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Picking An Independent by teknubik
June 30, 2004

It’s like watching your kids get on the school bus for the first time or saying goodbye to a close friend. It’s confusing to see a stranger behind the wheel of your machine. It’s the sinking feeling of the absent keys. How is my car doing? What have they done to it?

The dealership, while certainly an expert on your car, can be expensive and perhaps time-consuming. They may not do some of the things you want done or may not do some things at all because of your mods. These are reasons why independent mechanics are in business. But picking an independent mechanic is tough. You want to be sure that goober knows what he’s doing with your baby; that he has seen these problems before and knows how to fix them. He seems to be a nice guy and has an okay shop but before you hand over that key, what should you know about his business?

The criteria
1. Volkswagens; Passats in particular. Your mechanic should know your car and should have seen many before it; perhaps even specialize in them. Your independent mechanic (sometimes called indy) doesn’t need to be the VAG brain-child or hold a P.H.D in farfegnugen dynamics but he should have a fair amount of experience under his belt. Ask him how long he’s been an auto mechanic and how long of that he’s been working on VWs. Has he owned one himself? What are some of the common problems he’s seen recently and what was the turn around time? Pay attention to his answers and trust your intuition.

2. Hours of operation. Is his work schedule compatible with yours? Is he open on weekends? The business hours should be posted on or near the front door. Is the shop open before you go to work and after you get home or do they have bankers’ hours? What are the weekend hours? If you had to bring your car here to be repaired, would you have to take part of a day off to do it? Some mechanics work during the week and a half day on Saturday; Sunday off. Some are open on the weekend and take a weekday off. Whatever works for you.

3. Common work rates. The mechanics hourly rate should be posted in plain view, as well as common task rates like oil changes. Are they the going rate? This is an important part that often goes overlooked. After all, you will be paying for this weather or not you knew what the rates were at the start. If this information isn’t posted some place, ask and ask every time you go there. Rates that aren’t posted usually change about as frequently. Don’t be ecstatic that you found a mechanic that works for 30% less than anywhere else, either. You usually get what you pay for. This is sometimes the deciding factor for choosing an auto mechanic but it shouldn’t be.

4. Parts on hand. What do they keep in stock and how long does it usually take to receive something that isn’t? Do they allow you to bring your own parts in? Ask to see the stock room. How big is it? Is it a disaster area or are parts neatly organized in bins? What is the turn around for part orders? How many suppliers do they have? Maybe most importantly, can you supply your own parts? Often times you can get parts for much cheaper than an indy. This also eliminates the potential for the shop to pack in profit on top of parts.

5. Shop environment. Is the garage clean? Are tools neatly organized and cared for? Are there any vehicles that look like they haven’t moved since Nixon was in office? The workshop should be clean; free of spills, parts, tools, etc. There should be a large tool chest or two with several clean but well used tools inside. Pay attention to how the crew treats the shop. How many times did you hear a tool hit the ground or how quickly was a spill wiped up. If there were no spills, you might see a mop nearby. Is it ready to go or is the bucket dry? How do the mechanics treat each other? Is there a lot of swearing going on? Pay attention to all aspects of the environment. This is where everything gets done so if you don’t like it; chances are your car won’t either.

All of these are not mandatory. You can pick, choose and add things that are important to you and then base your decision on that.

Searching
So, with these criteria in mind, it’s time to let your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages. Make lots of phone calls. Talk to people you know and trust; ask them where they go and, if they have it, a name and phone number. Ask the most important questions and if the answers are to your satisfaction, arrange an appointment with the manager and/or technician who will most likely be working on your car. If they have any references you can contact, do it. Look for them in the Better Business Bureau. Be brutal if you want. If you don’t like it, you’ll never have to see them again.
During the appointment, jot down notes so you can compare later at home. Garages tend to blend together after you’ve seen several. Pay attention to the details and to your gut. One will begin to stand out.

Continued Patronage
After a couple visits to your indy shop, you may notice some changes. Some businesses will bet on the fact that once you’ve become a regular, you’re less likely to change to a different shop. Now they can charge you whatever they want, do unnecessary repairs and maybe over-bill on man-hours. This is where it’s important to be an informed patron. When you take your car in for service, know what it is they are to fix, how much parts should cost and how long it should take. Then, before you hand over your hard earned money, ask for an itemized work order to compare against what you already know. Ask questions on any discrepancies you see. If this becomes a habit, you may want those notes you took earlier to go to your second choice.

It may take a lot of time and energy but you will feel better about handing your keys over and may even be happy to see your mechanic behind the wheel of your baby. Be prepared to call a lot, ask a lot of questions, be skeptical of the answers and listen to your intuition.
You and your mechanic should develop a good rapport over time. He should take good care of you and your beloved B5 and you should take care of him by sending business his way. In the end, both parties win and you can be sure your car will run well for a long time.

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