Repair estimates are the foundation for your shop’s revenue.
How you estimate work and send those findings and estimates over to your customers will shape your shop’s profitability, your customer relationships, and how professional you come across to your customers.
Some shop owners might be tempted to use the free online car repair estimator tools to run their own estimates. But will this shortcut actually help your shop get to where you want it to be?
What Is an Auto Repair Estimate?
When customers come to your shop for repair work, they’re expecting a standardized process with an estimate for all the work your shop will be completing. Typically, as you'll know, this meant paper printouts or even manually, hand-written checklists.
But paper leaves a lot to be desired. As shop management systems have shifted from pen and paper to digital, and more recently from older digital software to modern cloud-based solutions, shops have access to way better tools than ever before.
Free Estimates Versus Paid Software
If you’re relying on free estimate tools for your customers’ estimates, you might run into some issues. Maybe the online estimator tool isn’t updated with the most recent info on a customer’s vehicle.
Or, if your local tax laws changed, the estimate might not reflect that.
So, how accurate are car repair estimates? They aren’t very accurate and aren’t as reliable as paid shop management software. They simply can’t tie into the rest of your shop’s system and processes.
Shop management software not only provides estimates to your customers but can also further explain vehicle repairs via digital vehicle inspections. A shop management system will give your shop:
Free car repair estimator tools might seem like they help you in the moment, but over the course of your career, they can limit your ability to grow.
Modern platforms with digital vehicle inspections make it easier to show customers exactly what your shop will be fixing, how much it will cost, and how long it’ll take. And we actually mean show them!
Digital vehicle inspection estimates will include everything you expect: an estimate of the repairs including necessary parts and associated costs, labor requirements including time and cost, and an overall breakdown of the total charge, but because everything is digital, shops can even include pictures or videos to really help drive home the need for repair.
And because everything is digital, results can be sent directly to the customer’s email address or even texted right to their phone for instant approval.
What a Free Car Repair Estimator Won’t Tell You
While free auto repair estimate tools help drivers gain a sense of what the repairs could cost, they simply base that on the limited information that you provide.
If you scroll down on most of the auto repair cost estimators, you’ll see a “Repair Cost Estimator Legal Disclaimer” that will likely include the following statements:
Estimated price is customized for your vehicle make, model, year, and trim, but does not include diagnostic charges, taxes, disposal or environmental fees, oil or other fluid costs, or other ancillary parts that may be needed for the repair.
Vehicle repair costs may vary from vehicle to vehicle.
Actual repair costs will vary based on labor rates, time required for repairs, actual parts used, your vehicle’s condition, and any other circumstances pertinent to your particular repair job.
This estimate is to be used for informational purposes only and is intended to serve as a general guide.
Always consult a certified automotive technician before making important auto repair and service decisions.
The last two disclaimers are big ones. As you can tell by the language, estimators are for customers, and they’re only rough estimates. Any time a customer receives an estimate from an auto repair shop, they want to know exactly what they’re about to spend on the repairs.
Using a free auto repair estimator tool will not include the taxes, fees, and any specific vehicle information that might affect the price, or any potential underlying issues that might increase your customer’s total.
The best way to earn your customer’s trust is by giving them accurate car repair estimates that clearly show the details and the reasoning behind your estimate.
Upgrade from a Free Car Repair Estimator
A free car repair estimator might seem like it saves your shop time and money, but will likely lead to more mistakes and inefficiencies that end up costing you time and money down the road. And if you get into the habit of only using free online estimators, you are limiting yourself.
If you find that you’re struggling to move on from free car repair estimator tools, find a way to remove them completely. One option? Replace them with a shop management system and never look back.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Digital vehicle inspections are the best way to show your customer exactly what’s wrong with their vehicle, and why your shop’s repair work is necessary.
Because modern tools like digital vehicle inspections and car repair estimators, shops send pictures or videos, customers can feel more comfortable that they’re making the right decisions in approving repairs they may have otherwise put off.
Give Your Customers Accurate Estimates With Tekmetric
When you use Tekmetric to give your customers a clear, accurate picture of exactly how much repairs will cost, they’ll be able to make informed decisions—and will see your shop as professional, organized, and reliable.
As an auto repair shop owner, you know how important accurate labor times are for locking in your profit margin on labor and growing your business. But how do you find a labor guide that you can trust and that works with your shop’s estimate process?
Switching to a newer labor guide can be tough for some shops. Many shop owners already trust their physical, paper labor guide; they’ve been using it for years! But that guide probably doesn’t include labor times for repairs on newer vehicles—not to mention it takes up a lot of space.
Digital auto repair labor guides are becoming standard across the industry because of how accessible they are and how they can be continuously updated with labor times for newer vehicles.
If you’re still using your old labor guide, or even a digital labor guide that isn’t working for you, it might be time to find a labor guide that will better meet the needs of your shop. Here are some key features to look for to narrow down your search.
Chargebacks are something that no shop owner wants to deal with.
Your business relies on big-ticket sales, and chargebacks on those sales can squeeze your margins.
When a guest goes through their bank or credit card company to get a refund, whether it’s because they were unhappy with the repair or not, it can leave shop owners in a bind where they might have to eat the cost of the labor, parts, and profit.
There are some cases where business owners can make a case against the chargeback, but it can be a lengthy process and most banks and credit card companies will side with the cardholder who’s making the complaint.
Protecting your business from chargebacks doesn’t start when the payment is processed, nor does it end with being reimbursed for a single chargeback. The best way to protect your business from chargebacks is to establish clear, open communication with your guests and adhere to a consistent and secure payment process.
Always Get Your Guests’ Consent Before Doing Work
When your service advisors take guests through the repair order, they should listen carefully to what the client wants; service advisors can never be too careful.
If that means spending some extra time to review the repair order with the guest, it’s time well spent.
A little more time spent on the front-end can save you a lot more time on the back-end. Once the RO is thoroughly reviewed, you can get either written or verbal consent for the work and the cost. It’s worth keeping in mind that it’s easier to document written consent.
Shop Tip: Use the Courtesy Inspection to Guide the Approval Process.
Using a shop management system like Tekmetric where the guest can see the courtesy inspection and click through and select the work they want and the work they want to put on hold can set clearer guidelines for both the guest and the service advisor.
Establish a Transparent Relationship with Your Guests
Providing excellent customer service is good practice for any auto repair shop, but it also goes a long way toward preventing chargebacks.
Let your guests know that you’re committed and dedicated to fixing their problem, even if that means taking their vehicle back into the shop if the guest is not 100% satisfied.
If you make it clear to your guests that they can come back to you about any concerns, they are far less likely to go to their bank or credit card company first. And it’s better to do a little extra work to ease the mind of your guest than it is to give away an entire repair order for free or go through legal hassles.
Shop Tip: Set a Clear and Easy Return Policy.
If your shop doesn’t already have one, consider establishing a clear and easy return policy and make it visible to guests via signage or with messaging on repair orders.
Simple policies such as “If you’re not satisfied, call us, and we’ll make it right” can go a long way in terms of letting guests know they should go straight to you if there’s something wrong.
We're happy to announce that our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction has been recognized! For Spring 2025, G2 has awarded Tekmetric with a range of badges, including Momentum Leader, Best Results, Best Usability, Most Implementable, and Grid Leader.
These awards reflect our customers' experiences and trust in Tekmetric, highlighting their role in our success.
What These Badges Mean
Momentum Leader: We're leading the pack, constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of the automotive industry.
Best Results & Best Usability: Tekmetric is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, helping you achieve the results you want.
Most Implementable: Change can be scary – That's why we've made it easy to get started and integrate with Tekmetric so you can hit the ground running.
Grid Leader: This badge showcases how our customers describe Tekmetric as the go-to solution for auto shop management.
Thank You to Our Customers
We couldn't have done it without our customers! Your feedback and support drive us to continually improve and deliver the best possible shop management experience. We're excited to continue this journey with you and can't wait to see what we accomplish together in the future. We'll continue to innovate, listen to your feedback, and provide the tools you need to run your shop.
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