Find a Trusted Car Repair Shop
In these difficult economic times, many people have been opting to keep their car instead of getting a new one. This is a good way to save money but part of having a car, especially one that is older, means getting repairs and maintenance done on it. Some people go to their local dealers and are able to get oil changes done for a fairly cheap price. But when a customer goes to a dealer, the mechanics will often times try to get you to have more work done on the car than what is needed. This will drive the cost of the repairs up to almost double compared to smaller auto shops. It can be cheaper going to a car repair shop, but you have to make sure that the mechanic is experienced and certified. Here are a few things to look for:
Steps
- The car repair shop is certified and belongs to an organization or two for highly qualified mechanics. This is something that you owe it to yourself to check out. If you ask the mechanics or the managers about their credentials, they should be glad to show you proof of that. If they aren't, or if they seem to get angry and defensive, that is your cue to leave, and immediately! Your vehicle investment is too valuable to you in so many ways to trust to anyone with a wrench and a garage!
- Does the car repair shop have good references? What are your friends, family members, and associates saying about this car repair shop? You know full well that these are the people who are going to tell you the truth, especially if they've had a bad experience with the shop. So do your homework certainly in this area, and ask around.
- Check out their shop for organization and cleanliness. While some people might not feel that this issue is a big deal, it actually is on a lot of levels. The bottom line is that a clean and organized shop shows respect for the comfort, and the welfare of the customers. No customer wants to wait for their car in a shop that is dingy, cold, and grimy. They don't want to sit on chairs that are dirty, and full of muck that looks as if it's been stuck on the chairs for the past 30 years. The carpeting if any should be fresh looking and smelling. Any hard floors should be swept and cleaned. It goes without saying that the restrooms should be sanitary and fresh. After all, if the car repair shop doesn't care about the comfort of the customers in the lobby, do you really think that they are going to care about the vehicle safety that the customers are coming to them for?
- Make sure the mechanics there are experienced and have good work ethic. This ties in with the last point. Your mechanics should be transparent. They should charge you a fair price for the work done. You should understand clearly what work has been done. There should be no hidden charges, fees, or surprises. If you go to get a repair done for a particular area, and the other components worked before you brought the car in, those working components should still be working when the car leaves the shop. An estimate that starts at a couple of hundred dollars shouldn't end up cost a couple of thousand dollars. The mechanics should get your authorization for any and all work done. They shouldn't proceed on any repairs that you haven't authorized.
- Check with several shops for prices to see if there is one that is over charging. Find a trustworthy mechanic that will give you what you are looking for and not trying to rob you by overcharging for other things you do not even need.
- See the last point for more on this. If a car repair shop is in fact overcharging you, then call them on it, or at least get them to match the prices of another shop. They will come down on the price if they really desire and value your business.
