Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my repair estimate is fair?
Upload a photo of your repair order or estimate. Uncle Joe flags services you do not need and checks your shop's labor rate against your state's average for dealers and independent shops.
Is my shop's labor rate too high?
Uncle Joe works out your shop's hourly labor rate from the repair order and shows where it falls against your state's average range for independent shops and dealerships.
Is MyUncleJoe really free?
Yes. You can upload your repair order and get your potential savings number for free. To see the full itemized breakdown you agree to tell 3 friends or family about MyUncleJoe. No credit card required. No account required to get started.
Do I need to create an account?
No account is needed to check your estimate and see your savings. If you want to save your vehicles, track your savings over time, and keep your report history, a free account takes 10 seconds to create.
Is my repair order information kept private?
Yes. Your repair order photo is kept privately on our servers so we can check that Uncle Joe read it correctly. It is never published or shared. The raw text read from it is deleted after 30 days. Customer names, addresses, phone numbers and plates are not saved to our pricing data.
What does Uncle Joe actually check?
Today Uncle Joe flags HARD NO services and checks your shop's labor rate against your state's average for dealers and independent shops. Warranty, maintenance, parts, and labor reviews are being added. Some or all savings checks may not be available for every vehicle yet.
Is the warranty check guaranteed?
No. Warranty coverage is subject to the manufacturer's determination. Coverage can be denied based on reason for failure, vehicle history, and other factors. Uncle Joe provides reference information so you know what questions to ask before you approve anything. Always confirm warranty coverage with your dealer before the repair begins.
What vehicles does Uncle Joe cover?
Cars and light trucks from 1981 and newer. Some or all savings checks may not be available for every vehicle yet.
What if my shop is not in the system?
You do not need to look up your shop. Uncle Joe reads the shop name and location off your repair order. Every repair order adds to the data that helps the next driver.
How does the savings counter work?
Every time a user unlocks a full report, the potential savings Uncle Joe identified gets added to the national counter. It reflects the total across all family members, not money in any individual account. Whether you negotiate and save the money is up to you and your situation.