Don't get taken for a ride on car repair. As a former auto technician I've seen the best and worst that's out there. I've worked at 8 different shops in the last ten years because I left the dishonest places and there are a lot of them out there. I know I'll probably catch some heat, but here goes. First, don't go to the place with the most advertising. The best advertising available to any good shop is word of mouth. I learned in trade school that if you do a person wrong, they'll tell 300 people; if you do them right they'll tell 3. Those 3 are the bread and butter of successful businesses. If you're looking for a shop, ask your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even the clerk at the supermarket. Advertising always tries to put a business in the best light, word of mouth is usually more truthful. Second, take the shop for a test drive. Bring your car in for an oil change or tire rotation. Simple, inexpensive services like these allow you to get a feel for a repair facility and whether or not you'll enjoy doing business with them. Be forewarned, however, since they have a chance to get a look at your car, they will almost certainly make recommendations for repairs that need to be done. That's how I made money. Oil changes by themselves are a loss. Ask them to show you what repairs they're recommending. Honest shops will have no qualms about escorting you out to your car to point to damaged or defective parts. Beware the shop that "forbids" customers in the work area. Show and tell is a simple and effective sales tool. Third, remember the golden rule. If you come in ranting about the fact that all mechanics are *** artists and every shop you've been to has ripped you off, I'm probably not going to be all that eager to have you as a customer. Walk in the door with a professional attitude and an expectation for good customer service, and a good shop is going to give you precsiely that. I have had wonderful relationships with many customers that new I was perfectly happy to provide a service, but miracles were harder to come by. Even invited a couple of my customers to my wedding. Great people. Lastly, remember that while a car is a machine, while the technician is a human being. Even on your best day, you still make mistakes and the same holds true for everyone else. Some "mistakes" are inexcusable; your car smells like smoke, the radio is turned all the way up, dirty hand or footprints. Others are a question of "oops happens"; defective parts, difficult diagnoses, etc. At the very least, allow them the opportunity to fix what's wrong and give them a second chance. Quite likely, they'll fall all over themselves to keep you as a customer. ...and some final tips for customers at good shops: We're not mechanics, grease monkeys, or dirtballs. We're technicians. It may seem like a subtle difference, but we take pride in our work. Doughnuts are always welcome, but a heartfelt "thank you" lasts a lot longer. One of my most prized possessions is a personalized pen and a thank you note mailed to the shop by an out of town customer thanking me for not ripping her off. Five years later, I still have it. Typically, we don't get paid by the hour but rather by the job. The more cars we fix, the more money we make. And we make money not from what we do, but rather what we know. I hate it when people want me to tell them how to fix their cars, but I love answering general questions that can help them out. "Yes, proper tire inflation IS the best way to get fuel efficiency." "No, those parts (or additives) are a gimmick and a waste of money." And finally, READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL!!!! Years ago, I bought a simple basic truck and one day I had time to kill, so I started thumbing through the manual. Every other page I found myself saying "***, it does that too?!" You'd be surprised what information is in that manual. Might even help avoid getting scammed like that guy I heard about that charged a little old lady $10 to swap the air in her tires from summer air to winter air. What a ***. The more you know, the better off you are.