Are you looking for the right mechanic to fix up your car? This is going to be a difficult decision at the best of times. Here are a few key factors that can determine whether you have found a mechanic that is going to treat you well, or one that will rip you off and make you feel like a complete idiot.
They Don’t Talk Down To You
First, you should try and find a mechanic that doesn’t try to handle you and instead speaks to you in a way that is courteous and respectful. Some mechanics expect people to know everything they do about cars. This means that they will use jargon and will try and get you to commit to expensive car changes that you don’t actually need. You should listen to how a mechanic speaks to you. The best ones will explain a situation clearly without patronising you or making you feel silly.
They Have Great Reviews
You should always check the reviews of a mechanic you are considering using. Certain mechanics do get bad reviews and it’s not always justified. If they have one particularly horrendous review and the rest are positive then it’s possible this is a customer trying to get revenge. What you need to be wary of is trends in the reviews that all mention similar issues that they experienced with the service provided. If this is the case, then you’re probably better off looking at another company immediately instead of giving a mechanic the benefit of the doubt. You should also be wary of businesses that have zero reviews because they might be hiding them.
They Let You Source Parts
If there is an issue with your car, then you’ll want to make sure that the costs for a repair don’t grow out of control. One of the ways that you can do this is by sourcing your own parts. Sites such as Automotive Stuff are great resources for achieving a goal like this. Certain garages will let you source your own parts but others won’t and if they don’t then you should ask yourself why. It’s possible it’s because they want to charge a premium or buy from a dealer that they have a connection with.
The Treat Everyone The Same
Finally, as well as thinking about how a mechanic speaks to you, you should also watch how they speak to other customers. Do they treat certain people differently compared with others. A common stereotype is that women know nothing about cars and some mechanics do play into this idea, even using it to their advantage. If you hear a mechanic talking gibberish and intentionally trying to confuse someone, you need to avoid that company. That’s true, even if they haven’t done the same to you. It still suggests they’re not trustworthy.
As you can see there are a few key signs that you have found a mechanic you can depend on. There are also various red flags which will suggest you’ve found a mechanic that you should absolutely avoid at all costs.
