Vacuum cleaners have little to do with cars, but hang with us for just a sec. Remember when your vacuum cleaner was new, shiny, quiet, and effective? Now it’s dusty, loud, and smells like something is burning when you run it over the carpet. If you don’t feel you paid much for it, you might just toss it and buy a new one. What if your car was smoking, loud, and smelled like something was burning when you drove it? While you may want to toss it and buy a new one, it’s not as simple as buying a new vacuum. For most of us, we know it’s time to bring our car in for service.

While you may be unsure of what your car may need right now, you’ll want to find an auto mechanic you can trust. Why? Peace of mind in getting the most accurate and reliable service is sometimes hard to come by. You want peace of mind in spending your time and money in the best way possible. How can you be smart when it comes to car repair? We’d like to offer some suggestions.

I Need Auto Repair – Now What?

Whatever it may be, don’t delay your search. It’s best to look sooner than later for an auto repair technician you can trust. You don’t want to pay for car repairs AND towing services!

How to Choose an Auto Mechanic

To get started, you can ask for recommendations from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Next, look online for reviews, or even drive by to get a feel for the atmosphere and overall quality of the shops in your area. There are actually a handful of things you can keep in mind when comparing your nearby auto repair shops. Let’s talk about a few.

A Valued Relationship

When it comes to your car, take the smart approach. Choose a knowledgeable, local mechanic to service and repair your car. Both you and your car will benefit in numerous ways when you develop a relationship with an auto repair shop in your community, especially if you have confidence in their integrity and skills. So, choose a mechanic who cares about your car and you.

Vehicle History

Like a barber learns your hair and a dentist learns your teeth, a local mechanic will learn your car and can inspect, review, and create estimates based on your car’s history, not just isolated incidents. By developing a relationship with a local mechanic over time, the mechanic can weigh the importance of future repairs against the car’s history of service needs. Through routine inspections and maintenance, your mechanic can often ward off major problems by seeing the progression of a potential issue and offer service recommendations to prevent huge repair needs. Over time, this perspective can add life and value to your vehicle.

Another benefit of your mechanic knowing your car is the ability to cater to your intentions. We have adult customers regularly bring in older cars that are now being driven by their teenagers. We are often told they need the car to last 1-3 years, and then they’re getting rid of the car. If the plan is to keep the car running for just a few more years then junk it for parts, your mechanic can help you maintain the essentials and avoid recommending things you have no intentions of repairing, like a window that won’t roll down, for example. If, however, your plan is to keep the car for another 100,000 miles, your mechanic who knows your car can help you follow a plan for care and upkeep.

So, choose a mechanic who is stable, rooted, and personally invested in your community.

Trust

When you allow the same mechanic to service your car year after year and experience great results every time, you build a high level of trust and have confidence in the quality of his or her work. Knowing that your mechanic is looking out for you and your car can put your mind at ease. If problems are revealed and repairs are recommended, you won’t worry that you’re being taken advantage of. There’s a lot of peace in that. So, choose a mechanic you feel you can genuinely trust.

Know Who to Call

A local mechanic should be the first number you dial when you have car trouble. By maintaining a relationship with a trusted mechanic who knows you and your car, you’ll be able to make the call quickly and take your car in for repair. A nearby mechanic is also familiar with the local area and can advise you on how your car might react to local weather conditions or terrain.

I’ve Found a Mechanic… Now What?

Once you’ve arranged a meeting with a mechanic at an auto repair shop, ask several questions to determine their level of qualification and experience. Do they hold any certifications, and if so, are they ASE-certified? Is the shop proactive in ongoing training for their technicians? Are they up to date with the current industry technology?

Next, determine if your car warranty would be honored in the shop. Ask whether repairs are priced at a flat or hourly rate and if estimates are provided before auto repair work. Find out if the mechanic has any experience working on your car’s make and model specifically.

Finally, ensure the mechanic you choose approaches you courteously and respectfully both in their welcome to the shop and in their recommendation of services after inspections are complete.

At Christian Brothers Automotive, you can count on an honest, dependable team of mechanics who value you and provide quality and excellence in everything they do.

Smart Automotive Services Start with Christian Brothers Automotive

If you’re looking to make it easier to choose a local auto repair shop, look for the green and white logo of Christian Brothers Automotive! Our team is known all over the country for delivering automotive services that are friendly and repairs that are accurate and priced right, and, most important, honest.

When you schedule a time to visit one of our locally owned and operated shops, you’ll be greeted with a clean and comfortable lobby and a service advisor ready to listen to your needs. Your vehicle will be taken care of by an experienced team of technicians who are ready to help you fix your car’s problem – whatever it may be!

Get the professional auto service you need to keep yourself, your passengers, and everyone else safe on the road – locate your nearby Christian Brothers Automotive shop and schedule your visit today.

This blog was written January, 2013, and was updated January, 2024, to reflect current trends and best practices.