Some people think that auto repair and trust don't belong in a title together. I was reading an article about a survey performed by AAA. AAA stated that according to their survey, ‘75 million drivers don't have a trusted auto repair facility and ⅔ of drivers don't trust auto repair shops in general’.
Some people have had bad experiences or there's always that reputation that seems to persist for centuries. Mechanics! Argh! They're always out to get people! I'm going with my 17 years of experience in this industry and saying that 10%, probably the same in other service industries, of shops are…….less honest than they should be.
The less honest ones aggravate everyone. We get the customers they've mislead and have to work to earn their trust. But that's OK.
I understand. Technology is changing so fast and the average car owner isn't going to understand when your technicians says you have, “excessive noise on bit serial data line causing no communication with multiple modules”, you're put in the position of having to trust them and then pay them.
Recently, we had water pressure issue at our home. The plumber came out and explained what needed to be replaced. I have no idea what he said but, morning coffee requires running water and if the part failed, no coffee. So he replaced the part. I have my priorities straight.
Here's the issue: 75 million people haven't found a trusted repair shop. That means that if you have a repair needed, you will be desperately calling all the shops in your area to find one. Don't do that.
Get some referrals from friends. Check the internet. If someone has a similar make and model, ask them where they go for car repairs and maintenance. When you drive past auto repair facilities, notice the vehicles in the lot-- do you see your same manufacturer? Narrow it down and visit some shops. Get an oil change. Call with a question. Stop in for coffee. Find a shop before you need one. You'll inevitably have a time when you need one and it will reduce the stress when you know where you're going.