Whether your car has completely broken down, or if it’s just time for a regular service, it’s essential that you choose wisely when picking a mechanic. After all, your car is a serious investment, so you don’t want to put it in the hands of someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. However, knowing what makes a great mechanic can be tricky- which is why we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the key factors to look for in a mechanic and hopefully show you why we should be the only choice for all your mechanical work. You can be sure that your car is in safe hands!
Cost
For most people, one of the biggest issues when choosing a mechanic will be the cost. Naturally, you won’t want to end up paying more than you can afford to have your car fixed, so it’s important that you find a mechanic who matches up with your budget. That being said, quality comes at a price- the cheapest mechanic around probably won’t do as good a job as someone charging a little more who like ourselves will stand over any work that we do. Choosing a cheap mechanic may result in your car breaking down again. You should therefore think long and hard about just how much you can afford to spend on your car. We can provide you with an estimate before commencing any work simply ask us for a quote.
Trustworthiness
As well as the cost, you’ll also want to be sure you can trust the mechanic. Some of the more unscrupulous garages out there will try to convince you that your car needs unnecessary work, in order to squeeze more money out of you. No one wants that, so trustworthiness is key. Fortunately, there’s an easy way of gauging that- take a look at their reputation. Whatever a mechanic might have to say about themselves, it’s things like their past customers’ opinions and length of time in business that really matter. We have been established for over 30 years and are members of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen and our mechanics are highly qualified mechanics receiving many awards and accreditations for their knowledge and workmanship.
Tech
Times change, though, and cars change with them. Nowadays, your average family car comes packed with tech that would have been unimaginable a couple of decades ago. While these gadgets bring plenty of benefits to drivers, they can also go haywire- which means an entirely new set of problems for mechanics to deal with. For example, dashboard display screens can be temperamental at the best of times, and if yours stops working, you won’t get the full benefit from your vehicle. You therefore need to ensure that your chosen mechanic is capable and confident with repairing newer models of car, and all the tech that comes with them.
To help make the task of fixing a car that much easier we have invested a huge amount of money into kitting our workshop with the latest and best technology that assists in diagnosing problems with all modern cars. Unlike many mechanics nowadays who use diagnostics systems to help them out. These systems only provide some of the technical info that mechanics need to diagnose and solve any mechanical issues. If you want the best long-term repair results, then it’s essential that your mechanic has a full understanding of exactly what the issue is. Although some diagnostic equipment will allow mechanics to diagnose mechanical faults, they are restricted and not at the same level as the manufacturer themselves. The systems that we have invested in give provide us with access to the manufacturer’s systems, so that we can properly read the error codes and get to work done as accurately as possible. Just as if you had taken the car back to the manufacturer to have fixed.
One of the most popular diagnostic systems around that a good mechanic will use is Autologic. One of the systems that we use is the J2534, also known as Pass-Thru, it ensures that independent repair shops can work on modern cars and have cost-effective access to information and ECU programming downloads from vehicle manufacturer when required. Although this provides a decent amount of support to mechanics and is certainly one of the best in the market, in our opinion it’s not the top system around and that’s why we have heavily invested in an additional Pass-thru system by ABC Diagnostic Techniques.
What makes them so special? Well, first of all, the diagnostics that this system offers goes one step further, allowing mechanics to access the same level of info that would be provided to main dealerships for all manufacturer makes and models. That’s clearly a big step up from less advanced systems, and opens up plenty more opportunities for us as a leading independent garage. We believe that in order for us to provide our customers with the best repair service possible, it was time for us to invest in the latest and most up to date equipment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, then, it’s essential that you think carefully before taking your car to any old garage. Think about the cars age, how much the car has cost you and what technology and added features it has and is your regular mechanic in a position to accurately fix the problem. Consider the mechanics experience and if they have invested in the specialized equipment needed to do a thorough job on your car.
If you get your car repaired by a mechanic that doesn’t know what they are doing or haven’t diagnosed the fault properly, then you’ll only end up having it break down on you again which will cost you more money in the long run. So, if you want main dealership manufacturer-quality repairs at a fraction of the cost. Give us a call today.