Waldorf Auto Repair

Policies, Requirements, Disclaimers

This listing was last revised on 07 February 2023. PLEASE NOTE A MORE CURRENT VERSION MAY BE AVAILABLE.

CHARGES AND FEES

• Labor Rate- Our posted labor rate is $170 per hour. Our labor rate for European vehicles is $189 per hour. We use industry-standard labor guides as a guideline for estimating flat-rate labor repairs. Itemized estimates are always provided in advance prior to the performance or authorization of any work. In specific circumstances where industry-standard guides offer no assistance if estimating flat-rate labor repairs, our experience and knowledge on the vehicle and type of repair needed will provide the basis to estimate flat-rate labor hour repairs.
• Waste Disposal- We collect a $2.50 fee, per tire, to aid in its safe eco-friendly disposal. Additionally, a $4.39 fee will be collected, per invoice with repairs that handle with fluids, if any must be drained during your service, to ensure they are removed, stored and recycled in a eco-friendly manner.
• Shop Supplies- These fees are collected on every repair order; they help assist the shop in providing materials that are used during your vehicles repair process. Collection of the fees may help go toward providing the facility with, but not limited to: lubricants, bolts, cleaners, solvents, rags, etc.
• State-Mandated Taxes- Maryland State Law requires customers to pay a 6% sales tax on parts that are purchased for repair. There is NO sales tax calculated on labor.

WARRANTIES

• What To Do If There's A Problem- If you experience an issue that you believe is directly related to work that was recently performed at J.J.'s Auto Service Center, contact us immediately to schedule a diagnostics and/or check over of the vehicle to verify your concerns. Allow us the opportunity to determine if this is a warrantable failure. Warrantable failures can in most cases be addressed at no additional cost to you. Exceptions will apply to fluids, shop supplies, and single-use items such as one-time-use bolts, gaskets, etc., these are not covered or replaced under warranty. If your concern goes unaddressed and or unattended to, and J.J.'s Auto Service Center is not made aware, our warranties will not cover any damages caused by continued driving or time-lapse with a known problem. If an existing problem is known by J.J.'s Auto Service Center, that will affect the functionality and mechanical integrity of the part installed and/or service warrantied, the repair of any known existing problem is required to keep the warranty valid.  J.J.'s Auto Service Center reserves the right to provide the customer with a due date and/or a mileage limit that may not be exceeded in order to maintain the valid warranty on the part installed and/or service rendered by us. This statement includes damages and modifications to the part and the components it mates with or affixes to (we are able to determine part failure via a thorough inspection, diagnostic tools, and the vehicle's internal data history).
• Parts Workmanship- Our standard warranty on workmanship is for 24months/24,000 miles, this means whichever comes first. As an entity, we do not warranty parts, the parts manufacturers warranty their products that are purchased through our suppliers. Members of J.J.'s Auto Service Center, if currently active at the time of purchase, receive an extended warranty period of an additional 12 months/12,000 miles, for a total warranty period of 36 months/36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Any warranty that does not meet our standard 24-month/ 24,000 mile warranty will be specified and expressly written on the customer invoice.
• Warranty Limitations- All warranties are immediately rendered null and void if the vehicle is used for illegal uses such as but not limited to racing. Additionally, abusing a vehicle in a manner inconsistent with its design and intended purpose is grounds for a voided warranty. Modifying or tampering with J.J.'s repair by anyone, including the vehicle's owner is not allowed under our warranty provisions. For example, we cannot warranty a suspension component that our facility installed, and that was later broken by taking the vehicle off-roading.
• Customer-Supplied Parts- While we offer all customers the ability and the freedom to use their own components, be mindful that there is no warranty whatsoever when services are rendered using these provided components. We cannot guarantee the components you provide will repair your vehicle, this includes but is not limited to turning off check engine lights based on diagnostics received at another facility and or J.J.'s. Please make sure the component you are providing is the right one. If we must remove an original component, to afterward find the replacement that was provided is incorrect we will have to charge additional labor as is appropriate to put the vehicle back together. J.J.'s cannot guarantee that a component is correctly installed if replacement fluids, gaskets, or supplies are not provided at the time of installation or declined based on our recommendation.
• Parts Warranty Duration When possible, we only use parts with part-replacement warranties of at least one year or longer. Parts replacement costs are covered by manufacturers warranties for 12 months and or 12,000 miles, this means whichever comes first. Total labor coverage varies by manufacturer and part. In this case, J.J.'s will expressly write the appropriate warranty for that particular purchase.
• Special Order/Dealer-Sourced Parts Warranties and Procedures- Most special order and dealer-sourced parts are non-returnable. In the instance that they are, some cases will impose a return shipping fee that may also incur a restocking charge. These sourced components follow their suppliers parts warranty, any changes to the warranties time period will be included into the bottom portion of the invoice where the part or job is stated clearly. Any return shipping, or restocking fees incurred will be the responsibility of the customer to pay for.

MANUFACTURER'S NEW TIRE LIMITED WARRANTY

This warranty applies to passenger and light truck tires only, and tires must be present for warranty. ALL tires sold by J.J.'s Auto Service Center are sold with a MANUFACTURER'S LIMITED WARRANTY applicable only to the original purchaser and used only on the vehicle originally installed on, for the life of the tread against any irregularities in workmanship and/or materials up to the cost of replacement or refund of the original purchase. If a tire covered by the manufacturer's warranty becomes unserviceable, J.J.'s Auto will replace such tire with a new tire of like kind and quality on a pro-rated basis. Also, many tires come with a limited mileage warranty. If our examination shows that your tire(s) did not attain warranted mileage when proper service procedures were followed, then J.J.'s Auto will replace the tires on a pro-rated mileage basis down to 2/32nds tread depth. The customer shall pay a minimum replacement fee of $15.99 for installation and wheel balance plus optional road hazard warranty and applicable state and federal (FET) taxes. See below for calculating the pro-rated price and what this warranty does not apply to.

Calculating the pro-rated price: The pro-rated price will be calculated by multiplying the current J.J.'s Auto retail price by the percentage of original usable tread worn. Example; 50% tread worn multiplied by the current selling price of $130 equals a pro-rated selling price of $65 (the first 2/32 of a tire will be considered new and be adjusted as 0% worn) plus the applicable replacement fee. If a more expensive tire is chosen as a replacement tire, then the difference in selling price will be added to the pro-rated price. Original usable tread is measured from the original tread down to 2/32nds of an inch.

LIMITED ROAD HAZARD CONTRACT

J.J.'s Auto Service Center offers a limited road hazard adjustment contract which may be purchased at the time of your new tire purchase. This plan is not a warranty nor a guarantee nor a policy of insurance. This plan is a service contract between you (the buyer) and J.J.'s Auto Service Center. If it is determined by J.J.'s Auto that the damaged tire covered by this plan is repairable, J.J.'s Auto will make the repair at no cost to the customer. Road hazard damage such as that caused by potholes, nails, glass, and road debris not covered by the manufacturer, not repairable and when such damage is determined by J.J.'s Auto to be covered under this plan will be replaced by paying the following percentages of the current selling price of new tire for up to 3 years from date of purchase or until the tire is worn down to 3/32 tread depth: 1st Year = No charge, 2nd Year = 50%, 3rd Year = 75%. The customer shall pay a $15.99 minimum replacement fee that covers installation, wheel balance and old tire disposal plus the optional road hazard coverage for the new tire, and applicable state and federal (FET) taxes.

Above limited warranties do not apply to:1. Cuts, punctures, flats, road hazards, tires run flat (unless receipt shows road hazard contract) 2. Tires used on commercial or recreational vehicles 3. Tires with premature or irregular wear due to improper inflation, wheel misalignment, lack of rotation (recommended every 5,000 miles), improper wheel balance, necessary vehicle repairs not maintained (worn steering/suspension parts) 4. Tires damaged by fire, wrecks, misuse, abuse or obstructions on the vehicle 5. Sidewall damage from curbs or other cosmetic damage 6. Tire uniformity complaints after the first 2/32nds of tread wear 7. Improper installation.

CAUTION TO OWNERS OF MAG WHEELS, ALLOY WHEELS OR CUSTOM WHEELS: The wheels lug nuts must be retorqued within 100 miles and checked periodically or an extremely hazardous condition may result. J.J.'s Auto will retorque these lug nuts within 100 miles at no charge and assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury that may occur if the customer fails to have the lug nuts checked as recommended.

ESTIMATES

• Estimate Lifespans - Since parts pricing and their availability change over time, written estimates are valid for thirty (30) days. If you would like to return and have us perform repairs quoted on an estimate that is older than 30 days, we're happy to oblige, however chances are there could be a total cost change.
• Aftermarket Surprises - Estimates are based on vehicles stock and originally equipped configuration; aftermarket modifications and additions (e.g., alarm/remote-start systems, custom auto sound, engine modifications, body kits, cold air intakes, aftermarket performance) may incur additional labor charges as appropriate. If such surprises are discovered, repairs will halt, and you will be contacted you with an updated estimate before repairs can continue. We reserve the right to cancel/abort any repair that involves additional labor for aftermarket modifications. If you refuse to pay for the additional labor required, and under Maryland Law you may still be liable for teardown time. Please allow us to be true to our initial estimates and inform the staff of any modifications your vehicle has.

COMPLETION TIMEFRAMES

• Best Efforts At Expediency- We always strive to complete jobs as quickly and appropriately as practical. Unforeseen factors may hinder us from delivering to you a completed repair in the initial completion window quota. These factors may include the amount of rust or corrosion that is present on the vehicle, unintended/unexpected parts issues (e.g., receiving the wrong part and having to reorder the correct one), during any time frame change you will be updated and we will provide an additional time completion window. We understand that this may be an inconvenience. However J.J.'s cannot, and will not, assume any responsibility for delays that are beyond our control, such as those previously mentioned. J.J.'s cannot reimburse for the inconvenience, discount a service or repair and or offer rental repayment options.
• Realistic Expectations- Things can and do "go wrong," and as a result, we must ask for a degree of flexibility and for realistic expectations on the part of customers with regard to completion timeframes. When informed that a bolt broke, when removing it from your vehicle during the repair, and expecting a job to not take any longer than initially predicted, for example, is not a realistic expectation.
• No Exclusivity- We cannot, and do not, give any one authorized repair order any form of exclusivity. Additionally, we will not ignore other customers/jobs/calls while attending to any one vehicle. Other repair orders may be scheduled, and their work performed, while a larger job is in progress. If this happens due, this can push estimated time completion back on the larger job.

DIAGNOSTICS

• Accurate Diagnostics- We cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of anyone elses diagnostics but our own. Our diagnostics is offered when replacing components to provide an additional layer of warranty on your repair. Diagnostics ensure the component that is being replaced, is done so to address your concerns and needs. Due to the complexity of a vehicle, we cannot guarantee that one diagnosis will cure every problem a vehicle has in a single repair action, some diagnostics require addressing multiple layers and we will do our part to inform you of this, before proceeding forward.
• Multiple Problems/Issues- It is not only possible, but common, for a vehicle to have more than one issue with similar and or overlapping symptoms. Finding and fixing one issue could reveal another. As such, we cannot guarantee that one diagnosis will cure every problem a vehicle has in a single repair operation. Additionally, this applies to a vehicle owner making the choice to not use our diagnosticians recommended repair/operation and instead take the advice of an outside recommendation for the vehicle's repair.
• Diagnostic Timeframes- Some problems may be time-consuming to diagnose. In such cases we may request preapproval for additional diagnostic time.

PARTS

• Parts Quality- We only use and recommend OEM-quality-designed parts from manufacturers with impressive records of quality. Be mindful, if you're looking to save money on automotive repairs, that using with the cheapest parts is often a truly false economy. Components that are readily available in "DIY" stores, are of a different manufacturer and quality than "commercial" graded components (and with pricing that reflects the quality difference).
• Specialty Fluids- Certain older vehicles, specific models, manufacturers, and newer vehicles require specific fluids for system components. Coolant isn't always just coolant, a specific compatible and tested fluid may be recommended for use by the manufacture, and that is what will be recommended to use. For example, if your vehicle requires $20-a-quart engine oil, that's what we will be recommend by our facility. If you choose to not use a recommended fluid and defer to a more economical alternative, J.J.'s is not responsible for any damage to that component or additionally connecting components. No warranty will be provided on their repair or component if a recommended fluid is not used.
• Old Parts- As per Maryland Law, you have the right to request your old parts be made available to you for your inspection, provided that such a request is made when work is approved. If a core charge applies to any given part, you must pay for the charge it if you wish to keep the old part.
• Plastic Parts- We assume no responsibility for plastics on a vehicle that see breakage. Many plastic-like components used in vehicles are or can become brittle with time and are prone to breakage without warning, regardless of how carefully they are handled. This is especially true of plastic parts that are exposed to sunlight, e.g., dash pads and plastic trim pieces.
• Contacting Our Suppliers- We do not release any supplier contact information to customers, we additionally reserve the right to terminate all business relations with a customer that contacts our suppliers directly.
• Customer-Supplied Parts Safety- We reserve the right to refuse or install any part that we feel would compromise the safety and safe operation of a vehicle.
• Broken Bolts- We are not responsible for any bolt that may experience breakage under any circumstances, even if the bolt in question broke by our hand. The reasoning for this is multitude: we have no way of proving if a previous repair damaged the bolt or the threads into which it mounts, we have no way of proving if a bolt was damaged due to environmental factors as some bolts are prone to breakage due to degradation, rust, corrosion, oxidation, etc. Additionally, some bolts are single use and require replacement immediately due to threads that stretch. At times a bolt will just fail, they are not too different from hard parts, and no matter how carefully and or gently you worked with it. If a bolt breaks, we may be required to charge additional labor, and provide additionally parts if needed.

PAYMENTS

• Payment Arrangements- Payment in full is required upon completion of services. We do not accept efforts to make payment arrangements after-the-fact.
• Deposit for Services Exceeding $1000- For any service(s) exceeding $1000, a 50% deposit is required to start the repair order process.
• Parts Pre-Payment- We require all parts be prepaid for on invoices with a pre-tax total of $500 or more, especially if shipping of a component is needed or if the part is single-use or non-returnable without a restocking fee..
• Special-Order/High-Cost Part Prepayment- We require special-order or large-ticket parts be prepaid for in full total, before they can be ordered. If a component must be shipped in via third party or transferred to a local dealership from elsewhere, it's considered "special-order"; Parts with pre-tax sale prices of $100 or more are considered "high-cost" and so are single use components. Ordering of parts may be subject to delay until prepayment clears our bank if prepayments are made via credit card.
• Returned Parts- Returned parts may be subject to restocking fees - if the supplier charges one, we must be reimbursed for this.
• Refunds- We require that any refunds be made to the same payment method as the original payment. Debit cards are still cards regardless of where the funding comes from - we do not give cash/check refunds for charges paid with a debit card, as we generally don't carry much cash on hand for security reasons. Special order parts are NON-REFUNDABLE.
• Sales Taxes- Offering to pay cash, not wanting a receipt, etc. does not mean we will not collect sales tax. There are additionally, no cash discounts. Sales tax is required by law, and we must collect the fee for the state, so you don't have to pay it.
• Returned Checks- While we accept cash, credit cards, and checks as payment, we reserve the right to charge the maximum allowed under Maryland Law for returned checks.

UNACCEPTABLE ACTS OR BEHAVIORS

NOTE: It is somewhat sad that this section even needs to be included, but some people make this section necessary.

• Threats To Our Associates- We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding threats against our associates. Any threat of any type or nature directed at a J.J.'s Auto Service Center associate will not be tolerated. Communication will be terminated, and work will immediately stop if currently in progress. We will no longer perform any services for a customer that threatens one of our associates. This also extends to any friends, family, and/or associates of said customers. We will not complete any job that we abandon in-progress due to threats and reserve the right to demand payment for the portion of the job that was completed. If necessary, local authorities may be contacted and reports filed, please be aware that in this event, any and all personal information given to J.J.'s from you will be given to the local authorities to help protect our associates safety and wellbeing.
• Threats Against J.J.'s Auto Service Center- We also have a zero-tolerance policy regarding threats against the company. Again, any threat of any type or nature, whether physical or otherwise, such as threatening to take unwarranted legal action and or threatening to file unwarranted complaints with the State of Maryland and/or the BBB. Threats and or actions of this kind will not be tolerated. Our response to threats against the company is the same as for threats made against our associates - all work immediately ceases, and we will no longer perform services of any kind for that customer. (We define "unwarranted" in this context as "the customer is upset with us but not for anything we did or didn't do, and/or is upset with us regarding any issue that is being handled under a suppliers warranty, and/or is upset with us for any reason that is beyond our control.")
• Drug/Alcohol Abuse- We reserve the right to refuse to perform services for customers that are obviously drunk, on drugs, etc. Drinking and drug usage at J.J.'s is strictly not allowed. This includes vaping/smoking e-devices that contain THC and or have an odor similar to marijuana.
• Sexual Harassment- We have a strict zero tolerance for unwanted physical contact. No visitor is allowed to make unwelcomed physical advances toward a J.J.'s staff member, nor is any staff member. All patrons and staff members are asked to keep to themselves, remain professional and not advance on anyone in a manner that may seem predatorial. J.J.'s Auto Service Center is a place of respect and welcomeness that everyone should feel comfortable in.

LEGAL

• Know Your Rights- You must receive a written, itemized repair estimate on request. Once we give you an estimate, any deviation above that price of 10% or $50, whichever is less, requires your approval. (We usually contact at around $20-$25.) State Law also grants additional legal protections for auto repair customers, as well as providing protections for auto repair facilities to protect themselves against unscrupulous customers.
• Permission To Operate Vehicle- By allowing us to perform repair work on your vehicle, you are also granting us permission to use the vehicle on public roadways for diagnostic, testing, and verification purposes.
• Releasing Vehicles- We cannot release a vehicle to any other person or party but its owner unless specifically told to do so. If you want us to give the keys to a friend or relative, you must tell us this in advance.
• Things We Cannot Control- We are not responsible for things beyond our control, which includes, but is by no means limited to, the following:
  • Acts of God, acts of nature, etc. (e.g., temporary closure brought on by a hurricane);
  • Incorrect/inaccurate information from a parts supplier (e.g., misquotes on pricing);
  • Mistakes on the part of a supplier (e.g., receiving the wrong part);
  • Shipping delays, especially during transit (e.g., storms in Tennessee causing delays in shipping anything through Memphis via FedEx);
  • Incorrect/inaccurate diagnostic and repair information provided to us from reference sources (e.g., wrong labor times in labor guides)
• Right Of Refusal- In accordance with Federal and State Law, we reserve the right to refuse to perform any repairs we would consider inappropriate or unsuited to the problem at hand or that would in our opinion render the completed vehicle unsafe to drive.
• Mechanics Liens- Maryland law provides mechanisms for auto repair facilities to protect themselves against non-payment by customers. The principal mechanism is the "mechanics lien, which, thanks to state reciprocity laws, will block the sale, transfer, and registration of a vehicle throughout most of the United States. All repairs are assumed to be protected by an implied mechanic lien as well as all other mechanisms provided for under Federal and State Law.
• Before You Call Your Attorney- If there's a problem, contact us immediately. Most situations can be worked out to mutual satisfaction without any difficulty and with minimal to no expense. Please note that as standing policy we automatically terminate all business relations with customers that threaten legal action when it's unnecessary and unwarranted, and we automatically countersue on all small claims cases, so please consider the filing of a civil suit to be a last-resort option, not a first-strike weapon.