Like any machine, your car needs to be regularly serviced to keep it working efficiently. And just as you no doubt carefully researched the best car to buy, you need to be careful in choosing a mechanic for all your car’s services.
Many mechanics claim they provide the best service, but this is not always the truth. An ideal mechanic will be reliable, easy to work with and honest. They shouldn’t up sell you unnecessarily and will do everything they can to solve your car’s problems on your budget. We go into more detail about what makes a great mechanic below.
The perfect mechanic:
- Provides a trustworthy and affordable service
Quality service should be affordable. A trustworthy mechanic should be an expert at their job and able to tell you exactly what needs to be done to fix your car. They should only quote you for work that needs to be done and not up sell you anything unnecessary.
Upselling is common in a lot of services, so ask your mechanic what the benefit of a particular service or repair is and if your car really needs it. Upselling can quickly add up to a large final bill. A trustworthy mechanic is, therefore, affordable. - Won’t inflate labour hours
You don’t want a mechanic to rush a job, but neither do you want them to take longer than necessary. Some less reputable mechanics may invoice you for more hours than a job took. Always look closely at these numbers and, if they seem bigger than they should be, ask if there were any problems they ran into and why the task took so long. - Uses genuine manufacturer and high-quality parts
A reliable mechanic will source genuine manufacturer parts for any repairs to your car. These should be of a high quality and should be detailed on the invoice.
An unreliable mechanic may charge more for inferior parts. This can lead to repeat business for them as your car may break down again soon after. - Is skilled and knowledgeable
Car technology continues to innovate and change, but a reliable mechanic will keep up with changes. They should be skilled at their job and knowledgeable about the make and model of your car.
Someone who is not confident with your car can do more harm than good in trying to repair it.
How do you find a reliable car mechanic?
Now you know what to look for in a reliable mechanic. But how do you find one?
- Get recommendations from people you know and trust
Online reviews, while they can be helpful to give you a general idea about a service, can be false and deceiving. They may exaggerate the services and quality provided. They can also be out of date and no longer relevant.
Instead, ask friends and family if they have a preferred mechanic. They may be able to recommend a few places for you to try.
By asking people you know and trust, you can guarantee that the mechanic you choose will have a good reputation that is built on years of quality service.
Your friends and family may even warn you of mechanics to stay away from. - Do your research and get quotes
Now that you have a list of a few mechanics from talking with friends and family, you can start your research. The easiest place to start is simply by looking them up online. While, as we’ve said, online reviews can be false, you should see similar things that friends and family mentioned.
Then you can organise for a quote to get a sense of how much they charge. Get quotes from a few mechanics to see how they compare. Remember, though, the cheapest isn’t always the best.
Many websites have an online quote form you can fill out, but it can be helpful to speak with the service centre or mechanic yourself. You can get a sense of what they know and if they are passionate about their job and providing the best service for you. - Start with a small job
Once you’ve picked a mechanic, start them off with a small job. This could be something like changing your tyres or routine maintenance. See how long they take to complete the job, how much it costs overall and whether you are happy with the job.
Conclusion:
It’s important to get the most out of your car as a car is a big investment. This means having a reliable mechanic who can fix any issues and keep your car regularly maintained. Finding a reliable mechanic can take time, but they are worth their weight in gold. Read our another blog post on "Repairs That Need Immediate Fix By Expert Car Mechanic"
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