the fix.
• Unexpected Failure of Related Parts - Repair shops are not clairvoyant and can not foresee at the time of the estimate just what lies in wait for them. Let's say that your brake master cylinder has failed, many times there will be a need to bleed the hydraulic components of the brake system, in the course of bleeding it is not uncommon (especially on older vehicles) for a bleeder fitting on a caliper to break off or not be able to be opened. There goes the price estimate.

Fluid & Grease Soaked Rear Brake Assembly

So when you get the call that your car will not be done on time or for the price that was originally quoted, it may not be the result of anything sinister.

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