Test Out Your Mechanic Beforehand With Minor Repair Jobs

@FooSchnickens:
Excellent tip! I'm an automotive technician ( an honest one) and I agree that people should have an OBD II scanner..just to make sure that the mechanic's diagnosis is at least similar to the information the Trouble Code gives you.

jcrockerman

@FooSchnickens: For the safety of your car and the society you drive it in, I'd say it's a good idea to have a professional look at it once in awhile. If you don't know what you're doing or looking at, you may not see something potentially fatal or expensive.

@Ferguson1015: For those who don't know, a "tune-up" on a modern car means the checking/replacing of any consumables relating to engine performance:

- air filter
- oil change/filter change
- checking/replacing spark plugs

As a general rule of thumb, I think it's a good idea for any driver to familiarize themselves with the following systems in cars in general:

- coolant
- spark ignition system (non-diesel cars)
- oil
- tire pressure
- brakes

Knowing at least a little about those systems will go a long way into informing you on how to properly maintain your car.

ALWAYS follow the following service intervals:

- oil change 5000kms or 3 months, whichever happens first
- coolant change (in temperate climates) every 2 years
- brake fluid change every year (do a hydraulic clutch fluid change at the same time)
- spark plug change every 20,000kms
- transmission and differential fluid every year

Doing this will ensure your car will last as long as possible for you or the next owner. Skipping on maintenance may seem like you're saving money, and because modern cars are so reliable, it may not noticeably decrease the safe performance of your car, but eventually something will crap out before it should because you didn't follow the proper maintenance schedule.

@yachius: re: knowing about codes to interpret them

Absolutely solid advice. Codes on OBD I and OBD II cars are always related to emissions technology; but, a code for a "burning rich" condition from an O2 sensor can be misleading if you don't know what to do with that information.

It's been awhile since I've boned-up on my tech reading; I don't believe OBD III is out yet, or what's going on with that. It's also possible your car may be complicated, like a BMW, and give codes for other, more electrical systems like window lift motors or what not.

@jonny6pak: As far as manuals go, if you have a BMW, make sure you pick up the Bentley manual for your car; they're the best, hands down. Mike Miller, from "Bimmer" magazine's Tech Q&A section passed that nugget on to me.

@FooSchnickens: Some cars don't need a code reader. Fancier GM models like the 1998 Cadillac DeVille sedan have a real easy way to check a code: turn the key to the "ON" position and simply hold down both the hot and cold buttons on the A/C panel for 10 or so seconds, and the unit will go into service mode. It's been awhile since I've sat in one, but I do believe the codes read out in plain English without further button pressing.

To reset the system, simply turn the ignition back to the "OFF" position.

I wouldn't be surprised if more cars had a feature like this these days. I'm sure a little googling for your own car wouldn't hurt.

If you've got a BMW and you're in the Beaconsfield (Montreal's West Island) area, check out RPM in the Beaconsfield village. Top-rate work, and the owner is a certified, ex-BMW technician.

@veronykah: a million times car talk. I've had amazing results finding a good mechanic in the SF bay area and an AMAZINGLY AWESOME one in LA.

moonablaze

@swags: It's up to the individual store manager whether or not to offer the code reading service. Most will do it as it can lead to more parts sales. In my experience, many stores, particularly in bad areas, will not allow employees to assist customers outside the store after dark. So if you're heading over to get your codes read during the winter, get there early.

As an aside, I would not recommend non-"car people" to diagnose their own codes. There's generally more to diagnosing then just knowing what an engine code indicates.

The best route is to get your codes read at an auto parts store and do your research as to what the codes generally indicate before bringing the car to a mechanic for servicing. That way you'll know if the mechanic is trying to rip you off by fixing unrelated items.

Your state may have legal regs regarding charges and estimates. F'rexample in FL IIRC if a job is going to cost 10%+ more than the estimate, they have to get approval for the extra cost before doing the work, or you don't have to pay. No such thing as a (valid) open-ended contract.

elfchick

@FooSchnickens: I have heard that auto parts stores, such as Auto Zone or Advance, will usually check the code for you for free (a Google search agrees). I've never needed to take advantage of this myself, but I think it's a good alternative for the average driver who may need to use a code reader only once every few years.

swags

I always check out mechanics on
CarTalk's website and Yelp.

Car Talk MechanX Files

Yelp

@FooSchnickens: Good call. I want to add on that a Haynes manual is a good purchase as well. The combo of the code reader and the Haynes manual gave me enough knowledge to keep my car running for what now feels like forever

jonny6pak

Another thing to do when selecting an auto mechanic is to find out whom your friends, neighbors, or other community members trust. A church friend highly recommends a particular mechanic, and when I went, I was sure to mention who recommended him to me. It ensures that he knows that if I get good/bad service, the entire church community will hear the good/bad report. Keeps people honest.

Can I have a star now, please?

We had a mechanic leave an oil cap off/loose. Led to (1) a collision when we got backed into by another customer when we were pulling out of their drive after having gone back to inquire. (2)Destroyed engine/motor as the thing that clued us in that it was missing was the oil that got on everything b/c it wasn't in place.

Moral: Testing them out with the small stuff doesn't always turn out like you would expect.

But you have to trust someone. The best thing a mechanic can do to gain my confidence? Don't start doing diagnostics for free in efforts to up sale me when it is a diagnostic you would have charged me for it I ask. I want my mechanic to treat my car like my doctor treats me. If there is an issue with my foot, I really don't need the rectal exam.

jupiterthunder

Before you decide there is no way you can DIY do yourself a favor and get a Shop Manual for every car you own. Often times they cover everything from the symptoms to the resolution in full detail.

If it's a newer car, take it to one of the major auto parts stores. Often times they will hook up to your computer for free to diagnose the problem for you.

Lastly... If you do not like the mechanic on a personal level that is a good thing. You will quicker to criticize them and have the job done right rather than listening to their excuses or worse yet making up excuses for them.

@Ferguson1015: Another good point. Many dealers offer milestone services that really don't DO anything to the car. It's all checks. Check the coolant, check the brake fluid, check the wiper fluid, check check check check. All of those get charged .25 to .5 of an hour and all of a sudden you're being charged $350 for topping off your fluids and MAYBE getting an air filter and some plugs and wires thrown in for good measure.

The only thing I disagree with in that article is poring over the owner's manual.

There's actually very little information in them these days about the inner workings of the vehicle and more about how to actually use the inner workings. There are still safety guidelines regarding checking tire wear, brakes, fluid levels and things like that, but it's not going to tell you that if you're throwing a P0102 code then it's most likely the MAF being clogged up and doesn't need to be replaced as some shops would lead you to believe (and then not replace at all and pocket the change for merely cleaning it).

Every car owner should own a code reader. It won't tell you 100% what's wrong, but it will give you valuable information that you can then take to the internet and school yourself on the issue and possibly the diagnosis as well. They're no more than $40 and can be a real life-saver when having to deal with mechanics out of your normal area (like on a road trip or vacation). It won't do jack for OBD-I cars, but there are fewer and fewer of them on the road these days, and they all have a morse-code style output for reading the codes anyhow.

Just a few observations from your local mechanic.

@Ferguson1015: My car is only worth hundreds of dollars. This sounds like a huge profit opportunity! Maybe my mechanic can pay ME! ;)

My only advice with mechanics is that when you do finally find one that is honest (mostly) then be sure to be specific with what you want. Your definition of tune up may not be the same as your mechanics.

At worst you will annoy them, at best you could save hundreds of dollars (yes hundreds)!

Ferguson1015

@bobbo33: For my older cars I get mine from http://www.factoryautomanuals.com

@UnderLoK: +1 for the shop manual, but be sure to get the Factory Shop Manual, not the cheap one from the local auto parts store.

Tip: When buying a new car, negotiate in a full set of the factory shop manual(s) with the purchase - they charge several hundred $$$ if you buy them outright.

bobbo33

@moonablaze: Who in LA??? Where!
Would you give me the shop name?

@UnderLoK: Now, this clearly isn't the best analogy, but would you rather go in to the hospital for a liver transplant, or get a DIY liver transplant? Not only that, but are you 100% sure that it's actually a new liver you need? or maybe a new kidney?
The insides of cars are very tricky, and many things will look easy to do by yourself, but will end up costing more in repairs when you break something else.

I'm sure many people here on LH are more than qualified to figure it out from the factory shop manual, but in general, it's best to go to the professionals.

psychiccheese

@psychiccheese: If you're not comfortable doing it then yes, you need to take it in, but many repairs are minor and just seem like they are a big deal until you see exactly how it's done.



I'm not talking about ripping out your intake, swapping heads, or rebuilding your trans. ;)

Test out their skill level before your car gives you major trouble.
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