Let's face it, vehicles are complex machines, and hats off to the NAPA AutoCare technicians who can diagnose and repair them when things go wrong. Here are four tips to follow when you take your vehicle in, according to service advisors and technicians.

1) Describe the problem thoroughly and accurately. When you tell friends how your day at work was, you probably go into a fair amount of detail: the boss yelled at you because you were late, the computer froze up and lost five reports you were working on, and you over-microwaved your lunch. Details, details, details. The same works when you're telling your Service Advisor the issues you are having with your vehicle. Give as many facts as you can. Did you smell something burning? Did your vehicle make a noise? Where was the noise coming from and sounds does it make? Your powers of observation can be very helpful. Consider writing these things down so when the Service Advisor is writing up your vehicle, you won't forget anything.

2) Make sure your vehicle is T-C-E: tidy, clean and empty. There's a practical and a psychological reason for this. The practical reason is the technician may have to access several areas of your vehicle to diagnose and fix the issues. If your trunk is full, for example, the technician may not be able to reach the battery that is back there. Or if there are toys piled in the passenger seat footwell, the technician may not be able to get to the components under the dash. So, keep those areas tidy and empty. The technician will also appreciate a clean space in which to work. The psychological reason is that it demonstrates that you care about your vehicle's appearance and condition. Taking it in for service means you also care about function, too, and you want everything to work the way it should.

3) Be sure to remove personal items that you want to keep private from the glove box and other areas. It is a good idea to remove medications. Those who have a legally concealed weapon should not leave it anywhere in the vehicle.

4) Don't "supervise" your technician when the work's being done. Several surveys have shown technicians work better and more efficiently when the customer isn't hanging around watching every move they make. If you drop off your vehicle, you'll be notified that it's time to pick it up. If you prefer to wait, head over to the waiting area, watch AutoNetTV, read, or get some work done. 

Your NAPA AutoCare Center is dedicated to keeping your vehicle safe and at peak performance.