If it is the first time you are using a new shop, test it out with a simple service. A small service will give you insight into the business without going in over your head.

Doing a tire rotation, for example, can help you decide if you want to use the shop for bigger services in the future without putting your vehicle or wallet in jeopardy. You can build up trust with your local mechanic and find out:

• How quickly repairs are done.
• If they inflate the costs or stick to the estimate.
• About their customer service.
• How well they treat your vehicle.
• About the quality of their work.
• If you like working with them.
• If they try to upsell you on additional services.

Another option is to test their ethics. By means of example, if you know your brakes are still good, ask the mechanic if they think you should get them replaced.

If they say ‘no’ and estimate how many more miles they have, it is an indication that they are trustworthy. If, on the other hand, they encourage you to replace them, then they may be only driven by profits.

By having several mechanics do small services, you can compare them without breaking the bank. You may even find that you like several locations and use them for different services.

If you are looking for a mechanic because your vehicle needs major help, you do not have the luxury of testing out shops. However, that does not mean you need to blindly trust one shop to do everything.