At the Mechanic

My car makes a funny noise when I brake.

A very common, natural way to describe an unexpected sound.

I hear a weird knocking sound coming from the engine.

'Au niveau de' is widely used by French speakers to specify a location on a car or the body.

I have a red light that stays on on the dashboard.

Use 'qui clignote' instead of 'qui reste allumé' if the light is flashing.

The check engine light came on while I was driving.

Uses the imparfait ('roulais') to describe the background action while the light turned on.

I'd like to make an appointment to get the annual service done.

'La révision' is the standard term for a scheduled car service or tune-up.

Do you have an idea of how much it's going to cost me?

A direct but friendly way to ask about price before they start.

Could you draw up an estimate for me before starting the repairs?

Use this with staff you don't know well to ensure you aren't surprised by the final bill.

How long do you think you'll be at it?

'En avoir pour' is a very common idiom to ask how much time a task will take.

When will I be able to get my vehicle back?

Using 'récupérer' (to get back/pick up) is much more natural here than 'prendre'.

Will you need to order the parts, or do you already have them in stock?

Good for figuring out if the repair will take several days.

If you need to do other repairs, please call me first.

Sets a clear boundary so they don't do extra expensive work without asking.

Hi, I'm here to pick up the car under the name Martin. Is it ready?

A simple and common way to announce yourself when returning to the garage.

How much do I owe you in total for the work?

'L'intervention' is a natural way to refer to the repair work that was done.

Does this amount include parts and labor?

'La main-d'œuvre' is the specific term for labor costs.