…a mechanic who knows mechanics. A mechanic who can diagnose a problem. A mechanic who does not look at the customer as an idiot. In short, I want a mechanic who will perform the right repair at the right time — that is, the first time.
For a couple of years now, it seems as though every time I take my car to the garage, whether it’s the dealer’s or an independent shop, I have to go back multiple times due to bad or incomplete repair work. I made six different visits to three different garages for an air conditioning leak in my RV, three visits to two places to repair the brakes of said RV, four visits to a single dealer for a leaky A/C unit in my new car, two additional visits to the same dealer because of a brake warning light and another for clunky brakes. The verdict? Both the pads and rotors need to be replaced. But how can it be, Sir? My car barely has 36,000 kilometres on the clock! "Sorry, Mister. And your warranty does not cover this thing." Of course, I used my "the customer’s always right" privilege to politely tell the guy to, you know, shove it!
I took my car home, still clunking, and I examined the brakes myself since I’m not a complete ignorant. As soon as I removed a front wheel, I noticed that the brake pads were no longer sticking to their mounts, which explained the clunking noise. The quick, easy solution was to change pads (under warranty since it was clearly a manufacturing flaw and not the result of normal wear). As for the discs, which my dear technician wanted me to get rid of, they were still in perfect condition!
I will spare you the details of the misfortunes I had with another vehicle (again, the brakes!) and I will simply ask you this: am I the only one who’s looking for an honest, competent mechanic?
For a couple of years now, it seems as though every time I take my car to the garage, whether it’s the dealer’s or an independent shop, I have to go back multiple times due to bad or incomplete repair work. I made six different visits to three different garages for an air conditioning leak in my RV, three visits to two places to repair the brakes of said RV, four visits to a single dealer for a leaky A/C unit in my new car, two additional visits to the same dealer because of a brake warning light and another for clunky brakes. The verdict? Both the pads and rotors need to be replaced. But how can it be, Sir? My car barely has 36,000 kilometres on the clock! "Sorry, Mister. And your warranty does not cover this thing." Of course, I used my "the customer’s always right" privilege to politely tell the guy to, you know, shove it!
I took my car home, still clunking, and I examined the brakes myself since I’m not a complete ignorant. As soon as I removed a front wheel, I noticed that the brake pads were no longer sticking to their mounts, which explained the clunking noise. The quick, easy solution was to change pads (under warranty since it was clearly a manufacturing flaw and not the result of normal wear). As for the discs, which my dear technician wanted me to get rid of, they were still in perfect condition!
I will spare you the details of the misfortunes I had with another vehicle (again, the brakes!) and I will simply ask you this: am I the only one who’s looking for an honest, competent mechanic?