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Mechanics' papers go under scrutiny

State inspectors visit more than 400 Pasco auto repair shops to check compliance with rules on estimates.

By HEATHER URQUIDES
Published March 21, 2006

Sasha Velez had a bit of a rough Monday in Pasco County.

One auto mechanic threw her out of his shop, after spewing a few choice words. Her driving directions failed her a few times. And she had to drive her new car down a dirt road full of potholes.

It was all in a day's work for Velez, 33, an investigator with the Consumer Services Division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

This week the department is conducting a countywide sweep of all 489 registered auto repair shops. Investigators are looking to see whether the shops are complying with state regulations regarding estimates and invoices for repairs.

"It is critical that shops are properly registered and providing written estimates and invoices," Charles Bronson, commissioner of the state's Agriculture and Consumer Services Department, said in a statement.

"Shops that fail to comply with those requirements are not treating consumers fairly and enjoy a competitive advantage over shops that follow the rules."

Investigators estimate that 10 to 15 percent of the shops they will visit this week will need to change the way they advise or bill customers for repair work, said Tony McDowell, the division's investigations supervisor.

For instance, during a sweep of Pinellas County's 988 shops last month, investigators cited 127 for using bad forms.

As of Monday afternoon, investigators had cited 19 Pasco auto repair shops for providing incomplete estimates or invoices, he said. Each citation carries a $300 fine.

Velez, from Orlando, is one of 10 state inspectors visiting Pasco shops this week.

On Monday, she traipsed through industrial parks, stopped at a few U.S. 19 shops and drove down dirt roads to find people doing business out of their homes.

In shops using the state-approved forms, Velez was in and out in less than five minutes. Other shops had switched forms without informing the state, or for some other reason, did not have a form in their file.

There, Velez had to carefully go over the paperwork, making sure they included all of the requisite information.

Florida requires shops to provide customers with 21 specific details about the work, from whether the labor will be calculated as a flat or hourly fee to whether the work will be guaranteed.

Shops also are required to submit boilerplate invoice and estimate forms to the state for approval when they're first licensed, as well as whenever they change them.

As of Monday afternoon, Velez had cited three auto repair shops for using bad forms: Integrity Auto, Pasco Paint and Body and Pete's Auto Body.

"A lot of folks switch them in and out or decide not to use them," she said.

People also get into trouble for using general repair work invoices from office supply stores, she said. Those don't include all the information required by state law.

On Monday morning, several shop keepers were agreeable to Velez's inspection. Some even expected her as word of the sweep was released last week.

But she also gets her fair share of attitude.

When she has to tell mostly male shop owners that they aren't doing things the way they should, things can get testy. Testosterone can fly, especially in the face of a $300 fine.

"They don't like a woman coming in and telling them" what to do, she said. "I've been called lots of colorful names."

Others just like to tell her they know best. If she had a dollar for every time she's heard the "I've been in business for 20 years and never had a complaint and here you are bothering me about a form" spiel, she could retire.

--Heather Urquides can be reached at 813 909-4613 or toll free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4613. Her e-mail address is hurquides@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 21, 2006, 02:30:40]