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The best time to shop for a mechanic is before your car breaks down. An ongoing relationship with a repair facility can eliminate worries about where to go and can help prevent expensive emergencies. Most importantly, says Tom Haigh, service manager at Saturn of Okemos, when you choose a mechanic, "you're investing in your investment. It adds to the longevity of your vehicle. A well maintained vehicle is going to last a lot longer."
Your owner's manual includes a maintenance schedule to follow. Some shops will track your vehicle's maintenance on a computer and recommend needed tasks.
Test a shop first on routine maintenance, such as tire rotations and oil changes.
Routine visits provide an inside glimpse of the repair facility. It's the shop you're actually choosing these days, not the mechanic because few mechanics own their own shops. In fact, you may actually never even see the person who will work on your car.
Before you go, ask people you know for recommendations. Shop for a convenient location, and then gather information by phone. Call the shop and ask how long they've been in business. If your vehicle is covered by a warranty, ask if the repair shop honors the warranty. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau or consumer protection agencies, such as the Michigan Bureau of Legal and Regulatory Services at 517-373-9062, to see if the shop has unresolved complaints.
Ask what warranty the shop gives on its work and get that in writing. The American Automobile Association recommends looking for a 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty.
What to look for
While visiting a repair facility, trust your first impressions. Do you feel comfortable? Is the staff cheerful and polite, or grumpy and rude? Is the waiting area clean? Is the shop clean, and are the tools well organized?
Is the shop large enough to support current technology? Up-to-date diagnostic and repair equipment is expensive but extremely important for keeping records today.
Ask whether the shop has a computerized service manual system. Paper manuals are no longer sufficient.
Haigh says the facility should be locally established and preferably a member of a professional and local business association. Before you leave your car for repairs, be sure the mechanic has experience with your make and model of vehicle and has the proper equipment to fix it.
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