A good mechanic has a provable track record, is a member of a regulatory body, and will often be the first one your friends or family mentions when you ask them if they know of someone who can fix your car.
As it’s impossible to sidestep vehicle repair and maintenance costs completely, unless you sell the car and buy a new one before it encounters any issues, it’s imperative to work with a good mechanic to ensure your ride stays in tip-top shape and that you don’t return multiple times for the same thing that wasn’t fixed correctly.
If your car is due for a trip to the shop, these are the signs you should look out for to get that extra peace of mind, according to car insurance experts MotorHappy.
Signs of a good mechanic
Perhaps the most important credentials to check before handing your car to a mechanic is whether they are part of a regulatory body that has strict quality and customer service controls.
When it comes to mechanical work under the body panels, the shop should be a member of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).
To be a member of the RMI, a business must follow a code of conduct that stipulates having quality service and products, fair pricing, guaranteed workmanship, and fair resolution for disputes.
When the work that must be completed is cosmetic, i.e. on the body itself, the person or company doing the job should be a part of SAMBRA – the South African Motor Body Repairers Association.
Workshops that are members of SAMBRA get strictly graded by a quality system; the better the quality, the more work a business is allowed to carry out.
Finally, it’s hard to beat a word-of-mouth recommendation from a trusted confidant who has made use of a mechanic’s services before and speaks highly of it.
A disgruntled customer doesn’t sugar-coat a bad experience, especially not when it comes to something as valuable as their car. Similarly, if they were satisfied with the services they received, they wouldn’t mind giving it praise.
“Realistically, you’re best using all three different methods,” said MotorHappy.
“Unplanned car maintenance is never a fun experience, but by knowing what you’re looking for, it can be just that little bit more stress-free.”
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