Your car is broken down and you are in desperate need of getting it fixed. Where do you go? Where do you take it to get it fixed the first time and not get ripped off? How do you know that the auto repair shop isn't going to find things that are really not wrong with your vehicle and charge you for them? These are just a few of the questions that people think about whenever their vehicle is in need of service, and here are a few tips to help you find a quality auto repair shop.
1. Look around the local area. Assuming that you don't live in a small town of about 1000 people, you probably have several auto repair shops around you. If you have the time and a way to get to these places go talk to them and see how you feel about them just by talking to them. Ask them if they give free estimates. If you are getting a bad vibe when you walk in or while you are talking to some of the workers there, just politely leave.
2. Compare the prices of the shops around you. Not all auto repair shops are created equal. Finding an honest mechanic who is just trying to make an honest living without stealing all of your money in the process is not as hard to find as you might think. There are definitely the more shady mechanics out there, but they are usually pretty easy to spot. Make sure that when you get an estimate on the repair to compare what they say is wrong with your car also. Sometimes they will find different things wrong in different shops, and try to discern what is probably them trying to trick you and who is being honest. Also when you tell a shop that you are going to shop around, sometimes they will instantly lower their price just to try to get your business immediately.
3. Word of mouth. Take advantage of the social media networks and talk to everyone you know. Ask all your friends, co workers, neighbors, whoever you really talk to on a day-to-day basis and see how they feel about the shops that you are thinking about taking your vehicle to. One thing that people are passionate about giving good or bad reviews on is their service they received when they got their car repaired. Always do this before you try out any shop for the first time.
