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We have two great cars that we love. Mostly we love that we own them free and clear. I never want to have an auto loan again. But as they get older, we are facing the reality that we have auto repairs in our future. Maybe the near future.
Sam's 1992 Hyundai Santa Fe just passed the 100,000 mile mark. She's still going strong, but is finally out of warranty. My 1993 Ford Excursion is just about the best thing ever when you need to haul six kids around. But it's having problems keeping the battery charged lately, which sounds like an alternator problem. Ugh.
Living in a new city, we have been looking for an honest, reliable mechanic to work on our cars. That's not the easiest thing in the world. Not to dwell on stereotypes, but the fraud and lack of ethics in the auto repair industry is well documented.
What if you need a Dallas auto repair? What if your Chevrolet Silverado needs a tune-up? What if you need a brake job or engine repair? Where do you turn?
The best source of good mechanics for us has always been word of mouth. Find out what the customers think, and you're pretty likely to have a good experience.
Before I move to a new area, I sign up for an email list (through Yahoo! or Google) in the new area. When I need local input and advice (mechanics, doctors, dentists, etc.), I just throw out a request. You're likely to get lots of suggestions and advice, including warnings about what establishments you might want to avoid.
Getting feedback from other customers will tell you much more about a business than their Yellow Pages advertisement.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
We’ve been going to the same mechanic my whole life, it’s the place my dad went. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to find a new one. Well, I guess I’d take your advice!
My dad went to a guy name Vaughn Clegg in Vineyard forever. Drove a bit out of his way to go. But Vaughn is now long retired and so we’ve been back to the drawing board. 🙂
I agree with you, word of mouth is the best way to choose an auto mechanic, otherwise you could potentially scammed.