3 Ways to Find a Good Mechanic

Going into the New Year, I'm sure many of you have New Year's Resolutions. Maybe goals like, losing weight, volunteering more, getting your house cleaned up, making more money, etc. How about the New Year's Resolution… Keep your car in good running condition. The best way to do that is to have a good mechanic to service your car.

There are several ways to find a good mechanic to service your vehicle. Here are 3 ways to find a Good Mechanic:

  1. Ask a Mechanic: Seems obvious. If you know a DIY or Shadetree mechanic ask them if they know of any good shops in the area. Even if they like working on their own vehicles, they'll have to go to a shop for some work. (Such as installing tires, alignments) More importantly than knowing what is a good shop, they'll probably know what the bad shops in the area are. Also if you have a specific brand of car, they might know a good shop to take your specific brand of car. Many shops specialize in certain brands of cars.
  2. Friends, Family, Neighbors: Asking people you know is always a good idea. Maybe they have a friend who is a mechanic. Maybe a neighbor has a great mechanic they've been going to for years. Word-of-Mouth is still a good way to find a mechanic. Ask around and see if you can find good shop or mechanic from someone who's opinion your trust.
  3. Internet: I would suggest checking online lastly. he internet is a great tool. However, I would be careful. I've seen several shops with great online reviews, but I know the service they provide is less than adequate. If you don't have anyone to ask or have come up with no good shops from people you know, you'll probably turn to looking at online reviews. The best website with auto shop reviews is the CarTalk Mechanic's Files. It's been around the longest and has the most extensive database of reviewed shops