In general, it is best to find an excellent mechanic who knows your make and model of car well and stick with them for all of your maintenance needs. But when you see a great special for tires or an oil change, it is tempting to go where the price is low. After all, its just an isolated bit of work, not a tune up or repair. Does it really matter if you have a new battery installed at the cheap battery place instead of your regular mechanic? What harm could it do? And who can resist a chance to save money these days?
Pros of Sticking with Your Regular Mechanic
Your regular mechanic knows your car and your driving habits. He or she can keep on eye how well your car is running overall and spot any problems early on before they leave you stuck on the side of the road.
When you use the same mechanic, you develop a relationship over time. Your mechanic wants to keep regular customers, and will the extra mile to look out for your cars well-being.
Its just easier to go to the same mechanic all the time, once you find one you really trust, than it is to always be watching for specials here and there.
Pros of Trying a New Mechanic for a Special Deal
You do get the once-off savings if the price is lower for whatever service is on sale.
You might stumble across a mechanic you like better than your current one.
If you do decide you want to take your car to a different auto shop for a specific service because they are running a special price on it, you might want to do a little checking first. At a minimum, run the name of the place with the deal through an online search engine. You could find rave reviews… or dire warnings. And dont forget the value of old fashioned word of mouth. Ask your friends and neighbors if they have used that mechanic.
Sadly, some auto shops do run specials as a tactic to bring in new people and convince them their cars need some urgent repair that it really does not. If you do try a new place for an oil change special and they tell your car needs an expensive repair, dont panic. Ask them to show you the worn part in your engine. Dont be pressured. Ask your regular, trusted mechanic to check it out.
It isn’t any real harm to try a new place if they are offering real savings on a basic maintenance service such as an oil change Chantilly VA or a radiator flush, but it does pay to find a mechanic you can really trust and stick with him or her for tune ups and repairs. Your car will be better cared for in the long run, and you will have better peace of mind driving it.
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