Are you the owner of a vehicle? If so, your car will probably be needing repairs in the future. It can be a stressful endeavor to find an auto repair shop that you can trust. The following article has a lot of excellent tips for finding a great auto repair company.

Only choose an A.S.E. certified mechanic. If a mechanic has this certification, then they have taken a test and have a minimum of 2 years experience. This is one good way to separate the wheat from the chaff when picking a good mechanic.

You don’t always have to take your car to the shop when there is an issue. There are a few things that you can fix easily yourself. It’s possible to find the information you need online. You can save a lot by doing small repairs yourself.

It is a good idea to familiarize yourself well with your car’s manual. During auto repair visits, your mechanic will probably need to gather some information from you, about your vehicle. You may even find, when you read the manual, that what you think is an issue is easily fixed.

Read online reviews of local body shops. This can give you a good indication of how satisfied customers are with their work. This will help you choose the best shop.

Ensure that your mechanic is familiar with your vehicle’s make. There are many similarities between vehicles but some issues are specific to certain makes and models. It may be worth the extra cost to have a specialized dealer fix a major problem with your car.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you should quit washing your vehicle. Although it may seem like a waste of time, winter weather can really damage your vehicle. The sand and salt from winter leads to rust and abrasion. Take care to dry your vehicle before driving it again. You wouldn’t want ice to form.

Find technicians to do your auto repair tasks instead of your dealer. Good mechanics are all around you. If you find someone that you’re comfortable with, they should be used.

Take pictures of your car prior to having it serviced. Though most shops won’t strip a car, others do it to make more money. Should something bad happen, it is helpful to have images of what your car looks like.

Never attempt to diagnose complicated car problems on your own. It takes special skills to work on cars. It may be a problem that’s harder to fix than you think. Let repair shops diagnose your vehicle. Just tell them the symptoms you are experiencing, including noises or the “feel” of the car, but then let them do their job.

There are a lot of body shops that will put older tires on your car. They will profit off of your ignorance if they can. Mark your tires so that you can check them later. Make sure you check your tires before you leave the garage to make sure they are the ones you drove in on.

Few people take the time to go over the manual that comes with their vehicle. But, reading it can give you a lot of helpful information. This will allow you to maintain and perform minor repairs on your vehicle.

It’s not uncommon to drop your vehicle off at a garage, only to return and discover a few expenses have been tacked on. They do this to make you think you are getting a bargain. Let them know that you will let them know, and search other shops to see if a better price is available.

Test Drive

Bleed your brakes before you take your car on a test drive. Pump your brake fluid afterwards. Make sure there are no leaks causing you to lose valuable brake fluid. Then test drive the car on a road that has minimal traffic. Be slow when you start so you’re sure of whether or not the repair worked.

OEM also known as original equipment manufacturer. Whenever you have to have parts replaced, keep this term in mind. You’ll seem educated if you tell a mechanic you would like OEM parts. This will make it less likely that the mechanic will attempt to install parts that have been previously used.

You should be able to do small auto repairs on your own, like adding wiper fluid and oil. It is not true that these routine jobs should be left to the professionals. Make sure you understand what has to be done, and then get ready to get down and dirty.

Sometimes the best choice is to use mechanics at a car dealer. These mechanics are well-versed in repairing your make of vehicle. They have the right tools to quickly diagnose your problem, and know how to troubleshoot the more common ones. They also utilize regular auto repair training programs to keep their skills up to date.

Ask for your old parts back when they’re replaced. When the mechanic says no, it’s likely that he never actually replaced the part. This is a definite red flag and you should call him out on it.

With all of the sketchy services out there, finding a reliable one can be frustrating. This article gave you the tools you need to succeed. A bit of effort initially can save you from a lot of heartache down the road.