Learn how to spot out a good mechanic.
It’s that time again, you’re looking for a mechanic (or a mobile mechanic) now because your vehicle is having problems. But before you go off and search ‘mechanic near me’, consider giving this a quick read.
This might help you avoid costly repairs and help you find a reliable mechanic after picking up some ideas here. As a good mechanic is worth their value in gold once you have found one.
Best Way to Start Your Search
But before we begin, I want to mention that the best time to start shopping for a mechanic is when you don’t immediately need a repair. The reason for this is because you’re not in a state of rush or pressure to fix your vehicle anytime soon.
Which means you’re less likely to fall into sales pressure today if a mechanic starts recommending you services from left and right.
And because you’re in a more clear headed state of mind, you’re able to make better decisions in these kinds of circumstances.
However if you do need immediate repairs right now and you need some pointers before going to the garage, most of the tips here will work for you.
Here are 7 ways to find a reliable mechanic the next time you visit an auto shop:
1) look online for shop ratings and reviews
Yelp is a good place to start. They have listings of all the auto shop businesses in your local area, with ratings and reviews you can see. Find the ones with highest ratings and check out their photos.
Almost 80% of places that show no photos are usually sub-par repair shops. They tend to have no reviews or very low ratings. In most cases you’re safe to cross them off your list.
Shops with legit business don’t mind sharing some photos about what their businesses look. It shows more credibility to clientele, which is what we’re looking for.
2) Get referrals from people you know
This is a good place to start as well. Ask anyone you know if they know a good mechanic to go to. Although not fool-proof, the chances are slightly better than going off online reviews alone.
However, I would be wary of acquaintance referrals as they may lead you astray. Sometimes acquaintance referrals might get a kickback of some sort. Or they may genuinely want to help you, but they just refer a mechanic they do not know well enough.
If that’s the case, I would put more trust into referrals you get from your close friends or family, rather than acquaintances.
3) Ask for a 12 month repair warranty
Once you’ve read some reviews online and talked to family and friends, here is the next step. Call the mechanic you plan to visit and ask if he offers warranty repair for his work.
Ask for a 12 month warranty; if he wont agree or even offer a 3 month warranty, I recommend moving onto the next mechanic.
The best mechanics would be comfortable with their workmanship to offer you a repair warranty.
Once the mechanic agrees, ask to have that written down with your quote in writing.
4) Start off with small services
Don’t wait until you have an emergency repair when you decide to visit the mechanic. Start off going to the shop for a simple oil change when it’s next due.
Since your vehicle is running fine now, you aren’t expecting to pay for any expensive repairs anytime soon. This is a great way to build a relationship with your mechanic and find out if you’re able to trust him/her on the small jobs.
And since your car should be fine during an oil change, you’ll be more sensitive to red flags if the mechanic starts trying to upsell you with extra services.
If they start recommending things right off the bat before you even know them, that should raise a red flag. Watch out for upsells on things like engine oil flushes, additive treatments, new serpentine belt, etc.
If you see this happening, you’re in a much better position to refuse extra services and only go for the oil change. You can then verify for yourself if you need extra services by getting a second opinion.
Check out this post to learn how to spot when a mechanic is trying to scam you.
5) Test your new mechanic
When you go in for your oil change or a similar small repair, be prepared to test your mechanic.
One way to do this is to unplug one of your sensors just before going into the shop.
Here’s what you do:
- Unplug your air intake sensor and drive around until you see the check engine light come up (usually takes 20 minutes).
- Bring your vehicle into the shop and hand off your vehicle to the mechanic.
- See if the mechanic notices the check engine light and mentions it to you during your oil change.
Once the mechanic comes back to you, it will go down only 2 ways:
- He starts recommending all these phantom repairs needed to fix your check engine light.
This is a red flag as you know what the problem was before bringing it into the shop. Pay for your oil change and never come back to that shop again.Once you leave the shop you’ll need to remove the check engine light yourself. All you need to do is plug back in the air sensor and use a scan tool to clear the code. You can buy affordable scan tools that are easy to use.
- If however, the mechanic notifies you about the check engine light, and plugs the sensor back in without charging extra; this is a good sign you’re working with a reliable mechanic.
Check out the video below for the full tutorial:
- He starts recommending all these phantom repairs needed to fix your check engine light.
6) Ask questions about anything that comes to mind
Any time you’re unsure about a problem the mechanic recommends to fix, be sure to ask questions. Watch for reactions.
Will you get answers that sound more complicated? Will you be able to understand what he’s saying on a general level? Will he be agitated with you?
A good rule of thumb: The more complicated the answers you get to your simple question, the higher chance the mechanic is trying to dupe you.
A caveat: Try not to ask too many questions. Be prepared to ask up to 5 good questions and leave some room for digesting answers.
And if you haven’t asked 3 questions and the mechanic show agitation, that’s a red flag right there.
A mechanic who wants to truly help you wont be upset because you’re trying to understand how your car works.
7) get a quote in writing
Here is one of the most important pieces on this list.
Before getting your engine oil change done or any other service done, request that the mechanic give you a quote in writing.
If he hesitates or refuses to comply, just walk away. This is the worst sign of all.
The quote in writing insures you from all fraud if a mechanic charges you more than 10% on your final repair bill, or finds ways to scam you.
A reputable mechanic will have no problem delivering a quote in writing into your hands.
To find out more about using your quotes, check out this post
Finding a reliable mechanic takes time.
So there you go, 7 Tips on How to Find a Reliable Mechanic.
It will take some time to find a good mechanic near you, but using these techniques brings you that much closer to finding your golden goose mechanic.
Just make sure to treat them well and throw in a little tip from time to time. Don’t be like that Man Who Killed His Golden Goose. Once you’ve got your gold, let it keep producing for you.
August 06, 2021
It was really helpful when you said to find an auto shop that has the highest ratings. My car has been having issues with the brakes for the past couple of weeks, and I want to make sure that I can find the right professional that can repair it as soon as possible. I’ll make sure to keep these tips in mind as I search for an auto repair shop for my car!