Has you ride been involved in an accident? Is it due for routine maintenance? You need to find a quality mechanic trust you can trust. Here’s how. When you take your car in for repairs, there’s a lot to worry about: how bad is the damage, how much is the bill, will the mechanics make things worse?

For some of us, our vehicles are precious and we rely on them for a living. So, when one St. Louis man had a mechanic flat-out steal his car, it seemed like those common worries were fulfilled. 

Finding a quality mechanic is a bit of a process and takes some attention to detail. You should put more effort into finding one than just closing your eyes and pointing to the nearest shop on a map. 

Here, we’ll discuss the six steps to finding the best mechanics in your area!

1. Search the Internet

Google is your digital friend. 

In this day and age, there’s no reason to not start there when you need to find a mechanic. The great thing about a Google search is that it will usually be localized, so your results will be close to where you physically are. 

You still don’t want to choose a shop blindly or at random. For example, don’t assume that the top few results are automatically good options. 

You want to dig a little deeper while searching the Internet and read some reviews. Reviews are a very helpful way for you to separate the wheat from the chaff—so to speak—and determine who is trustworthy.

Once again, though, this comes with a little caveat: you can’t always trust reviews.

Negative reviews may stand out to people in need because they can sound like horror stories to avoid. The reality is that some negative reviews are not credible, and people with bad experiences are more determined to write about them than those with positive experiences. 

This can sometimes create an unfair ratio between positive and negative reviews. Still, it’s a decent place to start, and until you dig deeper (more on that in a second), it’s one of the few methods you have to go off of. 

2. Ask For Recommendations

Internet searches and reviews can be helpful, but if you’re not sure that you can trust them, your next best option is to ask for personal recommendations. 

Surely, you have friends and family who have also had car trouble or needed routine maintenance before. And unless they’re a mechanic themselves, they’ve probably had experience with repair shops, both good and bad. 

Ask them who they’ve had good luck with, and chances are, you’ll feel more confident taking the dive. 

3. Consider Your Vehicle Make and Model

Not all cars are created equal. 

A Honda Civic is a great car, but it requires a different level of maintenance than, say, an Audi SQ2. While many chain shops will take most cars, you might want to consider if one place specializes in one car or another. 

Carmakers, such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc., tend to have very specific parts that not all mechanics have access to. Diagnosing the problem may even require particular diagnostic tools that aren’t as common. 

So if you have a vehicle that is rather picky, you might also need to be picky about your car mechanic choice. That’s why some people prefer dealerships that specialize in one car make. 

4. See the Shop for Yourself

You can read all the online reviews in the world, but sometimes, the best way to find a good mechanic is to just step inside the shop and see it for yourself. 

Looks aren’t everything. Some of the dirtiest, grimiest shops may, in fact, be some of the best shops out there, but you still need to get a feel for it in person. 

Trust your gut when you visit a shop and determine whether or not you think the staff cares about the vehicles they work or the customers they serve. A lot can be said for actually looking at the owner or a mechanic in the eyes and seeing how they treat you. 

5. Ask for Process Details

While you’re in the shop (or if you call them over the phone), it’s a good chance for you to ask for details about their repair process. 

Depending on how much you know about cars, the details may or may not mean much to you. But it’s still a great idea to ask them their process and see how they respond. 

The best auto repair shops will be transparent about what they’ll do and how they do it.

For example, one of the hardest parts about repairs is troubleshooting the issue in the first place, which requires diagnostic scanners. Some scanners are better, more accurate, and more detailed than others, such as the asTech unit.

You can learn more about that scanner, which might give you an idea if a mechanic is using up-to-date diagnostic tools.

6. Make Sure There Are Warranties

Just like if you were to go out and buy a mattress (a long-term investment), you always want to make sure you are protected by warranties. 

Car repairs are no different. When a car mechanic replaces your tires or fixes your engine, they are using parts and providing labor which could be faulty. 

If something were to go wrong down the line that is not your fault, you want to know that you’ll be covered for a replacement or additional repairs. If you’ve done your research than hopefully you’ve chosen a shop that won’t require this, but you can never be too careful. 

Ask for warranty information on parts and services, and make sure that you actually read them. There can be loopholes in warranties that make using them difficult. 

Why a Quality Mechanic is So Important

When we get sick or need a health check-up, we usually care a lot about what doctor we let examine us. It makes sense because after all, it’s our body. 

Why wouldn’t we put the same level of importance on a good quality mechanic when our vehicles are so essential to our daily lives? In the end, you need to make sure you put in the proper research and see the shop for yourself. 

It takes a little groundwork, but it will be worth it in the end. If you’re trying to avoid the repair shop entirely, take a look at some common car accident causes to keep your safe and sound!

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