The Advantages of a Shade Tree Mechanic

Almost as important as your personal physician, your attorney and your accountant, your mechanic must be someone you can trust. A personal mechanic is often referred to by the slightly derogatory description as a shade tree mechanic. This mechanic often works for himself in his own back yard rather than a car dealership or typical auto shop. He may also set up a work space in your driveway and work on your vehicle depending upon your relationship with him.

Although a bit tongue in cheek, we will address the very real advantages to finding a good shade tree you can trust. It’s difficult to establish a trusting relationship with an auto shop that works with perhaps ten to thirty cars daily. These bigger shops tend to do a lot of business and they also can be very expensive even for simple auto repair or maintenance. Car dealerships are even less personal. They operate on the corporate level and often will be the more expensive choice for auto service.

Let’s first disperse with the myth that the guy at the auto shop was trained in the ancient art of automotive repair, maintenance and service by monks. It’s not rocket science and the expensive shops and dealerships do not hold the patent on the trade. It’s another myth that simply because a mechanic does not work in a big shop or dealership that his skills are somehow less exemplary. In fact, the contrary is more often the standard. The trick is in finding him.

Same as you would properly vet your physician, attorney or accountant you would also want to make sure your shade tree is knowledgeable and competent in his trade. Word of mouth from your family or friends is often how they get their clients. They perform good work at a reasonable cost and their customers pass the word around. They have developed a relationship of trust and reliability that their customers appreciate.

Supply and demand becomes a factor in the cost and quality of automotive service. Sometimes a shop or dealership can become so overwhelmed that overall service and quality suffers. Rather than a one on one diagnosis of the issue, customers are hurried down the counter to the cash register and out the door with no real understanding of what they actually paid for. Your trustworthy shade tree will ensure you understand exactly what is wrong with your vehicle and what he will do to correct it while also informing you what you can do yourself to extend the life of your vehicle.

It’s common for people to become secretive of their shade tree and will not typically divulge the identity of their shade tree to just anyone. As mentioned, supply and demand can also be a factor with a good shade tree. As his reputation for quality and reliability grows, he becomes busier and you may be put on a waiting list for his services as his work load stacks up. If you’ve never given it much thought try it for yourself. Ask around for a good shade tree and see how people react to the question. You would assume you were asking them for insider stock information rather than a mechanic.

Read more at http://fullofknowledge.com/automobiles/the-advantages-of-a-shade-tree-mechanic/#Zgz94dDHTYJWZfXp.99