Choosing A Repair Garage For Your Car
Posted on: 2 May 2018
Choosing a garage to repair your car can be a difficult choice due to the bewildering plethora of choices available to you. Your priorities will also vary depending on your car and your budget, but there are a few things you should always keep in mind when choosing a garage. Whether you're looking for a cheap fix or somewhere that carries a lot of spare parts, the tips below are sure to help you decide.
Think About What's Convenient
For most people, choosing a repair garage that's close to home is a top priority, and is a good place to begin. Opting for a local garage will save you time, stress and effort, although of course, if you are not happy with your local offerings, you should look further afield. Autotrader makes the point that you may want to wait nearby for your car to be ready, so you may want to choose a garage with somewhere nearby to go, such as a restaurant or shopping centre.
Start by making a list of garages in your immediate area, and then rule out ones that don't suit you, such as ones with opening hours that don't suit you. Finally, you should think about what you need from a garage, and what services you need it to provide. For example, if you own a Fiat and want immediate, on-the-spot repairs if necessary, there's no point choosing somewhere that doesn't carry an ample supply of Fiat spare parts.
Find Out About The Garages' Reputations
Armed with your list of convenient, appropriate garages, you should then find out about the reputation of your chosen garages. Look at online reviews, and look at the general trend of what people are saying. Ask your friends and family if they recommend any particular garage and if they have had bad experiences with any. You may also want to find out if the garage is part of any national rating scheme, as this may reassure you as to their competence. However, as the Telegraph points out, not all rating schemes are worthwhile or impartial, and you should not make your final decision based on this.
Ask Some Questions
By this point, you should have a shortlist of garages that meet your needs, and that have excellent customer feedback. Which? explains that you should find out about prices in advance, and ask various garages about their hourly rates and also about the cost of parts. Green Flag suggests that you have all the important information about your car to hand when you do this, such as the make, model and mileage, as this will affect your quote. You should also ask any other questions you have about the garage, the mechanics and their experience and the services provided.
While choosing a repair garage can be hard, the steps above will help you make a good decision. Focus on what you want, whether that's a location near your workplace or a good selection of Fiat spare parts! Don't be afraid to walk away from a garage if the prices make you uneasy or the staff are unhelpful, and only commit to a business you feel comfortable with.
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