We all rely on our cars to get us to and from work, the shops and elsewhere. When they eventually break down, all we want is for them to be back on the road as soon as possible. This doesn’t mean we should get ripped off or conned, however! There are plenty of ways to find a reliable mechanic who you’ll be able to return to again and again, safe in the knowledge that your car is being looked after and you’re getting a good deal. Normally when you visit you will see if they have lots of customers, smiling and happy about the work they have received. You will notice a good mechanic is organised with everything to hand on his/her Steel Shelving which they probably got from companies including Rackzone Read on to find out what to look for.
Do Some Research
As with everything nowadays, there are a wealth of discussion pages, Facebook groups and online owner’s clubs on the internet. Search for the symptoms of the problem to get an idea of what could possibly be at fault and learn some of the relevant terminology. This will help to deter anyone from taking advantage and might also allow you to get a realistic idea of costs.
Set Limits
Whether you’re having a service and MOT or getting the garage to diagnose a fault, make it clear that you want the garage to get authority to proceed from you. This means they’ll work on agreed issues and will contact you before undertaking any other work. Doing this should prevent a situation where you return to find large amounts of work done without your permission which now needs to be paid for.
Ask Around for a Price
Prices vary drastically depending on who you ask, so it’s worth ringing around all of the local garages to get multiple estimates. The price will be broken down into parts and labour. Certain parts are easier to find than others.
Questions to ask include whether or not VAT is included, if their diagnosis will be free, and if the quoted price is per hour. Some jobs will take longer than others, so it’s worth setting a maximum limit by which time you’ll call it a day and head to a dealer for a diagnostics check.
Supervise
Most garages are happy to let you watch them work if you ask. Depending on how confident you are, you may also wish to keep old parts – these could be useful later if the work undertaken ends up being disputed.
