Car Repair - Getting a Trustworthy Mechanic

Many people rely heavily on having a vehicle to get everywhere they need to go. In big cities as well as in more rural areas, walking or riding a bicycle is extremely difficult because of the distance that people must cover just to get from home to work. As a result of this dependence on automobiles, car repairs are an inevitable part of life. So, how do people decide where to go for their repair needs? They certainly don’t just pick a name out of the phone book, but choosing the right car maintenance shop can still be fairly simple.
In order to find a reliable, trustworthy mechanic, many people ask their friends and family for references. This is one of the best ways to ensure satisfaction. If people are willing to recommend a business to their loved ones, it is because they have faith in the quality of work that business performs. For the person receiving the recommendation, he or she can ask about the details of a firsthand experience that someone has had with the mechanic. This can help the person find out what to expect and how they will be treated. Many times, the car shop receiving this type of endorsement is a smaller establishment that depends on customer referrals for the majority of its business.

When smaller shops rely on their customers’ suggestions to generate more business, they typically focus more attention on customer service than many of the larger corporations. This does not mean that all larger car repair chains are bad. In fact, most of them perform excellent repair work and offer warranties for the parts they use. The larger shops simply may not always give the customer as much detailed information on the repairs. Another thing to look out for with larger companies is labor costs.

Generally, the prices for car parts are nearly the same at large shops and small shops. One of the biggest differences between the two is labor charges. This varies depending on the location of the business as well as the size. Vehicle maintenance companies that are located in wealthier areas tend to charge a higher rate per hour for labor. Companies to avoid are the ones that add in labor charges for work that is not necessary for a specific repair. They bulk up their estimates with work that only might need to be done, instead of only charging for the required labor.

To avoid excessive charges during car repair, the best course of action is to get a few estimates from numerous shops. This does not mean that the lowest price is the one to choose, however. If one estimate seems much lower than the others and no shop can match it, then it is likely that the low estimate excludes something essential to fixing the car. When people allow this kind of work to be done simply to save a buck, they often actually end up costing themselves more later on. This improper maintenance is very likely to result in bigger, pricier problems in the future.

The most important element in choosing a mechanic is personal intuition. More than anything, the customer should feel that he or she can trust the mechanic. Since people depend so greatly on their vehicles, they must feel comfortable with their choice in maintenance providers.