Maybe you live in Highland Village, TX or you’re just passing through for the day. Either way, something’s suddenly wrong with your car — the check engine light comes on, the car won’t start in the restaurant parking lot, or you hear weird “clicking noises” from under the hood.
It could be something as simple as the “check engine light” that you can have checked in the next day or so. Or it could be a battery gone bad or something much worse, requiring immediate attention.
In that case, you pull out a smartphone, plug in auto repair Highland Village, TX and wait for the almighty Google to return . . . dozens of auto repair shops not only in Highland Village but from surrounding communities.
Which one should you choose? Who can you trust? Why choose one over another? So many questions, so few answers.
In this post we’ll mostly forgo the roadside emergency scenario to concentrate on how to find an honest, reliable auto repair shop in Highland, TX — but these suggestions apply on the road as well.
Start With Recommendations
The Local Social Network
We’re conditioned to start everything with an internet search. In this case, if at all possible, start with your local social network — neighbors, friends, co-workers, acquaintances at church, the coffee shop, or watering hole.
Auto repair shops and mechanics are something many people have strong opinions about. They either hate or love such and such place or love Joey at the shop over on Main Street. Comments from people you know — real people, as opposed to virtual commenters on Yelp or other internet sites — is invaluable, especially when in a time crunch.
Do not undervalue the give-and-take you can have when talking to a neighbor or colleague about auto repair shops in Highland Village, TX or their favorite mechanics. Follow-up questions to “What did you like about the shop?” or “Why do you trust that mechanic?” or “How do you feel about what they charged you?” can reveal information about a shop or mechanic that’s not always included in online reviews.
The Virtual Social Network and Internet
If your immediate social network isn’t any help — or you’re passing through Highland Village and don’t know many people — the next best thing, of course, is to turn to the internet.
We’ll cover using the internet in more detail in a future post, but essentially you want to:
- Check the shop’s web page (if it has one). Don’t judge the shop on web design. That’s not the core business. Fixing your car is.
- Read customer comments on the shop’s web site (if there are any). See the disclaimer below.
- Go to the shop’s Facebook page (if it has one) and repeat the first two points.
- Look up the shop on Yelp. Repeat.
- Look up the shop on Angie’s List. Repeat.
- Search Google. — Know this can get messy, akin to asking Web MD why your knee hurts and it might be cancer. The internet and Google are great for “drilling down” and getting more detailed information.
Now the disclaimer: Take any online review with a healthy dose of skepticism. Discard the best and worst and see what everybody else says. It’s not unlike reading book or product reviews on Amazon. Somewhere in the middle are opinions you can trust.
Ask About Certifications
After tapping into your local social network and the interwebs, you have a shop or two or three in mind. What next?
A good place to start is with certifications, which auto repair shops in Highland Village, TX and everywhere else should take seriously. They’re not everything, but they are an indication of how seriously a shop takes its professionalism and training. Call the shop and ask or drop by. If the shop is certified, it tells you a trusted industry organization has done some vetting and provides a stamp of approval.
For technicians, that’s the ASE certification, which indicates they have relevant hands-on experience and have passed various tests about automotive functions and repairs. If a mechanic doesn’t have the certification, it doesn’t mean he’s incompetent; it’s just one other thing to consider when making a decision when choosing auto repair in Highland Village, TX.
Looks and Cleanliness are Important
Auto repair shops and garages are supposed to be dirty and greasy, but that doesn’t mean they should also be cluttered, unorganized, and chaotic.
If possible, walk into the auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX and look around — at the counter, in the waiting room and, if possible, in the garage itself.
- How does it look?
- What’s your first impression?
- Is it clean? (Within reason, of course.)
- Is it well lit?
- Organized?
- Take a peak inside the cars in the parking lot. Are there paper protectors on the seat and floor? Are there smudges on the door handle and steering wheel from a mechanic’s greasy hands?
How a shop and its mechanics present themselves to customers (again within reason) says a lot about their professionalism and work ethic.
Talk, Talk, Talk
One thing car owners value and deeply appreciate about a quality auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX and mechanics is the ability to communicate in a language you understand.
- That and honesty. But the two often go hand-in-hand.
Unless you are a car enthusiast, most people know little about the inner workings of their automobiles and trucks. They desperately need shop owners, estimators, mechanics, and technicians to be honest, to explain what’s going on (to show you, if possible), and to provide excellent service or repair (the problem is fixed) at a fair price. Everybody’s worst fear is being “taken” by a shop or mechanic, paying for something that isn’t really needed at the time, and coming back for additional repair because it wasn’t done correctly the first time.
Developing relationships with an auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX isn’t easy and will take time. Everybody’s busy. You want them busy because that means they’re doing a good job for other people. Respect their time, but also keep a close eye on how you’re received and “dealt with.”
You’re busy, too. Or maybe you don’t care: You just want the car fixed and be on your way. That’s fine. Just know that when a relationship is made, especially for your “home” shop and mechanic, trust is established and there’s a sense of relief — that $1,000 repair bill notwithstanding.
At least when you pull out the credit card, you are confident the repair was needed, quality parts were used, and the shop and mechanic stand by their work.
There’s more to finding an honest, reliable mechanic and an auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX, but this should get you started. We’ll return to the topic in future posts.
Finding the Right Auto Repair in Highland Village, TX
Maybe you live in Highland Village, TX or you’re just passing through for the day. Either way, something’s suddenly wrong with your car — the check engine light comes on, the car won’t start in the restaurant parking lot, or you hear weird “clicking noises” from under the hood.
It could be something as simple as the “check engine light” that you can have checked in the next day or so. Or it could be a battery gone bad or something much worse, requiring immediate attention.
In that case, you pull out a smartphone, plug in auto repair Highland Village, TX and wait for the almighty Google to return . . . dozens of auto repair shops not only in Highland Village but from surrounding communities.
Which one should you choose? Who can you trust? Why choose one over another? So many questions, so few answers.
In this post we’ll mostly forgo the roadside emergency scenario to concentrate on how to find an honest, reliable auto repair shop in Highland, TX — but these suggestions apply on the road as well.
Start With Recommendations
The Local Social Network
We’re conditioned to start everything with an internet search. In this case, if at all possible, start with your local social network — neighbors, friends, co-workers, acquaintances at church, the coffee shop, or watering hole.
Auto repair shops and mechanics are something many people have strong opinions about. They either hate or love such and such place or love Joey at the shop over on Main Street. Comments from people you know — real people, as opposed to virtual commenters on Yelp or other internet sites — is invaluable, especially when in a time crunch.
Do not undervalue the give-and-take you can have when talking to a neighbor or colleague about auto repair shops in Highland Village, TX or their favorite mechanics. Follow-up questions to “What did you like about the shop?” or “Why do you trust that mechanic?” or “How do you feel about what they charged you?” can reveal information about a shop or mechanic that’s not always included in online reviews.
The Virtual Social Network and Internet
If your immediate social network isn’t any help — or you’re passing through Highland Village and don’t know many people — the next best thing, of course, is to turn to the internet.
We’ll cover using the internet in more detail in a future post, but essentially you want to:
- Check the shop’s web page (if it has one). Don’t judge the shop on web design. That’s not the core business. Fixing your car is.
- Read customer comments on the shop’s web site (if there are any). See the disclaimer below.
- Go to the shop’s Facebook page (if it has one) and repeat the first two points.
- Look up the shop on Yelp. Repeat.
- Look up the shop on Angie’s List. Repeat.
- Search Google. — Know this can get messy, akin to asking Web MD why your knee hurts and it might be cancer. The internet and Google are great for “drilling down” and getting more detailed information.
Now the disclaimer: Take any online review with a healthy dose of skepticism. Discard the best and worst and see what everybody else says. It’s not unlike reading book or product reviews on Amazon. Somewhere in the middle are opinions you can trust.
Ask About Certifications
After tapping into your local social network and the interwebs, you have a shop or two or three in mind. What next?
A good place to start is with certifications, which auto repair shops in Highland Village, TX and everywhere else should take seriously. They’re not everything, but they are an indication of how seriously a shop takes its professionalism and training. Call the shop and ask or drop by. If the shop is certified, it tells you a trusted industry organization has done some vetting and provides a stamp of approval.
For technicians, that’s the ASE certification, which indicates they have relevant hands-on experience and have passed various tests about automotive functions and repairs. If a mechanic doesn’t have the certification, it doesn’t mean he’s incompetent; it’s just one other thing to consider when making a decision when choosing auto repair in Highland Village, TX.
Looks and Cleanliness are Important
Auto repair shops and garages are supposed to be dirty and greasy, but that doesn’t mean they should also be cluttered, unorganized, and chaotic.
If possible, walk into the auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX and look around — at the counter, in the waiting room and, if possible, in the garage itself.
- How does it look?
- What’s your first impression?
- Is it clean? (Within reason, of course.)
- Is it well lit?
- Organized?
- Take a peak inside the cars in the parking lot. Are there paper protectors on the seat and floor? Are there smudges on the door handle and steering wheel from a mechanic’s greasy hands?
How a shop and its mechanics present themselves to customers (again within reason) says a lot about their professionalism and work ethic.
Talk, Talk, Talk
One thing car owners value and deeply appreciate about a quality auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX and mechanics is the ability to communicate in a language you understand.
- That and honesty. But the two often go hand-in-hand.
Unless you are a car enthusiast, most people know little about the inner workings of their automobiles and trucks. They desperately need shop owners, estimators, mechanics, and technicians to be honest, to explain what’s going on (to show you, if possible), and to provide excellent service or repair (the problem is fixed) at a fair price. Everybody’s worst fear is being “taken” by a shop or mechanic, paying for something that isn’t really needed at the time, and coming back for additional repair because it wasn’t done correctly the first time.
Developing relationships with an auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX isn’t easy and will take time. Everybody’s busy. You want them busy because that means they’re doing a good job for other people. Respect their time, but also keep a close eye on how you’re received and “dealt with.”
You’re busy, too. Or maybe you don’t care: You just want the car fixed and be on your way. That’s fine. Just know that when a relationship is made, especially for your “home” shop and mechanic, trust is established and there’s a sense of relief — that $1,000 repair bill notwithstanding.
At least when you pull out the credit card, you are confident the repair was needed, quality parts were used, and the shop and mechanic stand by their work.
There’s more to finding an honest, reliable mechanic and an auto repair shop in Highland Village, TX, but this should get you started. We’ll return to the topic in future posts.
