Interviewing mechanics

I am currently interviewing mechanics for my upcoming purchase of a 360. I talked to someone this morning and he told me something very interesting. He said when he gives an estimate for diagnostic work and it takes longer than what he expected he does not charge the customer the extra time. I have never heard someone doing that before and I have dealt with many mechanics. I don't know if that is reason enough to deal with him. But it is an incentive.

 

Good luck. I would talk with a few and take the advice of people on here who own cars in your area and have used them. I know there are a lot of great techs out there, I hope you find the right one. When I first got my car, I went with the suggestions of people on here because, I have no mechanical skills so I would not have known what to ask to be honest. But because people on here are so helpful I was able to find a great one and it's been good ever since.

 

Talking to mechanics' clients is going to get you a lot more information than talking to mechanics.

 

The best way IMHO is to ask people in the area who they use. There will be at least 1 good shop... it will keep coming up when you ask. Go with that shop.

 

What area are you in? I am sure some folks here could recommend someone locally once we know your location.

 

In California that is the law. We give an estimate, it is set in stone unless we contact you in advance and get your permission to go further.

I cannot charge you one single dime in excess of the amount I got your advanced permission to spend.

 

I disagree. Talking to both is best.

 

The nature of my jobs are such that an estimate takes a significant amount of time and effort and reads much like a legal brief-as the expenses are so astronomically high-that:
if I need to charge for the 6-10 hours for the written estimate of charges-therefore, FIRST, I must give an estimate , for the ESTIMATE!
NO BS-California is quite exacting in the specifics of what you can and cannot charge-and the precise methods which MUST be adhered to in ANY event of cost over runs.
The flip side: There is NO warranty implied or stated in the auto repair business in CA-excepting for that which is EXPRESSLY stated in writing on the repair order by the purveyor. Forget all else, it will get tossed at filing...Manufacturers warranty is another story, you get to take THAT up with the manufacturer's barrister-good luck with THAT...

The offer of not charging for extra might seem nice, but My read is that its a bit disingenuous to have you believe that this an act bourne soley out of the goodness of his heart...
Baloney, he's running a business, he pays his bills with THIS work-PERIOD.
NOBODY is going to work on ANYBODY"S car out of the kindness of his heart when:
it probably costs 10K a month to turn on the lights/insurance/etc-would you????

If it seems too good to be true, it usually is-right?

 

I am a bit skeptical about it. That is why I posted this thread to get members opinion's.

 

I am in Southern California. I want to do the research on this and come up with my own conclusions. Everyone was telling me eugenio was the best and don't deal with anyone else. When I talked to eugenio he told me there is a 4 month wait to get your car serviced. He also told me he doesn't to ppi's or give out advice.

 

I've found no hard and fast rule. Best you can do is talk to the guy, get references and go with your gut.
Mechanics are like melons. When you find a good one you just know.

 

I'll do that.

 

"I am a bit skeptical about it. That is why I posted this thread to get members opinion's."

Not said by me-I am QUOTING-for the most part, verbatim-the JUDGE, on a case in which I was the expert witness.
(The case was dismissed with prejudice on lack of merit due to an interesting legal technicality: when asking for a liability release-you are asking, essentially, for legal redress from something you knew you shouldn't have been doing in the first place...and that's a quote from the judge...who tuned up the room on the issues of written estimates, warranty's implied and or stated-and lack there of, as far as The Bureau Of Automotive Repair was concerned with, which is NOT to say people can't try and sue a Ham sandwich because a lawyer said your bill is too high and I can get some money back for you. Testified on cases like that as well...
It is amazing what people will sue for with "exotic" cars, which are 90-95% of these sorts of suits-so sayeth the judge....

Again-what I posted above is NOT opinion, but handed down from the bench-superior court I might add...0ver $10,000.00....NOT small claims courts...

 

I didn't mean to imply that they're mutually exclusive.

 

Do you tap him on the forehead with your knuckles?

 

How would he know who the clients are, and how would he obtain their contact info?

 

Cars & Coffee

 

Well, by posting in places like this, asking local club members, etc. He could also ask the shop owner for references, but those are just about guaranteed to be one-sided, as one might expect. I've been owning/driving cars like we're talking about here for more than 40 years and have yet to interview a mechanic. I've always known more about the shop before my first appointment than the owner alone was likely to have told me. The OP should try posting in the regional forum where he lives. It would do him a lot more good than his general questions.

Speaking of which, it always srtikes me as odd that people come into this forum asking for help but can't be bothered to complete a profile.

 

Well in reality he has asked and he is running down those leads. That is how he got the shops names.

 

Some prefer the thump.
I find that a good one smells ripe.

Seriously, if you're a new owner without marque experience, finding someone with a good rep who you can communicate with is the best bet.

 

Actually I think there is some value in having a rapport with your mechanic so talking to recommended people is a good idea, IMHO. Although there are some great mechs out there, NO ONE is perfect and having a rapport smooths over the rough spots.

 

Yes, the middle fingernail thump is the tried and true method.

My experience has been that some of the best are difficult to communicate with as they insist on speaking French or Italian, especially upon presentation of the bill. (Come to think of it they're usually the ripest!)

 

It depends on your relationship with the car. Doing the work yourself is the most intimate. Handing it over and saying "fix it" the least.
I'd never give my car to anyone who can't explain the problem and the cure.

 

You are 100 percent correct.

 

Twenty years now and 90% of my work is referrals from others. Like other shops, I try to cover the bases as reasonably as possible in a written estimate. Like those posting above, I end up with a LOT of time invested in the estimate both in preparation and discussions with the client. I'm old school, live by my handshake and eat my mistakes, on many occasions a customer will insist on giving me something toward the extra effort I put into the job.

In these days, trial by internet is too common, don't believe all you read, talk to local owners with personal knowledge of the shop.