Finding Value In An Auto Repair Shop: What To Look For

Posted on: 6 March 2018

Vehicles, especially in the United States where public transportation options are limited and limiting, are a necessary evil. Their upkeep is also a necessary evil. Trying to find an auto shop where you feel comfortable taking a vehicle regularly is often a chore, especially when your old, preferred auto shop has closed its doors for good. You want to find a new shop with the most value you can get for every auto repair you may need in the future. Here is what you should be looking for.

Money-Back Guarantees

Repair shops and mechanics that back their work with guarantees are good values. They certainly do not want to lose money on a repair job, so they make sure the job is done correctly the first time. It also means that if you are not satisfied with a repair job, or if something goes wrong with what they fixed, you can either get free repair work and parts or get your money back and take your vehicle to another shop.

Discounts Provided by Motorists' Clubs or Your Insurance

Motorists' clubs like AAA frequently have a long list of repair shops that will give you a discount on parts and/or labor. Some auto insurance agencies also offer discounts if you have your vehicle towed to one of the mechanics with which the insurance company has partnered. If you have towing insurance through either of these sources, they immediately offer to have your vehicle towed to one of their partners. You can either agree to their suggestions to get the discounts offered, or you can decline and still send your vehicle to your mechanic of choice.

Shops Offer Rebuilt or Salvaged Parts to Help Save You Money

On the whole, many repair shops will put brand-new and/or brand-name parts in a vehicle unless you request otherwise. Shops that offer their customers the option of rebuilt or salvaged parts rather than waiting for customers to make the request are of a higher value to customers like yourself. You can choose from the salvaged parts or rebuilt parts and the corresponding prices to save yourself some money. You retain the option of using new parts as well, but it is nice to know that these shops will offer it to you first.

Mechanics That SHOW, Rather Than Tell You What Is Wrong

Customers want to see for themselves that something is wrong and needs to be fixed or replaced. There are repair shops that are more than happy to show customers what is wrong with their vehicles and what needs to be done to fix it. This instills trust between mechanic and customer, which in and of itself is an invaluable thing.

Mechanics That Call With an Estimate First

Another valuable thing to look for in an auto shop is the estimate-before-repair quote. Some shops will just fix the vehicle without telling customers what it will cost. Other shops will call you with an estimate and a rundown of why it will cost that much and the cost of each part. Customers generally prefer the latter, as most people do not have enough money to just pay for repairs already completed and not discussed. If you find a shop with a mechanic that regularly practices the "estimate quote first" approach, that is definitely something of value on which to latch.

Word of Mouth

Talk to just about everyone you know who lives in the same city as you. Find the one consensus of which mechanic seems to be the most popular among the people you know. A glowing review from those you know means you have a starting point to finding an auto repair shop and mechanic with real value.

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