Very few vehicles complete their life span without visiting an auto repair shop and undergoing a major repair or overhaul of a component. Knowing that your car will need a repair or servicing is no issue, but the problem lies in finding the right auto shop that will give you quality service and not swindle you. It is easy to get that loyal mechanic who is like your car’s personal doctor. A high charging shop does not mean better quality and opting for one simply because of cost may end up in a slow death for your car. You can also get a good shop but not one that takes a whole week to service your car, costing you in inconveniences. It is important to find the balance between speed of service, quality and expense.
Their reputation comes first
When considering which auto shop to settle on, ensure you get to hear what other customers have to say about their services. It does not matter if it is a dealership or an auto shop. A good name will precede itself and you will not need to ask much before getting the proper reply. If you find you are asking around too much about a particular shop without getting a response, think twice. For the mechanics under trees, you can check around and check the number of the cars present. One with more cars waiting to be repaired or be picked probably has better service. The cars indicate that the customers do not mind the long line as they appreciate the good service.
Consider dealerships
If your car has rare spare parts, and is not a common model, you will be safer going to a dealership. They might be more expensive but you are assured of getting a mechanic that has been trained by a particular car manufacturer. Some dealerships are so good that they have a mechanic from each of the major manufacturers. You will get a mechanic particular to your car type who will probably install factory parts instead of used, tried parts. A dealership is ideal if your car is still covered under warranty or the costs are paid by insurance.
Private garages
Some of the best repair shops are garages turned into auto shops. Do not be deceived by the condition of the area as they can offer good service. However, be quick to check for certificates of authorization and of recognition of training. Such garages offer cheaper services not for a lack in quality but because the mechanics use used parts in good condition and do not work by the clock. There are also some private shops owned by instructors teaching their students the art of car repair and servicing. Some of these offer the lowest prices and are a good option if you are in a hurry. You will get your service fast at a low cost.
It is important to note that regardless of where you take your car, always ensure you get a proper service description and the accompanying bill. Get the price for each service then negotiate from that. It is better to get a price for each item so that you know the cost of each and do not get a general price to avoid getting swindled.
Robert Keith is an auto critic who works for an automobiles magazine. His latest review is on Cmmautomotive.com a mobile mechanic service.
I always found it helpful to get recommendations from friends and family about good mechanics. I do most of my work myself but if I do take may car to someone i want to make sure they are reliable. The best way to find this is through recommendations.
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I find that I get a little worried when they (the mechanic) start looking at the book on time it takes. Tells me that they havent done the work before. A busy shop will often know off the top of their head and give you a quote. I travel many more miles to a mechanic I trust because of this. He always seems pretty transparent and upfront and basically fair.
Kristal, I actually prefer when the open the book to check on time requirements. There’s nothing worse when a clueless mechanic quotes you a price when he/she is way off on the time required.
That’s assuming that you actually talk to the mechanic, and not some person who just works up front.
I would definitely look at sites where car people go online. I’ll look for reviews so I’ll have the idea on the best place to go for my car repair.
With sites like yelp and google reviews is quickly becoming a consumer’s dreamland. I can get online and find what everyone else thinks about a shop before I even walk in. I think this will continue to be huge in the future.
It’s essential to have an auto repair shop that will provide your needs when something happens. As what you’ve mentioned in this article, it is important that all your requirements are in one place. I also agree and believe that it is better to have a shop that has a good reputation. It’ll probably results to a longer connection with one shop which also means that their service is worth over a long period of time.
I rarely go to the dealership for repairs since they seem to cost twice as much if not more than other repair shops. Most site such as Angie’s List, Google reviews, etc help to pick the mechanic you need for your repairs. Plus, it is getting better and mechanics are cleaning up since many will go online and expose them which happened to one mechanic in my area which he couldn’t get the negative reviews removed. I used the same guy with no problems, but man, the internet could really do damage to a small mechanic quick.