How to choose a good mechanic shop.
All cars need maintenance and repairs from time to time and finding a good mechanic shop where you feel comfortable makes car ownership so much easier. Finding a shop that is clean and has professional mechanics will go a long ways towards insuring that you will be using that same shop for years.
Things to look for.
One of the best ways to find a good shop is to ask people that have lived in that area a long time. People often love to talk about their experiences with mechanics and you can usually find a few good recommendations to start your search. People can also steer you away from a bad deal or shops that
give poor service.
Things to look for will include the shop being clean and orderly with care taken to insure that customers cars are treated with respect.
A shop that displays the A.S.E. symbol indicates that they have employees have at least two and one half years experience in at least one major area of automotive repairs.
Check or ask for their credentials. Make sure that the shop you are looking at has certifications for various major areas of automotive repair. You should want to know that a brake technician really does know about brake repairs.
A well-established shop will often have more customers but this can be balanced byt the fact that they often retain mechanics for a long time and give better service. Mechanic shops that maintain full bays and have been there for years are often worth checking out.
A clean or tidy shop with clean well attired mechanics is always a good sign. Mechanics that take pride in their appearance, their work areas and the condition of their tools usually take the same care in their work. Look for things like the use of plastic or disposable covers over the driver seats so as to not get them dirty and the use of fender protection pads to prevent scratches when working in your engine bay.
Location of a shop is often important, especially if you only have one car. A location that is near your work and home is best. If you have only one car you might want to know if they will pick up and deliver your car if necessary, and if so if thier drivers are bonded.
Price is always a consideration so ask about the price per hour shop rate and the list of set prices per service, often called "menu pricing". Shops that have a visible list of menu price in their customer area are often good at those items and do a lot of work in that area.
A full service shop is always great when it comes to conveniece, but you will often get better prices and faster service from shops that specialize in only one type of repair, like tire shops, muffler shops etc and for major repairs shops that specialize in automatic transmissions or replacement engines often offer better prices and warrantys.
Most shops offer the parts warranty from the manufacturer of that product. Unless the state otherwise you should not assume that there is any labor warranty. If it is not clearly stated be sure to ask.
Even after you have established a relationship with a mechanics shop its still best to check that all work is done to your satisfaction each and every time you have work done.
Once you find a good shop you will want to bring all your cars to them and remain loyal as long as you get good service. With a long term relationship like this you can call to find out what could be a slow day to look over a car that you are considering purchasing.
After a few visits to a shop for regular tune ups and maintenance your shops mechanics will get to know your car and be able to give advice about things that are likely to need repair soon. This early warning system will often save you the cost of major repairs.
Always keep your receipt for automotive repairs and maintenance. It is also important to keep copies of the work orders and any warranty forms for parts used. Everything should be clear as to what you paid for and should match the estimate.
These tips should help you to get the best value out of your car.
