Before and After Auto Repair Photos

Photos turn a repair from a line on an invoice into something you can see. A brake pad worn to the backing plate, a tire with cords showing on the inner edge, or a cracked belt makes the need obvious. The after photo shows what you paid for.

We already take photos during inspections so customers can approve work with confidence. This gallery collects some of those photos, with permission, so new customers can see what the process looks like before they book. You can see how inspection photos fit into a visit on the digital inspection sample.

Each entry will follow the same simple format so it is easy to compare. You will see the complaint, the before photo, what we found, what was approved, the after photo, and the result of the road test when the job needed one.

Vehicle details will be general, like "midsize SUV" or "half-ton pickup," and no customer names or plates will appear.

The labeled slots on this page mark the first set of before and after pairs we plan to publish. Each one is a common job where a photo explains more than a paragraph.

1. Brake pads and rotors: worn pads and scored rotors, then the new parts installed.
2. Inner-edge tire wear: a tire worn on one edge, then the alignment printout after adjustment. See tire wear patterns.
3. Flat repair from inside: the puncture on the inner liner, then the patch and plug in place.
4. Cracked serpentine belt: the cracked belt, then the new belt routed correctly.
5. Battery terminal corrosion: the corroded terminals, then the cleaned and protected posts.
6. Rental walkaround: a trailer hitch connection and lights check before pickup.

We will not post staged jobs, stock photos, pictures taken at another business, or cases written up to sound more dramatic than they were. We also will not show photos without the customer's permission or any detail that identifies a person.

The gallery is meant to show normal, honest work. Many real repairs are not dramatic. A brake pad at a few millimeters is a good example: it is worth replacing soon, but it is not an emergency, and the entry will say so using our need versus want labels.

Yes. Ask for them when you check in. Inspection photos are part of the estimate, and the advisor can show you the replaced part or an after photo at pickup. For tire and alignment jobs, the before and after readings are on the alignment printout.

If you want to keep the old parts, say so before the work begins. Some parts go back to the supplier as cores, and the advisor will explain which ones. To get started, book an appointment or call (909) 608-7699.

A before photo is only useful if you know what to look for. Most of our photos include a reference, like a tread depth gauge, a ruler against a brake pad, or a finger pointing at the leak. That reference turns a blurry part into a measurement.

What to look for

• Brakes: the gap between the rotor and the pad backing plate. Thin friction material means less stopping margin.
• Tires: the depth gauge reading and whether one edge is lower than the other.
• Belts: cracks across the ribs, or ribs missing in chunks.
• Leaks: wet residue with dirt stuck to it, and where it starts.

If a photo does not make the problem clear to you, ask the advisor to explain it or take another one. A recommendation you cannot see is a recommendation you should question.

A pair gets made during a normal job, not for the camera. The technician photographs the problem during the inspection, because that photo goes on your estimate anyway. After the approved repair, a second photo shows the same spot with the new part or the corrected reading. Only then do we ask whether the pair can be shared.

The steps behind each pair

1. Inspection photo: taken with a gauge, ruler or pointer in view.
2. Estimate: the photo is attached to the line it supports.
3. Approval: the customer decides on the work.
4. Repair photo: the same angle after the work is done.
5. Permission: the customer is asked at pickup, and a no is final.
6. Cleanup: plates, names and anything identifying are removed.

If a before photo is not clear enough to explain the problem, it does not go in the gallery.

Photos are strong evidence, but they have limits. A photo cannot show a noise, a vibration at freeway speed, or how a brake pedal feels. It cannot show an intermittent electrical fault. For those problems the proof is a test result or a road test note, and the entry will say that instead of forcing a picture.

For the testing side of these problems, see common problems and solutions.

Use it to calibrate. If your estimate shows a brake pad photo, compare it with the gallery pairs to see what worn, nearly worn and fine look like. It will not diagnose your car, but it helps you ask sharper questions, like "how close is mine to the one in the gallery?" and "is this a need or can it wait?"

The gallery also shows what a finished job should look like, so you know what to ask for at pickup: the after photo, the printout, or the old part. Photos from the shop will also appear on the media photos page as they are added.