We've all heard a few bad car repair horror stories. You know, about those fat slobs that kept your car hostage for days and days doing "additional repairs" while you took the city bus, and then laying a bill on you that was twice your monthly rent... and it still made funny noises!
There are lots of great car repair shops out there, but you rarely ever hear about them. The key to getting your car fixed and maintained by professionals for a good price is to find a great car repair place and stick to it. Here are some guidelines to finding a good mechanic.
- Look for a car repair shop long before you need it. You don't want to be in a hurry and have to take whatever you can find. Looking before gives you lots of time to research and find a great shop to call when you do have an emergency.
- It's good to find one close to home, but location isn't everything. Start by looking in your area; if you find a good place close by, this will save you lots of headache. But keep looking and don't just choose the one that's closest. It's well worth it to travel for good quality service.
- Get referrals from friends, family members and co-workers. If they're happy about their mechanic, they'll be more than happy to turn you on to them. You can also ask around at auto shows, dealers and car clubs, and check your local paper's "best of town ratings."
- Check to see what organizations they're in. There's a whole alphabet soup of automotive organizations - A.A.A., NAPA, ASP, MAP, etc. Each one of these organizations has rigorous standards of quality and experience that must be met before a mechanic can join. If they're members of several organizations, that's even better.
- Start by giving them a small job like an oil change. You may not really need it, but this will give you an idea of how they work. How quickly was it done? Was the price fair? Were they easy to communicate with? Overall, were they professional?
- Little details count. How clean is the garage? How easy is it to communicate with them? Usually these types of things are great indicators of how much pride they take in their work, and how professional they are.
- Keep track of all repairs, dates and costs. This will help you keep a track record of the repair shop and decide over time if they're doing a good job. A small notebook in the glove compartment is a great way to do this. More than just keeping tabs on their work, it also gives you a record of all the work that's been done over time.
Once you've found a good car repair shop, keep them. You're lucky to find somebody professional you can trust, so always show your appreciation. Spread the word; just like you, your friends and neighbors will want to know all about the great garage you've found. You'll also be doing them a great favor by bringing them more business.
