When searching for your next auto repair shop, the process can quickly become tiresome and convoluted. How do you know if you are receiving a fair price? What kind of services do you need? How can you trust the repair shop?
These are all accurate questions you should be answering. As a start, we’ve put together a list of questions to ask when searching for your next auto repair shop:
Ask People You Trust
Of course the easiest thing you can do is to start by asking those who you know and trust. Especially when you move to a new area or purchase a car for the first time, it can be tricky to know which repair shop is the best for you. Ask people you work with, post a question on social media (like Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and see what people say. Even if you don’t initially receive a definitive answer, you can certainly create a starter list.
Look For Online Reviews
Online reviews exist for this specific reason. Once you have a list or even by searching “Repair shop near me,” you will be presented with tons of reviews and people’s experiences. Look on Yelp, Angie’s List, Facebook or even reviews posted on the website. For example, here’s the Drive European Yelp page:https://www.yelp.com/biz/drive-european-falls-church.
Get Estimates from More Than One Shop
You have your list and some customer reviews, so now it’s time to find out about pricing for your specific problem. For the most accurate estimate, it’s always best to take your car into the shop(s). However, you can also call the different shops to ask for an average. For example, my brakes are squealing, what do you normally charge to replace brakes?”
Shops can, many times, provide you with a rough estimate if the problem is clearly explained. You can quickly gather some estimates using this method.
Don’t Always Choose the Cheapest
The saying “You get what you pay for” applies to the auto repair industry. Your vehicle is an investment, so it’s best not to risk causing a larger problem down the line for initial minor savings. During your process, you will most likely receive different prices for the same job. Remember that EXPERIENCE and REPUTATION matters, not just price.Drive European has specialized in the sale and service of European automobiles for over 30 years in the Washington, D.C. area, so we’ve seen it all!
Not Sure of the Problem? Just Ask!
We get it – talking about automobiles isn’t the most enjoyable for everyone. However, you should understand what you are paying for. At Drive European, we are always happy to break down the components of the job and explain what needs to be done and how we will go about fixing yourAudi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Volkswagen or Volvo.
There are certainly many more questions one can ask when finding out the best way to repair a vehicle. We invite you to view some customer reviews, see our process, images and more on our website: www.driveeuropean.com. Or, contact us here.