Check These Signs For A Good Mechanic
Car repairs aren’t just costly, they can be a nuisance. When your car is in the shop you lose valuable time waiting for it, you might have to bum a ride from someone else or take
public transportation. In order to make the hassle worth it, make sure your mechanic can be trusted.
The first positive sign of a good mechanic is volume. If there are several vehicles waiting to be worked on, or you have to schedule service a few days in advance, like a good restaurant, the mechanic should be good and is popular. There are two things to watch for however if they are busy. Notice if the same cars are there after two or more days, if they are, they may just be slow. If there seems to be a quick turnover, the car you saw this morning is gone this afternoon, then they most likely are efficient.
Is the mechanic or the one who schedules you friendly but not too friendly? If the person seems to be genuinely folksy and down to earth, then they may be an honest mechanic. Try to make small talk or talk in general about the cost of everything nowadays and see how they react. If you can bring a small child with you see if they interact with the child, and not in a fake overbearing way. It may be a little psychological, but go with your gut and decide if the person seems genuine. If they can talk person to person with you and look you in the eye, hopefully they can be trusted, or they are running for office!
Don’t let them scare you into extra work. If you drop your car off for an oil change, and everything else seems to be running fine, be suspicious if they call you and start rattling off problems. If you truly believe there could be issues take your car somewhere else for a second opinion. Never drop your car off for any service and give them carte blanch. If you feel there may be multiple issues with your car and you are not quite sure what the problem is, have the mechanic go over the car first and then contact you with the problems they have come across. Do not tell the mechanic to go ahead and do whatever is needed first; this could result in thousands of dollars of unnecessary work. Perhaps you do need new tires or brakes but maybe it is not dire, and you have a few thousand more miles to go. Along these lines as well, don’t let them scare you into repairs.
Check online for reviews of the repair shop. Try to find a site that has several reviews, one or two reviews could just be planted. Make sure the mechanic is certified and appropriately licensed by their state. Finally, don’t be afraid to leave and get a second opinion. They may have charged you a fee for diagnostics, but if the recommended repairs are through the roof, it may be worth it to take your car elsewhere to make sure you aren’t getting taken.
