Your car is in disrepair and it needs urgent automotive repair from a professional mechanic. While there are many in business who can help you, below are 5 criteria to evaluate the quality of your auto mechanic.
1. Reputation
The auto repair mechanic that you are considering may be convenient for you and tell you what you need to hear, but do you know what his/her reputation is regarding car care? A repair shop with a bad reputation may mean your vehicle being worse off than before or paying way more than what you need to have it fixed.
Before settling on an auto repair shop, get some references from family members, colleagues, and friends. Chances are one of these people have a mechanic they know and trust. Also go online and read reviews from people about the mechanic you are considering. These tend to be brutally honest and you can trust what they say.
2. Price
Vehicles are complex machines with lots of parts that will need repair or maintenance every now and then. Some jobs are expensive due to parts and labour fees, but conversely some are relatively cheap to have fixed. One thing is for sure though no matter what you need to have done to your vehicle: you need to find a repair shop with fair prices.
When considering a repair shop to have work done to your vehicle, make sure you confirm that the shop will provide a free estimate. That way, if you determine the price to repair is unfair, you can take it somewhere else. Prices that are too low may raise questions regarding the services you receive and ones too high are unnecessary as you can get the same work done at another shop for less.
3. Warranty
When you have work done to your vehicle, you want reassurance that what you brought it to the auto repair shop for was indeed fixed. Otherwise, you will be wasting time and money and you will still have a vehicle not operating correctly.
All reputable auto repair shops will have warranties. A warranty will protect you against any issues pertaining to the area of the car that was repaired and the shop will be obligated to remedy the situation if needed within the specified timeframe. The warranty will also demonstrate to you that the mechanic stands by their work.
4. Experience
You brought your vehicle to a mechanic because it is not working properly and you cannot fix it yourself. Otherwise you would have completed the repairs on your own. As a result, you need a mechanic who has experience.
The mechanic that you choose needs to have years of experience repairing vehicles, specifically your make and model. It is not enough that the mechanic has been doing the work for years, you need to confirm how many years he/she has been in business. This demonstrates that customers have faith in the mechanic you are considering and he/she has been able to meet their needs.
5. Customer service
A mechanic may be skilled at fixing vehicles, but he/she also needs to be able to deal effectively with customers.
Your mechanic should be able to speak to you in layman’s terms to ensure you understand the issue with your car. As a result, you will be able to determine whether the issue needs immediate attention or can be put off for a little while. You are giving the mechanic your business and chances are there are many others you could have chosen. Therefore, you should be treated with respect during the auto repair process and if you are not, seek the services of another shop.
