Your car is one of your most important assets. In certain areas, it is almost impossible to function in society without one. This is why it can be a disaster when something goes wrong with it.
If you are like most people, you aren’t a car expert, meaning you are going to have to take your car to a professional mechanic to get it fixed. This presents the problem of finding the right mechanic for your issue. The industry is littered with unprofessional mechanics who don’t know what they’re doing or overcharge unknowing customers. These are two things you desperately want to avoid.
Choosing the right mechanic can lead to a lifelong relationship that ensures your car will stay in good working order without breaking your bank account. If you aren’t sure what to look for, use the following tips to separate the quality ones from the duds:.
Four Tips to Find a Good Car Mechanic
1. Word of mouth
Just like a contractor, an ideal way to find an auto mechanic is through word of mouth. Ask your friends and family who they used. They don’t want to lead you astray and will be sure to only recommend people they have had a good experience with.
2. Check the Better Business Bureau
Most mechanics are local, so they will be members of the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau. This organization rates local businesses based on their customer service and quality. Avoid any mechanic that has bad reviews from the BBB.
3. Stay Close
Try to use a mechanic that is close to your house. Remember, you won’t have a car while it’s being fixed, so you’ll want one that is easy to access when you are picking up your car. Try searching “auto repair near me” when you are looking online.
4. Trust Your Instincts
If you are checking out a mechanic and don’t have a good feeling about them, avoid using them. You are probably a good judge of character. There is probably a good reason you have a bad feeling about a business.
5. Certified center
Another important thing to notice before approaching a service center is if they are certified. A reputable repair shop must hold certifications like Autocare, NAPA, AA, Parts Plus, ASP, Delco, and more. Such certification will indicate their source of satisfied customers, and they closely examine every issue to provide the repair at expected levels to customers.
6. Know the expertise
Another important thing to be noticed is the expertise of a mechanic. Ask the serviceman about his skills, years of experience, and how knowledgeable he is about serving all models. Make sure he knows what his job is by asking questions about the car or model. To ensure this, give him a little job first, and knowing that he is capable of servicing your car, proceed confidently.
Finally, follow your intuition to decide if to choose him or not. Remember, some shops may not always be busy, and there can be various reasons why he accepts only selected repairs or customers avoid him because of his shoddy repairs. At the same time, if the place is cluttered, dirty, and disorganized, then this indicates they are less responsible or may not bother to take the service seriously. But if the shop owner is responsible enough to meet your demands and ready to answer all your questions, then he may be your choice of serviceman, as it reflects his confidence in handling any models and types of repairs firmly.