Mechanics are important friends to a driver. They are the experts you need when you notice something different in the car and can’t explain it. They can provide emergency assistance that gets you back on the road when you really need it. A good mechanic is worth paying well. But there are a few bad eggs in every bunch and you might be concerned that yours could be one of them. How do you decide whether or not you can trust them?
They don’t go for the hard sell
This is important. How a mechanic bears themselves when talking to you about what your car needs and their recommended course of treatment is essential. You need to look for the mechanic who is honest, explaining exactly why a certain problem may or may not need to be fixed without feeling the need to try tosell you on them. Lots of us will have had the experience of the mechanic trying to give a ‘hard sell’. If they say things like ‘I wouldn’t drive it in this condition if you paid me to’, they are being unnecessarily dramatic. They’re trying to get your emotion involved in a decision that should be practical above all else. Meaning they might be willing to twist the bounds of truth a little further.
They’re fine with you using other services
All businesses are competitive by nature. They don’t want you using other services. However, there are times it makes sense for you to look for help from outside sources. Using parts suppliers like Wiltshire Tyres, for instance, or going to another garage for a second opinion might save you money. If your mechanic takes it as an opportunity to throw their toys out the pram, it’s because they want more money from you. If they wanted to be truly competitive, they would have competitive prices. Good mechanics understand that you want to be a smart consumer and won’t kick a fuss when you look outside their services occasionally.
They’re not keeping vital information withheld
This is the most important trait of a worth mechanic. They’re telling you everything you need to know. For instance, if you take your car for a servicing only to find out later that there’s something wrong with it that makes driving it illegal, you have to ask yourself why your mechanic didn’t spot it and tell you. Were they ignorant of it or did they just not want the extra work? Similarly, they should be able to account for every step of the pricing process. They should tell you when asked how they judge labour and per hour costs. They should also include VAT in all estimates, as they are required to do so by law.
The best mechanics are professional above all else. They treat you and your needs as a consumer seriously, even when it doesn’t put cash in their pocket. Some people might argue that garages that don’t put the customer first are just being pragmatic, but that’s not the case. They’re being anti-consumerist and you shouldn’t tolerate it.
