Car Repair: How to Find A Trusted Mechanic

Car repair needed? Before you need a mechanic, it’s always great to already have one. It can be hard to really shop around for a mechanic when your car has left you stranded somewhere and you are the mercy of the closest car repair shop. Look for a referral from friends, family or co-workers for a reliable mechanic that you can trust. You can also check with your local chamber of commerce or the Better Business Bureau for a referral.

Once you get a few leads you can make an appointment for something easy like an oil change. This can give you a good chance to inspect the shop and get a feel for the level of professionalism from the mechanic. This is also a good way to talk to the mechanic about any car repair issues that you are concerned about and get their feedback. It’s important to remember though that every mechanic may have a different take on the same symptoms your car presents because there can be a lot of different causes for the same problem. A dead battery that won’t hold a charge for example can be an alternator going out or it can be corrosion on the battery terminals or it can just be an old battery losing its charge.
If you have the owner’s manual of your car, read it. If you don’t have the original owner’s manual, try to learn as much about your car as you can from other sources. If you know your particular car is prone to certain mechanical defects it can help you trouble shoot them with the mechanic and save you some time and money in the diagnostic department.

When you are evaluating the business your concern should be how professional you feel the mechanic is that you deal with. Are you greeted promptly or at least acknowledged when you come in? And does the mechanic listen to your concerns? It can be hard to describe a potential car repair problem especially if it is based on an odd noise that has developed so strong communication skills on the part of the mechanic are essential. Finally when you talk to the mechanic after he has a chance to look at your car, does his assessment match yours?

Your evaluation of a mechanic should be based around his skill level and the level of professionalism you feel. Large, clean waiting rooms are a nice touch but if it cuts the overhead price down to go without the niceties, your going to come out ahead in the end.

Once you find a mechanic that you trust and you have checked out their reputation with the better business bureau you can at least rest assured that if you ever need a car repair job done on the fly, you won’t be hunting for a mechanic and losing time.