Hi All,I've got an interesting post lined up for today! Its about car repair and mechanics! What do you think the current average annual maintenance cost for a car is? In 2011 it was $514 - in 2012 it was $537...click here for the article that gives these figures...(article comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics - a unbiased organized!)
Click on this link from Consumer Reports which discusses the cost of vehicle ownership in 2012.
And click on this link from the AAA - for an article entitled 'Cost of Owning and Operating Vehicles in U.S. Increases Nearly Two Percent According to AAA's 2013 'Your Driving Costs' Study'.
My point is that it can be expensive to own a car...repairs, accidents and insurance all take their toll and end up costing drivers money.
So, if you do need a repair, due to an accident or for routine maintenance, how do you find a qualified, honest car mechanic? Read on for the answers!
Edmunds.com has an article titled, 'How to Find a Good Car Mechanic?'. Click on prior title for link.
(Note that this article discusses Yelp, Angie's List, Google, Message Boards and the Edmunds Dealer Locator service to help users find good car mechanics.
But what are the qualities that you should look for that makes a good car mechanic? Wikihow has a good primer - in 8 steps - that can start you on your way to finding a good mechanic. A blog/website called the Simple Dollar has an article called 'Finding an Auto Mechanic You Can Trust' (written in September 2014) and it practical for readers to follow!
About.com/Money has an article called 'How to Find a Good Mechanic' - common sense rules seem to be the order of the day in the article...
Finally, the Mechanics Files.com (which is part of a website called Car Talk - by itself it is a useful site...) has zip code finder. Users can put in a zip code and auto mechanics in the zip code appear. Reviews are available and auto mechanics are ranked by category:
| They are always honest | |
| They are competent | |
| Their repair price is reasonable | |
| They complete the work in a timely manner | |
| They respond well when they screw something up | |
| They take the time to explain the problems and necessary repairs | |
| They treat male and female customers in the same manner | |
| I would use this mechanic again | |
| I would recommend this mechanic to others |
Other facts you may want to know
| They fix the problem the first time | ||
| The shop is located in a safe neighborhood | ||
| The hours of operation are convenient for customers | ||
| They are near public transportation (or provide loaners, shuttle bus, rides as needed) |
Enjoy the links and I hope the repairs you have are inexpensive and easily fixed!
Regards,
Stu
