Finding a Good Mechanic
Nobody wants to get ripped off. Let's make sure you are on equal ground.
Everyone Needs a Good, Honest Mechanic
I’ll do my best to teach you enough about cars to do your own repairs, but some jobs will require special tools or equipment. We can’t all build a shop in the yard.
When the time comes that your vehicle needs a repair, and you don’t have the tools or time, it’s necessary to have a mechanic you trust.
Mechanics get a bad reputation when, like in other industries, shady individuals become mechanics. Many of us work for full or partial commission. So it’s easy for newer guys, or greedy individuals to try to bump their pay by ripping off customers.
I grew up with relatives working different service industry job. Something I learned early on was that reputation matters in these professions.
This makes sense from a business stand-point as well. Why worry about making a few extra bucks off you today, if I can convert you to a lifelong customer?
Unfortunately, not everyone thinks this way. Don’t fret, there are still plenty of honest mechanics out there, and we are going to equip you with some knowledge and tips to make sure you find them.
Google Reviews
Seriously, local business reviews can give you some good insight. Obviously not every review is created equal, but I’m trusting you can see through the obvious good or bad reviews you should ignore.
However, if bad reviews for a shop are few and far between, maybe give them a shot. If you find tons of legitimate complaints about any of the situations we discuss in this article, maybe search other shops.
Second Opinions
Many customers google a shop, or just head to one nearby when they need a repair.
If luck didn’t send you to the honest shop, this can be a problem. Often times customers will just get the needed repair done at the first shop they go to that tells them the problem.
Note: Generally a shop will charge you for diagnosis of a problem. This is so that if they put in the work to figure out what’s wrong with your car, you don’t just change the part yourself leaving them providing free labor.
Now if you decide to get the repair done at this same shop, there should be some or all of the diagnosis fee credited toward the repair labor, depending on the business.
You should receive a written or electronic quote, breaking down the cost of parts, labor and shop supplies.
At this point, if you don’t yet trust this shop, simply tell them you will have to bring it back at a later time, thank them, pay your tab and head to another shop for a second opinion.
A trick here, is don’t tell the second shop about the first quote you received. Let them run their own diagnosis on your concern. Ideally you will be given a quote broken down the same as the first one, not way more or way less.
At this point you can decide if one shop was obviously trying to rip you off, be it through a huge parts markup, higher labor time, or just listing unneeded repairs. That brings us to the next problem.
Parts Prices
Some parts will have to be ordered directly from the manufacturer. If this is the case, you can call a dealership with your VIN and ask for a price quote on the same part. The cost to you should be the same as what the shop is charging you.
Most parts will be purchased by the shop from a parts store like AutoZone or Advanced Auto Parts, O’reilly’s etc. You can hop on your phone and call the local parts store for a quote on the same part. Cost on your estimate should be the same as what the store quotes you.
The shop will still be making money on the part, as they get it at a discount, then sell it to you for list price. If they are charging you more for a part than what you would pay for it on your own, that’s a red flag, don’t get ripped off on repairs at this shop.
I’ve seen entirely too many quotes from other shops with a part marked up 10 to as high as 50% above list. There isn’t a valid reason for this, unless freight shipping is involved, in which case you should see this listed separately or be informed of the cost when you call for your own quote.
This is the quickest, easiest way to spot a shop being dishonest. One phone call to verify a parts price.
Talk to People You Know
Got any friends who are pretty car crazy (maybe they follow a Grease Monkey you know), but will take their baby to a certain shop when needed? Chances are if they trust their metal child to that shop, they probably haven’t had bad experiences there.
Maybe your dad or grandfather who always fixed their own cars, decided they are too old for it and take it to a shop now.
Perhaps a friend was in a pinch and a particular shop helped them out. The point is, if you have contacts in the local area you trust, ask them. Word of mouth has always been some of the best advertisement, people love to share good and bad experiences with a business.
Buy a Mechanic a Beer
Seriously, look at him sitting over there with sore wrists and an empty cup. Help a brother out
Maybe you are shooting the shit with a guy at a bar, and he mention he’s a mechanic. Buy him a beer and ask him what shops he knows of in the area with a good reputation. If he only mentions his shop, cool, whoop him at darts and carry on about your night.
If he tells you a few different shops, chances are he isn’t lying, he’s just heard enough being in the biz, or worked there at some point and has a feel for it. Buy him one more drink for his honesty.
Keeping That Money in Your Pocket
Hopefully with these tools at your disposal, you can confidently find a mechanic to trust in your area.
A trustworthy mechanic can save you tons of time, money and headaches over the years. It’s worth taking a bit of your time to find one.
If you find yourself unsure when looking at a quote, feel free to Tweet or DM me @BowTiedGreaseMonkey
I’m always available to take a peek at a quote for you until you have learned enough to go it alone.
Stick with me and we’ll be sure to help you know your way around a vehicle in no time.