It’s important to have a mechanic that you can trust when taking your car in for maintenance and repairs. If you don’t go to the right person, you can end up getting upcharged or worse scammed. The first thing that you should do is to ask your friends and other trusted associates in your circle what mechanic they use, if you value their opinion then you should ask which mechanic they use. 

If nobody in your direct circle has a mechanic that they use, you’re going to have to find one on your own. You should start by looking online for mechanics and auto repair shops in your area. Look for ASE Certification (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence). The ASE is the largest independent nonprofit association for certified technicians in the United States. The ASE has certified around 300,000 repair shops and mechanics in the industry. Mechanics have other pieces of certification, if you don’t see an ASE certification, ask for some certification. If there is none, walk away and find another mechanic. 

Another association that you should check with is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They will help inform you of a company's reputation and integrity. Go on the BBB website and look up the name of the mechanic on the site to view reviews of the shop. It never hurts to look around for reviews of the place on multiple websites. 

Consult with AAA about the reliability of mechanic shops in the area, AAA associates with around 7,000 mechanic shops in North America, if a Mechanic is worth his salt they will be associated with AAA. 

It would also help to get better acquainted with your car, like its make and model. There are mechanics that specialize in repairing and maintaining specific models of cars like BMW’s for example, 

One thing that you need to bring up is warranties on the parts of your cars. If the parts on your car are covered by a warranty you can get a discount with a reputable mechanic. It’s also worth it to mention warranties to mechanic shops, they might offer them. 

Before you get anything repaired, ask your mechanic to give you a written estimate that includes the cost of the materials, work, and the time that it will take to repair. Mechanics will try to upsell you, it’s important that you ask them how much it will cost and make sure that you aren’t getting screwed. 

edited by TN