{"id":21369,"date":"2019-12-16T05:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/?p=21369"},"modified":"2020-01-21T07:31:21","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T18:31:21","slug":"how-to-find-a-mechanic-you-can-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/how-to-find-a-mechanic-you-can-trust\/","title":{"rendered":"How to find a mechanic you can trust"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Research from online marketplace <a href=\"https:\/\/bookmycar.co.nz\/\">BookMyCar<\/a> found that 6 out of 10 drivers are worried about \u2018getting ripped off\u2019 when they get their car serviced, an alarming statistic.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There has\nbeen recent research in Australia by CanStar Blue with similar findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why do\npeople find it hard to find a mechanic they can trust?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are more than 4000 car servicing and repair workshops in New Zealand.&nbsp; Distrust of mechanics can arise for many reasons, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Cars are becoming increasingly technologically advanced: with various onboard computers, sensors and software programmes, it\u2019s difficult for most of us to keep track of exactly how all of these systems keep us safe and entertained<\/li><li>Opaque quoting process:&nbsp; Nearly all workshops provide price estimates rather than fixed price quotes, including the big brand franchises and premium car dealerships<\/li><li>Communication:&nbsp; Cars require thousands of moving parts together seamlessly, but it can be difficult for drivers to understand why a part needs replacing when it may not seem associated with the issue<\/li><li>No common standards: The car market and repair industry are highly fragmented, with more than 4000 workshops servicing 27,000 different car models.&nbsp; Each workshop or organisation has a different view on what a service or repair entails, making it hard to compare their offerings.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Methods\nto find a mechanic you can trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s natural\nto be anxious about the safety and condition of your car \u2013 it\u2019s the most\nexpensive asset many of us own.&nbsp;\nUnderstanding that most mechanics want to do a great job and take pride\nin their work can help you get off on the right foot with any potential\nmechanic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Younger drivers often find it more difficult to find a great mechanic because they are less experienced.&nbsp; Using a network that provides fixed price quotes, like BookMyCar, is an option for drivers who are less confident about exactly what requirements their cars have, ensuring that the essentials are covered without the hidden extras that some mechanics add on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask friends and family for their recommendations. Look at online reviews, but be wary if a workshop has very few reviews and all are glowing as it&#8217;s easy to get a few people you know to write you good reviews. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless of the mechanic or workshop you choose, be sure to read the small print before you book.&nbsp; Many mechanics charge extra for \u2018specialist oil\u2019 that is required by the majority of modern cars.&nbsp; This alone can add up $50 or more to the cost of the service.&nbsp; If you\u2019re unsure of what is included \u2013 don\u2019t be afraid to ask the workshop what extra costs, like specialist oil, might be on top of the quoted service price.&nbsp; Techniques that can be used may also include only using a mechanic who specialises in European cars if you own one, and choosing a mechanic that offers a warranty on their work.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caveat Emptor, \u201cLet the Buyer Beware\u201d, remains as true now as ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breakdown by age group<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>55-75 years old: 42% worried that their mechanic will rip them off<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>40-54 years old: 62% worried that their mechanic will rip them off<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>18-39 years old: 73% worried that their mechanic will rip them off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sample size: 528<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Total industry spend on car repairs: around $2 billion<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research conducted by Toluna during November 2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research from online marketplace BookMyCar found that 6 out of 10 drivers are worried about \u2018getting ripped off\u2019 when they get their car serviced, an alarming statistic.\u00a0 There has been recent research in Australia by CanStar Blue with similar findings.<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/how-to-find-a-mechanic-you-can-trust\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21369"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21766,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21369\/revisions\/21766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}