Find a Good Mechanic
If you drive any kind of vehicle or ride any motorcycle, eventually you will need the services of a good mechanic. How to find a good mechanic is a lesson often learned too late, and after considerable expense and frustration. Keeping a few simple pointers in mind can make the difference between a quick repair and a complete write-off.
The best mechanics still rely on word of mouth recommendations for a sizable portion of their business. Ask your friends and family, particularly those with similar vehicles to yours, who they would recommend. Often this will also produce stories of mechanics and garages that you should avoid at all costs, so make plenty of mental notes to compare later. Good recommendations should cover the level of customer service, price of labour, and availability.
Looking through a telephone directory and picking the mechanic with the biggest advert, or the one right at the start of the listing, might lead you to a good mechanic. However the chances are slim if you base your choice on just those things alone. Large adverts cost more money; mechanics who spend a lot on advertising may not be good at keeping their customer base and you should ask yourself why that might be. Take some time to drive around your local neighbourhood and see the kind of premises that mechanics in your area work out of. Appearances can be deceptive, so focus on whether the workshop looks busy, whether there are customers waiting around or vehicles on the forecourt that are waiting to be worked on, are there also vehicles or other sundries such as tyres for sale.
Most mechanics will work on any engine, but many prefer to specialise on certain types or make of vehicle. Choosing someone that is suited to your type of vehicle is a good way to find an experience mechanic. Joining an owners club for your make or model of car is a great way to find good mechanics who are passionate about repairing and possibly restoring your kind of vehicle. Whether it be a classic Morris or a sporty Aston Martin, a Massey Ferguson tractor or an Ariel motorbike, there are owners clubs waiting to welcome you.
Pay attention to the level of customer service that the mechanic gives when you make your initial inquiry. Are they professional in taking all your details and arranging a specific time for you to take your vehicle in, or are they abrupt and vague? If they can see you immediately, be cautious: good mechanics are usually booked up with work several days in advance. When you arrive, do they seem welcoming and interested in your vehicle, or do they tell you to just park it and they will get to it later, with no thought to whether you may like to wait with a coffee or have any means of leaving the premises without your vehicle?
When you agree to use a particular mechanic's services, a good mechanic will set out all the possible charges up front before they begin the work. If these change during the job they will make every effort to contact you before proceeding further. Good mechanics will attend to small secondary repairs as part of the main work, or present the customer with a list of recommendations that will need future attention. This is not the same as agreeing to only change a tyre but then rebuilding the engine and expecting the customer to happily pay for the privilege!
Customers should remember that good mechanics have often spent many years in the trade, and may be apprenticeship-served or well qualified. Expecting constant free advice, or for the labour charges to be less than the minimum wage per hour is unreasonable and will quickly turn your good mechanic into one who is too busy to accommodate you and your vehicle. The cost of using a mechanic to mend or service your vehicle is made up of two parts; the labour and the price of any parts or equipment used. In the UK these are listed as an industry-wide "book" price and should be within a small window of variation between garages. A good mechanic will set out both for you before they begin the work.
When you find a good mechanic, telling your friends and family is a great way to keep them in business and able to continue to serve your needs and those of your vehicle.
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