(a) If none of the repairs are to be performed by licensee at licensee’s establishment, then before taking custody of a motor vehicle, the licensee or his agent shall disclose to the owner or his agent, the trade name, address, and telephone number where the vehicle will be repaired.
(b) Before disassembling a major component of the motor vehicle, the licensee or his agent shall disclose to the owner or his agent that a major component of the motor vehicle will need to be disassembled in order for an estimate to be made.
(c) Prior to repair work being performed on a motor vehicle, the licensee or his agent shall provide the owner or his agent, either in writing or by telephone, an estimate of total charges for repairs, not including sales tax, and an estimate of time to complete the repairs. A licensee is not required to give an estimate of total charges for repairs and an estimate of time to complete repairs for a job of $15 or less.
(d) After receiving the estimate, the owner or his agent may either authorize the repairs at the estimate of cost and time or request return of the motor vehicle in a disassembled state or in reasonably the same condition as when released to the licensee, in which case the licensee or his agent shall make the motor vehicle available for possession within three working days from the time of request, and shall receive payment only for those items on the schedule of charges to which he is entitled. If authorization of an estimate of total charges for repairs or an estimate of time to complete repairs is made by telephone, the licensee or his agent shall record in writing on the work order or invoice, the date, time, name of the person authorizing the repairs, and the telephone number called together with a list of parts, labor, and the total cost.
(e) A licensee shall not charge for repairs an amount exceeding the estimate by more than 10 percent or $10, whichever is greater, unless the owner or his agent is notified by telephone or in writing and authorizes the increased cost estimate. If authorization of an increased cost estimate is made by telephone, the licensee or his agent shall record in writing on the work order or invoice, the date, time, name of the person authorizing the additional cost, and the telephone number called together with a list of additional parts, labor, and the total additional cost.
(f) Should the licensee be unable to complete the repairs in the time estimated, he shall notify the owner or his agent of this fact, after which notification the owner or his agent may request return of the motor vehicle in either an assembled or disassembled state, in which case the licensee or his agent shall make the motor vehicle available for possession within three working days from the date of request and the licensee shall receive payment for the work actually done and those items on the schedule of charges to which he is entitled. If authorization of an extended estimate of time to repair is made by telephone, the licensee or his agent shall record in writing on the work order or invoice, the date, time, name of the person authorizing the repairs, and the telephone number called.
(g) The licensee or his agent shall give the owner or his agent a copy of all documents that require the signature of the owner or his agent at the time the documents are signed.
(h) Other than the disclosures required by this article and the following standard work order agreement provisions, if any other preprinted provision is stipulated on a document which the customer signs it must be in eight point type. If any provisions appear on a side other than that which the customer signs, a notice must appear just above the customer’s signature calling attention to additional terms and conditions and their location on the document. For the purposes of this section, the standard work order agreement provisions are as follows:
(1) authorization of repairs to be made;
(2) permission to operate motor vehicle;
(3) acknowledgment of mechanic’s lien to secure amount of repairs; and
(4) limitation on liability for loss or damage. (Ord. Nos. 14487; 16476)