So my car started making this horrible noise from the front passenger wheel that sounded like the brake pad was completely gone. There is a few mechanics around me and we went to this place that my mom has gone to a few times and they wanted $550 for new pads and rotors for the front and rear. I thought this was a bit much and called around and remembered that one of my grandpa's old friends did brakes, so I called him and he said well I'll check prices and call you back. He called me back and said it would be about $150 total for new rotors on the front and rear and labor.

This seemed like a no brainer so we took the car over there and he called this morning and said the rear pads/rotors needed to be replaced and that the front was fine for 2-3 more months...Uhh, what the front was the whole thing that started this. So I told him this and he said well I can do the front but it will be around $300...... I then got into an argument with him and said ok well I still have the voice-mail where you told me it would be $150 for everything including labor and he then said well I charge $75 for a wheel. So I told him to do the front as well and as soon as he's done I suppose I won't be going to him anymore.

Anyway the point of this is how the hell did you guys find a good mechanic (if you did) and how do you know he's a good mechanic?

Sorry for the rant but I'm just really irritated.

 

Well, you need something like brakes done, you would like someone to do them right, and for a good price. There are some good mechanics. Heres the thing, some mechanics that have a home buisness doing this can be your best friend, other wise they can charge you a price, but take forever, or do a terrible job. Its always good to shop for a price. Like a said, someone who has a home buisness and is certified to do your repair may give you a better deal than a company who fixes cars. #1 shop around, and #2 make sure the person is certified, so if they don't do the job you wanted them to you can fall back on that. Just always shop for the best price. If they don't treat you well or quote a good price, just find someone else. You may have to look in the phone book, and collect buisness cars to find the best deals. They may be within 20 miles, and you didn't even know. Good luck.

 

Unfortunately it is usually by trial and error and even then a shop with a good track record can go down the drain at any time. Also one that has been bad can get better. Frankly the best price is not at the top of my list, doing the job right and in a timely manner is.

 

The best way, unfortunately (or fortunately, if you like that sort of thing) is to BECOME your mechanic.
No one will care about your stuff like you will, and the massive money you save will buy plenty of tools, parts, and frosty beverages for after the job is done.

 

Right egg-zactly BINGO!

"PROFESSIONAL" by definition is a term that means the individual doing that job is PAID to do it. It doesn't mean a danged thing else...
-and there are not many people like that I have ever met who put their entire mind and soul into what they do all day-
You have to seriously love what you do to accept the challenge to be the very best at it. You have to "CARE"...

Now - your car or truck has to do three things, and do them reliably and well:
It has to MOVE
It has to STEER
And it has to STOP...

Those are listed in the reverse order of their importance!

~ Everything else it does is pure gravy on top of it

So the most important thing your ride can do is TO STOP (especially if it isn't acting right)

Since brakes are not that hard to learn, and braking is one of the most critical operations a vehicle performs - I never trust my brakes to anyone else but myself. Period

It is different for other people I know - not everyone has been a grease monkey for anything like as long as I have. But you can make a start - and it will pay you back a thousand times over

 

I have to agree with #4. Other then that, word of mouth, that is how I usually got work until the economy dived and I decided to do something different.

I can tell you where not to take it, Pep Boys (I use to do a manager's car in my driveway if that tells you anything), Speedy, Walmart, Sears, any transmission shop, etc. Exception being a NAPA with a machine shop, the guys that work there usually know their stuff, you only have to figure on the honesty part.

I would try and find a good OEM dealer and pay the higher prices vs. take it to a bozo. Before I got back into doing my own stuff, I use to take my Fords to a good Ford dealer even for oil changes. I rather pay $33 for an oil change done right, then $15 for a moron to destroy, damage on purpose, or lie about my car.

Go to a shop that says it is Christian (or Jewish -Muslim owned), do a drive by and see if it is packed with cars, then see if you have old coggers working there. Chances are, it is probably a good bet for a quality honest job.

 

"Codgers" !!!

I'm a codger
Jolly Roger
I can fix most anything...

If it's busted
Or it's rusted
You can trust it
After me

Just bring it on by grampa's garage!

(I resemble that...)

 

It's nice to do your own, but it's getting harder. I haven't done my own brakes on my 'good' vehicles for a while. I check my manuals, and if I think there's too much risk, then I don't do it.

I wish that I had a formula to find a good mechanic, but I don't. Last time I asked my daughter, who's had some good luck with one shop. I checked them out with the BBB, and after talking to them, I went there. I THINK that they did OK.

I try to know as much as I can about the job, I've begun checking BBB, and I talk to the shop about what the deal is. I also take a peek at the job afterwards, but that doesn't really mean much.

This is not to diss mechanics. I think that most of them are good and try hard. But, there are a lot of pressures for quick work, and sometimes to sell extra parts and labor.

I agree with the others here about brakes -- this is your life. Find a good deal, but make sure that they know what they're doing.

 

For the work that is beyond my abilities, I've been going to a privately owned shop for years. This fella has employed the sme people for at least five years, doesn't try to upsell squat and he allows you to make own decisions without any pressure. Word of mouth got me into his shop. His performance, candor and integrity have kept me there. His prices tend to parallel the dealers prices.

Tim