How to find the best mechanic near me? Keep reading to find out how.
At Hansma Automotive, we have over 25 years of experience in the automotive repair industry and we'd love to share our expertise with you.
We'll give you a step-by-step process to help you find an auto mechanic that you can trust. So let's get going.
Follow these steps to find the best “mechanic near me”
How to Find the Best Mechanic Near Me
If you currently don't have a mechanic that you are happy with, then it is a good idea to take some time and find one. You want to start looking before you have an emergency and have to contact the first mechanic you find.
If you have done your research ahead of time, you will already have someone you can trust if a large, unexpected repair comes up. Here are some steps that you can follow:
Mechanic near me: Start looking before you have an emergency
Step 1: Ask for Recommendations
Friends and Family:
One of the most effective ways to find a reliable mechanic is to ask people you know for recommendations. Start with your friends and family members that live in your area to find out who they use and if they would recommend them.
If they are happy with the service they received from their mechanics, then you probably will be as well. If they haven't been happy, then you probably won't be either.
Neighbours:
If you have recently moved to a new area and you don't have any family members close by or you haven't made any friends yet, then be sure to ask your neighbours.
It would be a great way to get to know them and asking their advice could be a great ice breaker. People generally love to share their experiences and are usually quite willing to offer advice especially about good or bad experiences with mechanics.
Ask people you know for recommendations
Step 2: Check Online Reviews
In addition to asking people you know, and to get a broader opinion when choosing a mechanic, you could check out online reviews. Go to third-party sites to look at customer reviews such as:
Evaluate Star Ratings:
Don't just look at the star ratings and conclude that a mechanic with 5 stars is your best choice. For example, a business that has 5 stars with only one review may be okay, however, one that has a 4.8 average star rating with over 153 reviews is far more credible.
A larger number of reviews will give you a better picture of the quality of the mechanic
Beware of Fake Reviews:
Take a critical look at the reviews and the responses from the owners to make sure that they are legitimate reviews. Here are a few tips for spotting fake reviews:
Negative reviews without comments are often fake.
Watch out for people who make a lot of reviews all on the same day. If someone is paid to do bad reviews then they often do them in bulk.
If the reviewer has left no other reviews or has only highly praised a competitor then it could be a fake review left by a competitor.
Fake reviews often include multiple exclamation points to try and make their negative message stronger.
Fake reviews will often be very general and include very few specific details.
Beware of fake reviews when searching for a “mechanic near me”
Step 3: Check Websites
Another good thing to do when looking for the "best mechanic near me", is to check out their website. An up-to-date, professional website can tell you a lot about the mechanic you are considering.
You might think that a website isn't that important when choosing a mechanic, however, it could be a good indication of whether that mechanic is keeping up to date with technology, not only with their website but also technological advances in auto repair.
Having an easy-to-navigate website is also a plus when you want to quickly book an appointment, find out what services they offer, or get a sense of what their staff is like.
Check out their website to see how professional it is
Step 4: Choose a Mechanic with Experience:
While you are doing your online research, find out how many years the mechanics that you are considering have been in business. This will tell you two important things:
1. If they have the expertise and experience needed to do quality work:
The longer a mechanic has been in business, the more valuable experience they have which will give them the expertise needed to fix your vehicle right the first time.
2. If they are honest and reliable:
An auto mechanic that has been in business for a long time is more likely to be one that you can trust. It is very difficult to stay in business for many years if you are dishonest in your dealings and you do sub-standard work.
Choose a mechanic with lots of experience
Step 5: Visit the Mechanic
Visit the mechanics that you are considering using to find out what the atmosphere is like in the garage. Take a look at the facility itself to see if it is organized and tidy.
Talk to some of the staff to see if they are friendly and if you would feel comfortable dealing with them.
When choosing a “mechanic near me” try to visit the ones that you are considering
Step 6: Test out Their Service
Start out by getting them to do a small job like an oil change or tire change to start with and see how they treat you.
If they are pushy or try to make you do extra repairs that you know you don't need, then that should send up some red flags for you. If you are happy with their service, then try them out on a larger job.
Test out your new mechanic with a small service first
Mechanic Near Me: Why Choose Hansma
If you live in the Kitchener-Waterloo region and you are looking for the best “mechanic near me”, contact Hansma Automotive. You can trust Hansma with all of your car maintenance and repairs.
As a Tech-Net professional auto repair facility, Hansma Automotive is committed to serving you, our customer, with professional auto service at a reasonable cost.
We use quality CARQUEST auto parts, guaranteed coast to coast. We stand on sound business principles and uphold high ethical standards. Our goal is to make your automotive repair experience friendly and successful.
By providing good, old-fashioned customer service over the years, Hansma Automotive has gained a loyal following in the community.
Many hundreds of area residents have come to depend on our team and the technical expertise of our friendly staff to keep their family vehicles in peak running condition. We are conveniently located at 88 Shoemaker St., Kitchener, ON, N2E 3G4. Book an appointment now.