Finding a reliable auto mechanic: it's not impossible here's

Finding a reliable auto mechanic: it's not impossible here's how

Unless you've got a newer car, that's covered under a warranty, when your car breaks down it can be a challenge to find a reliable auto mechanic. Unfortunately, there are some mechanics with less than stellar ethics. You may go in to the shop to have your brake system checked out, only to be told that the entire system is shot, requiring replacement of the calipers and some other expensive auto parts.

A $100 job can easily turn into a $500 nightmare. When the safety of your vehicle is at stake, how are you to know whether all of this work is necessary? Plenty of people feel the risk isn't worth taking and will somehow come up with the $500. Here are some guidelines on how to find an honest and reliable auto mechanic.

Recommendations from friends are usually your best bet, particularly when that friend is conversant with how cars work. If someone you know is satisfied with his or her auto mechanic's work and service, that shop is likely to have built their reputation based on customer satisfaction, delivering competent work at a fair price.

Check online with the Better Business Bureau to see if the shop has had complaints against them. If you find several complaints against them for shoddy work, or overcharging, you should look elsewhere.

When you've narrowed down your choices of repair shops, you might also call them and ask for references. If they're unwilling to provide references, this might be a bad sign. In the shop, look to see what type of awards they've got posted, such as commendations from the Chamber of Commerce. If the shop has received several, over consecutive years, this is a good sign of a reputable shop.

When you've selected an auto mechanic to do the work, you'll get an estimate. It's true that once the mechanic starts taking things apart, it's possible that unforeseen problems will be revealed which will increase the cost of the repairs and this is always noted on the estimate. This is why it's a good idea to get two or three estimates. If all of the repair estimates are pretty much in line with one another, consider the reputation of each of the auto repair shops, the BBB reports and the sources of your recommendations.

Remember that once your car is in the shop, you're more or less stuck. The shop will call you with their findings and let you know if additional parts and labor are required. A major addition to the original estimate can be a suspicious sign. A less than honest auto mechanic may initially give a low estimate to gain your business. After all, once the car is in pieces, you either have to go with the extras, or pay for the labor to put the car back together as it was. This is another reason getting a few estimates is a smart idea.

Whenever parts need to be replaced, ask to have the old ones returned upon completion of the repair. I knew an auto mechanic who worked for many years at a dealership and related tales of the shop owner, who instructed the auto mechanics to always try to 'sell' at least one part that really didn't need to be replaced, boosting the repair bill. Most car owners aren't savvy enough to know whether the part was faulty. This mechanic said that employees who didn't comply with his policy, sooner or later ended up being laid off.

Of course, once you've found a good auto mechanic, hang onto his business card!

You have read the best review article categorized by best tips and the title Finding a reliable auto mechanic: it's not impossible here's. You can bookmark or spread this post by using this URL https://besttipsto.blogspot.com/2012/02/finding-reliable-auto-mechanic-it-not.html. Thank You!