Finding a new auto repair shop to take your car to can be a daunting task – while there are certainly many honest and knowledgeable companies that offer services of the highest quality for reasonable prices, there are also some dishonest repair shops that are responsible for the bad reputation of the segment as a whole. Here are some of the features to look for to make sure that your mechanic is trustworthy, indeed.
Look for Reputation through Referrals and Ratings
The best start for your search to find a reliable mechanic is word of mouth referrals. Ask everyone you know locally to tell you about their mechanic – find out how well and how fast their mechanic works, how expensive the repair shop’s services are, how courteously they treat their client and how communicative and willing to explain procedures they are. Prepare a list with the mechanics recommended to you, then check the ratings they get online.
In the next phase, you should check what the auto repair shops on your list say about themselves. Check what they say about their services and their background, check the images about their shop, the testimonials provided by previous or existing clients.
Experience and Certifications
Modern cars are very complex and complicated machines that require specialized knowledge and tools to repair and to maintain. To make sure that your new mechanic possesses that knowledge and those tools, check for the specializations they speak about on their website as well as their affiliations with professional bodies, such as the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
Try the Shop
The best way to make sure that your mechanic is great, indeed, is to take your car to the shop for a small repair job or for a maintenance task, such as an oil change. No job is too small for a respectable mechanic, so the way the technician handles the task, the period for which you will need to leave your car with the mechanic and the price charged for the job will reveal a lot.
Ask Questions before You Schedule a Big Repair
If your car needs a more serious repair, you need to know exactly what that will involve financially as well as in terms of the disruption that you will need to endure because your car is not functional. Request a detailed description of the repair process as well as written cost estimate before you agree to any work – the willingness to provide explanations as well as cost estimates will tell you how trustworthy your mechanic is.
Choose a Repair Shop that Is Located Conveniently
You can find great mechanics in any district of your town or city, so when you evaluate available mechanics, take into consideration the location of the available shops as well. Taking your car to a mechanic located at the other end of the town can cause lots of stress and it might also take a lot of your time, so turning to an auto repair shop Denver CO location in your neighbourhood is a great way to save time as well as energy and, ultimately, money.