Car ownership carries the unexpected weight and problems that are often not foreseeable such as needing a reliable mechanic for a car repair problem that has left you stranded or inconvenienced. Here are some tips on the importance of car repair and having a good mechanic, and how to know if you have found one or not.
Most Americans own an automobile or have owned a vehicle at some point in their lives. We are a mobile America and we like to have the freedom that car ownership can bring to our lives to pick up and go on a moment’s notice to parts unknown. However ownership also carries the unexpected weight and problems that are often not foreseeable such as needing a reliable mechanic for a car repair problem that has left you stranded or inconvenienced. And when the inevitable happens and your beloved car breaks down, leaving you stranded, lost and confused by the ultimate betrayal, you may find yourself wondering how to find a reliable mechanic that you can trust with a car that you can’t.
There really is no big mystery to finding a reliable mechanic. A mechanic is a skilled tradesman or woman that offers up their skills usually in a shop, and you can gauge how good any shop is by a variety of factors. Word of mouth reputation is a good way to know where to go and where to avoid but if you’re in dire straits, you may not have the luxury of quizzing the local residents before you have your car pushed, shoved or towed to the nearest shop.
If however you are at least lucky enough to be looking for a mechanic in your own home town you do have the home court advantage on your side because you will at least be familiar with the shop’s reputation and location.
Look at the shop with fresh eyes when you enter it as a potential client. Look at the whole shop the same way you would look at any other business. Are the employees polite, professional and courteous? Even the roughest mechanic has honed their business person skills if they have any hopes of staying in business in this competitive market, so it’s not too much to expect that your mechanic explain in layman’s terms what is wrong and what it should cost to fix it.
You should ask for a detailed written estimate of any repair before you agree to undertake anything. Since most repairs will cost in the hundreds, it is not unreasonable to want to know where your dollar is going and to understand the problem before you proceed with any repairs. If the shop refuses to give you anything in writing, you should push, shove or tow your vehicle elsewhere because this is a big red flag that the shop is not operating in your favor. An honest, reputable mechanic will have no problem offering you the car repair estimate in writing and most likely you won’t even have to ask for it because the mechanic will generally offer you the written estimate while he is explaining the repair that is needed to you.
