Mechanic or Service Centre

Automobile mechanics perform repair work on passenger cars and trucks.   But not all mechanics are created equal.  When it comes to choosing where you take your car for it’s next repair or maintenance job, you want to make sure you pick a place that has a mechanic on staff who specialises in what you need done.  Choosing which type of service centre to use is highly dependent on the type of work you need performed and the type of vehicle you have.
 
If you simply need routine work done such as an oil change, new tires or replacement of filters, just about any qualified mechanic will do but there are other jobs that require more advanced training and knowledge.   Automotive technicians can choose to specialise by working exclusively with electrical systems, transmissions, brake systems, or engine compartments.  Diesel mechanics perform detailed repair work on diesel-powered trucks, buses, boats, and construction equipment, such as cranes and bulldozers.
 
Generally speaking, luxury-brand vehicles and recent model-year vehicles (less than 3 years old) are more likely to have features that require special expertise, equipment, or tools.   Because of this, you may want to take this type of a car to a service centre run by the dealer or to an independent an independent mechanic that specialises in your brand -- even if all you need done is routine maintenance work.
 
Taking a vehicle to a dealership for routine maintenance is generally the most expensive option, but if you don’t have an independent garage in your area that specialises in your vehicle, or you want to take your car to the same place where you bought it, this is a great option to make sure your car is fixed properly.   Dealerships have invested a considerable sum of money in specialised machines, tools, and training, including the most current makes and models. Dealership mechanics get extensive and ongoing training to better understand the particular subtleties of the brand and your vehicle.
 
While some people choose to find one service centre to handle all their vehicle needs, another option for automotive services is to choose different ones based upon what it is that you need done.
 
Choosing an auto chain can be an economical route for maintenance or small repairs such as oil changes, basic brake repairs, wheel alignments or installing new tires.  Automotive technicians who work at these chain service centres may have less training and therefore be less capable of handling brand-specific issues, but for simple maintenance jobs, especially on older vehicles, they are more than qualified to handle the work.
 
 
Whatever mechanic or service centre you choose, make sure that you keep on top of repairs and maintenance, because not doing so can compromise your vehicle’s safety
 
According to the car-care experts at AAA Motor club, the best way to save money over the life of a vehicle is to choose a high-quality, full-service repair shop. “This helps prevent breakdowns, and often saves money by allowing drivers to make a small repair now rather than a much bigger one later,” says John Nielsen, AAA’s Director of Automotive Repair.
 
In order to make your next trip to the repair shop go more smoothly Forbes provides this list to help explain common auto symptoms:
 
  • Backfire. A gunshot-like sound that comes from the engine or tailpipe.
  • Bottoming: Excessive noise or harshness that’s usually felt through the steering wheel or passenger compartment when going over bumps.
  • Bucking: This is felt when the engine hesitates or the transmission slips as it changes gears and the vehicle lurches.
  • Dieseling: What occurs when an engine continues to burn fuel and runs briefly after the car has been switched off.
  • Hesitation: A brief loss of power upon acceleration.
  • Knocking: Also known as “detonation,” this is a rapid rattling that’s heard upon acceleration.
  • Misfire: Hesitation that occurs when fuel in one or more of an engine’s cylinders fails to ignite properly.
  • Shimmy: A side-to-side motion that can be felt through the tires and/or steering wheel.
  • Sluggish: How a car feels when it’s not accelerating smoothly or strongly enough.
  • Surge: A sudden, usually upward, change in the engine’s speed.