How do I find a reputable car garage?

It’s natural to feel nervous when booking your car into an auto repair workshop, especially if you’ve never used the firm before. Most of us like to rely on recommendations from friends and family when we choose a garage but there’s always a niggling fear that the work carried out will be much more expensive than we’d imagined or worse – that a mechanic will perform unnecessary repairs to increase your final bill.

Most car owners are unable to repair their own vehicles when they go wrong and have to turn to the professionals for help. Unfortunately, their experiences are not always positive and a growing number of car repair firms are giving the industry a bad name. Last year alone, there were more than 15,000 complaints to Consumer Direct (now the Citizen Advice Bureau ) about car repairs and servicing. But there are ways to protect yourself from being ripped off and ensuring the mechanic who services your car has your best interests at heart. Car owners who arm themselves with knowledge prior to seeking repairs will be in a better position to understand pricing and realise when they are being hoodwinked.

Firstly, it is always a good idea to run a search of your vehicle’s symptoms on the internet so that you can get a measure of possible faults and the likely cost of repairs.

Unless you’ve used a garage many times before and trust the firm implicitly, it is a good idea to gather a range of quotes when looking for repairs – especially if the work to be carried out is large-scale. Repair prices can vary significantly from one firm to another as can labour charges and it is important to receive confirmation that the bill includes VAT otherwise you will face a nasty surprise when you come to settle the balance. Customers are advised to seek a total job price rather than an hourly rate to ensure the repairs do not run over budget but this is not always possible with complicated repairs. In this case, it’s wise to set a cut-off point so you’re not left with a bill you can’t afford.

Many car repair firms offer a free diagnostic service so you should know exactly what the problem is and the likely cost before you give the go-ahead for the work to be completed. However, motorists should be discouraged from taking advantage of this perk if they don’t intend to use the garage for the repairs as some will charge for the time taken to find out what’s wrong with your vehicle.

It’s always advisable to inform a mechanic that you want to be consulted about any other faults they identify during the examination before they go ahead and fix them so you remain in control.

Here at M&BM Motors we pride ourselves on our untarnished reputation and 30-year history of delivering quality, professional repairs to Essex residents and businesses.

As a trusted car repair firm, we offer a full range of services. For more information call us on 01375 858275.