Why Quoting Isn’t Always Straightforward (And Why We’ll Always Be Honest About It)
We know what you’re thinking:
“Just give me a price so I know what I’m up for.”
And trust us, we get it. You’ve got bills to pay, a life to plan, and you don’t want a heart attack when the invoice rolls in. The problem is, when it comes to car repairs and servicing... quoting isn't always that simple.
We’re not trying to be vague or make it hard. We just want to do the job right …. and that means we can’t always give you a locked-in, fixed price the second you call.
We know there’s a trust issue. That’s fair.
Let’s be real. A lot of people have been burnt before. Dodgy mechanics, sneaky upsells, workshops that turn a small job into a full engine rebuild “while we were in there.” No wonder people are cautious.
But here’s how we do things at Garage 22:
No commissions on “upsells”
No sales targets.
No pressure to “upgrade” or spend more.
We don’t make money off convincing you to fix things you don’t need. Our crew just wants to do the work properly, keep your car safe, and not stuff around.
So why can’t we just give you a quote?
Because every car is different. Even if it’s the same make, model, and year as the one we saw last week.
Your 90,000km service might look like a textbook job. But maybe the last shop cut corners. Maybe it’s had DIY fixes. Maybe it’s missed a few services. Maybe the spark plugs are fused in, or someone’s stripped the sump plug. We don’t know until we get it up on the hoist and actually dig in.
That’s why we give you an estimate range, not a fixed number. And if things start heading outside that range?
We’ll stop.
We’ll call you.
We’ll explain exactly what’s going on and what it’ll cost.
And we’ll get your go-ahead before we touch anything else.
You’ll always be looped in. That’s a non-negotiable.
It’s not about more money … it’s about doing it right
We’re not here to squeeze every dollar out of you. That’s not our game.
But we do check more than some places. Because honestly? We care. We don’t want you driving around in a ticking time bomb because something got missed during a “cheap” service.
If we tell you something needs doing, it’s because it matters. Not to us … to your safety, your wallet in the long run, and your car actually running how it should.
Quoting takes time (and time ain’t free)
Here’s something most people don’t realise: quoting properly takes ages. We’re not talking two-minute Googling. We mean:
Looking up your vehicle specs
Sourcing parts
Checking supplier pricing
Writing it all up clearly
Explaining it over the phone
For big jobs, that can be hours of admin….. and when quotes don’t go ahead, that’s time we could’ve spent on the tools. More quoting = less messy car stuff = higher hourly rates for everyone.
We’d rather keep it simple, honest, and fair …. and focus on the jobs we know we’re doing.
Afterpay and Zip Pay are here to help too
Look, we get that not everyone has a few hundred (or thousand) bucks spare when something goes wrong. That’s why we offer Afterpay and Zip Pay, so if the job ends up a bit bigger than planned, you’ve got flexible ways to manage it without putting off what actually needs doing.
We know it can be frustrating not to have a set-in-stone quote. But when you work with us, you’ll always get honesty, clear communication, and a team that actually gives a shit.
No surprises. No upsell BS. Just good, safe, reliable work …. and a team that treats your car like someone we care about is going to be in it.
Got questions? Call us. Message us. Come have a chat
