Workshops love the word transparent. It appears on banners next to “genuine parts” and “computerised.” None of those words tell you what will happen when the pads are more worn than expected and nobody called you. Transparency is a process you can describe in three sentences. If a garage cannot describe it, they do not have it.
A name, not a counter
You should know who is responsible for the vehicle. Not “the floor manager,” not a rotating set of technicians you never meet. Relatim checks a verified mechanic for the job. If something is wrong later, there is a person and a record, which is also why we stay involved instead of vanishing after the intro.
An itemised estimate, not a package name
“Silver service” is not information. Oil grade, oil quantity, oil filter, air filter, cabin filter, brake fluid, coolant — those are information. Labour should be separate from parts. When a quote is built that way, comparing two mechanics takes a minute. When it is not, you are comparing marketing. Get the quote before work starts is the habit; the itemisation is the content of that habit.
Approval before extra spend
Opening a car can reveal work that was not visible. That is normal. Adding it to the bill without a conversation is not. The standard is simple: if it is beyond the estimate, it is a phone call, with a number, and you decide. Relatim treats that as part of how the job runs, not as a courtesy.
Old parts, receipts, and photos
Ask for the replaced part. Ask for a photo of the wear if you are not standing there. Ask for a GST invoice if you need one. None of this is aggressive. It is how you keep a record for the next service and for any warranty on the part. A mechanic who bristles at the request has told you something useful before the work begins.
What transparency is not
- A live GPS tracker on a van. Nice to have, not the same as a clear bill.
- A long terms-and-conditions page. Fine print is the opposite of a conversation.
- “OEM procedures” as a reason you cannot be told the price yet. Procedures and quotes can coexist.
How Relatim uses this in practice
You message the vehicle and the job. We check who can do it. The mechanic confirms the cost with you before starting. If the scope changes, you hear about it before the spend. That is transparent ownership in one visit, repeated every visit. Start from the homepage or get a free quote on WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a WhatsApp price a real estimate?
Yes, if it is itemised and the mechanic agrees to call before doing anything beyond it. A single round figure with no breakdown is a placeholder, not transparency.
What if extra work is genuinely needed?
That happens. Transparency is the phone call at the time, with a new number, not a surprise at collection. You can say no to the extra and still collect the vehicle.
Should I ask to see old parts?
Yes. A fair mechanic expects it. It costs nothing and removes any doubt about whether a replacement happened.