Thinking of leaving car at mechanic overnight? Its not a great idea. Your car might end up missing some crucial parts, becoming damaged, or worse getting stolen. Let’s see all the reasons why you shouldn’t do it.
Most car owners take either vehicle to the mechanic for routine maintenance or to replace any vital components.
Sometimes the work does not get over in the day, and you forcefully leave the car at the auto repair shop the whole night. So, is it a matter of worry?
The shop owner is expected to take care of your vehicle like his own. But in reality, it is not so.
Leaving the car at the mechanic overnight may leave you to repent for years, especially when you leave the vehicle overnight in a roadside repair shop.
You may take risks if your vehicle is not that fancy and expensive. But still, there is a risk of developing scratches or theft of some vital parts in your car.
Why Should Not You Leave Your Car At Mechanic Overnight?
You heard a strange engine noise and cannot pinpoint its exact reason. You decided to take your vehicle to the nearest mechanic.
He opened the car hood, checked the engine, and informed you that it would take many hours to repair.
So, you are forced to leave your car the entire night.
Leaving your car the whole night in an auto repair shop is not wise. Below are a few reasons why it is not advisable to not leave a vehicle at a repair shop overnight.
#1. Chances Of More Damage
Some vehicle owners leave their cars the whole night at a roadside auto repair shop. But it can cause more damage o their vehicle.
The mechanic can use some used or inexpensive components to quickly fix your vehicle and move it to the next client’s car.
He may leave some vital things to repair or forget to check some essential components like the fuel filter or air filter to check. You pay money in the morning and take your vehicle.
You will not experience issues instantly.
But after driving for some time, you will experience a loss of power or a reduction in acceleration, and in the worst cases, your engine may shut down.
#2. Vehicle Can Be Used For Commercial Reasons
You left your car in a mechanic shop for repair overnight and decided to tour your locality by booking a cab.
After a few hours, you notice that the car in which you were moving everywhere is your car.
Some mechanic uses their client car for commercial purposes to make more money.
Additionally, you will notice that the gas tank was almost full when you left your car in the automobile repair shop.
But when you pick up your vehicle in the morning, then it’s very less or near to empty. Most shop owners will never spend money on buying fuel for you.
#3. Someone Can Steal Your Vehicle
Have you decided to leave your car overnight at a roadside mechanic? If yes, then your vehicle is at high risk.
Car thieves or even auto shop owners can steal your luxurious car. You will end up having to get the owner arrested and filing a case against him.
The case may not get solved quickly, and you will be tired of giving money to the lawyer and running a court.
Additionally, some of the essential components of your car can get stolen. For instance, if you have new tires, then it can attract car thieves.
They can use appropriate tools and, within a few minutes, remove your new tires from the car and take it.
Moreover, batteries, catalytic converters,s or stereo systems can be taken by thieves.
If you leave some electronic items like a laptop by mistake inside your car, then t can also be stolen.
#4. Your Car Can Have Scratches
The mechanic in the auto repair shop can test your car on the road and may collide with any vehicle.
It can develop scratches on your car, which drops the aesthetic value of the vehicle.
What Can You Do To Prevent the Above Issues?
You spend a lot of money on purchasing a car. Losing vital parts or valuable items and developing scratches is annoying and frustrating.
Well, you can do a few things to prevent the above problems. We are listing them below.
#1. Remove All The Valuable Things
If you leave your vehicle overnight in a repair shop, remove all the valuable items like laptops or sports gear from the car.
#2. Invite Mechanic To Your Garage
You can invite a mechanic to your garage and keep an eye on it while repairing your expensive car.
#3. Always Try To Take Your Vehicle On The Same Day From The Shop
You must always try to take back your car from the auto repair shop on the same day. It will prevent your vehicle from scratches or valuable items to steal.
Try to always stand beside your car when the mechanic tries to repair your vehicle.
You will not only develop some technical knowledge but also can prevent any possible damage and scratches.
#4. Investigate Few Things
You need to investigate numerous things, like where the repair shop will park your car overnight. Is the place correct and secured to keep your vehicle?
Does the garage cover any insurance if there is any unexpected damage?
We will advise you to investigate thoroughly and then leave your car overnight in a garage for repair parts or a routine checkup.
Who Will Pay For The Unanticipated Damage To Your Car?
Most of the auto repair shops now have garage keepers insurance. The insurance policy will cover the damage caused in your vehicle while working or test driving.
The insurance is usually of the following types, which are listed below.
#1. Legal Liability(Good)
This type of garage keeper insurance will only cover if there is any damage done unexpectedly by a mechanic while repairing your vehicle.
But it will not cover if any customer hits your car by mistake. It will also not cover costs if a hail storm or windstorm damages your vehicle.
If a car owner has purchased an auto insurance policy that covers all the physical damage to the car, then your vehicle is protected.
But if you have an old car and only have legal liability garage keepers insurance, remember that your vehicle is not protected.
#2. Direct Excess(Better)
This garage keepers insurance will cover almost all the things covered by the legal liability and excess coverage.
Now, what is excess coverage? Suppose a tree falls on your car because of a wind storm and has various engine components; then, it’s not the fault of the repair shop.
The repair shop will cover costs if you don’t have car insurance coverage. If you have, then you must call the insurance company for help.
#3. Direct Primary (Best)
The direct primary coverage will cover the cost even if you don’t have legal liability or any other insurance coverage for your vehicle.
The difference is that the cost between direct excess and direct primary is relatively small, but try to choose direct primary to protect your car completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
#1. How long can a car garage keep your vehicle?
There is no fixed time limit to answer this question. A garage can keep your car indefinitely because it depends on the word load of an auto repair shop.
Your vehicle can be kept for longer hours or even one day if the workload is more.
Additionally, if your car is vintage or unique, then some components are not available locally. So the auto repair shop takes time to order the parts.
#2. Can a garage keep your car overnight?
If any vehicle is unavailable or cannot be repaired for some reason, the garage has the right to keep your car overnight.
Additionally, the garage can keep your vehicle overnight if you don’t pay the entire money.
#3. Is it safe to leave things in the car overnight?
No, leaving your valuable items inside the car is unsafe if you are compelled to keep the vehicle for routine Maintainance in the garage.
Someone can steal your valuable things, and in worse cases, you will file a case against the mechanic. Well, it will take a long time, and you will soon be tired of paying fees to a lawyer.
#4. What to do if the car breaks down in the middle of the night?
Your car can break down for several reasons, like a dead battery or engine overheating. Don’t panic in this situation.
You can take help from the traffic police or car insurance company for assistance.
Wrap Up
You spend a lot of money on buying a car. But after using var for several days, some parts may get damaged.
You may also need to do routine checkups within a gap of 6 months to one year and for which you have to leave your car for several hours in the garage.
Sometimes the regular checkup cannot be completed within the day, and you are compelled to leave the vehicle overnight.
Try to remove all the valuable items from the car.
Additionally, thoroughly investigate the insurance policy and various other things before leaving your vehicle overnight in the garage, as there is a risk of collision, theft, and scratch.
Thank you for reading this article.
