How To Find The Right Automotive Repair Center Away From Home

Before you consider where to take your vehicle for maintenance and repair, you need to understand the difference between the two. Routine maintenance items are those listed in your vehicle’s owner’s manual as part of the model’s service schedule. They are intended to keep your vehicle in top operating condition. Repairs are service that needs to be performed to fix a problem. Where you take your vehicle may depend on what needs to be done.

Identifying a mechanic you can trust for your car takes a lot more than letting your fingers do the walking. You have to do a little old-fashioned sleuthing. There’s no single clue to what makes a good repair shop, but here are some things you should look for:

• Find a repair facility before you need one
• Look for ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)Certification
• Look for business affiliation such as TECH-NET or NAPA Car Care
• Look for other affiliation, example: Local Chamber of Commerce
• Cleanliness of facility
• Talk to people in the area, word of mouth
• Don’t judge by price alone
• Stay away with what we call “Shade Tree Mechanics”
• Go in and talk with the owner or manager
• You do not have to go to the new car dealer if you own or lease a new car