DON'T BE HOODWINKED; HOW TO FIND A GOOD MECHANIC.Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Daily News Staff Writer ``Know a good mechanic?'' Own a car and eventually you will be asking one of life's most vexing questions. Or trying to answer it for someone else. The good news is vehicles are generally more reliable than ever these days, so there are longer intervals between tuneups. The bad news is that when something breaks it usually costs more to get it fixed. And it looks like mechanics are doing their jobs better, too. This year the California Department of Consumer Affairs The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is a government agency in the U.S. state of California dedicated to consumer protection and ensuring a fair and competitive marketplace. received just a little more than 28,000 complaints about car repair problems, down about 9 percent from 1996, said Jay Van Rein, the department's spokesman. So far this year, the department's Bureau of Automotive Repair negotiated $4.4 million in refunds and adjustments for consumers, he said, up slightly from 1996. Here are some tips for making the chore of selecting a mechanic less of a wrenching experience: Know your car When you buy a new or used car, take some time to read the owner's manual. Don't ignore a warning indicator if it comes on. It could indicate a problem in the works so prompt attention could save you money in the long run. Know your repair shop Consumer organizations like the Automobile Club of Southern California The Automobile Club of Southern California was founded December 13, 1900 in Los Angeles as one of the nation's first motor clubs dedicated to improving roads, proposing traffic laws and improvement of overall driving conditions. and the California Bureau of Automotive Repair The California Bureau of Automotive Repair has two primary functions: to educate on and enforce the Automotive Repair Act with associated regulations and to administer the California Smog Check Program. can help you research a repair shop's background. Write to the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Automotive Repair, 10240 Systems Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95827. Call (800) 952-5210. The Auto Club has more than 700 garages in its Approved Auto Repair Program. The free listings are available at all AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. offices in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . Call (800) 797-4231. Make sure the repair shop has a neat, well-organized service area, modern equipment and that the policies are posted. Labor rates, guarantees and payment methods should be listed. One to especially look for is the ASE (Adaptive Server Enterprise) A relational DBMS from Sybase that runs on Windows NT/2000, Linux and a variety of Unix platforms. ASE is a comprehensive and robust data management product with a long history dating back to the late 1980s. certificates. It stands for Automotive Service Excellence National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is a professional certification group that certifies professionals in the automotive repair and service industry. and tells you that the shop hires mechanics who have earned that designation by passing a series of tests. The Automobile Service Councils of California is a trade association with about 2,300 members statewide. Members prominently display the group's big metal sign outside their shops. Know your rights Shops are required by law to give a written estimate and there are reference manuals that specify how long a job should take. Ask whether the estimate is free. And feel free to get an estimate elsewhere. A warranty on parts and labor is not required by law but many shops give one. Ask about whether one is included. If your vehicle is under warranty and you want the repairs to be covered, they have to be done at an authorized au·thor·ize tr.v. au·thor·ized, au·thor·iz·ing, au·thor·iz·es 1. To grant authority or power to. 2. To give permission for; sanction: dealer. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) no caption (Auto mechanic An auto mechanic or motor mechanic in Australian English is a mechanic who specialises in automobile maintenance, repair, and sometimes modification. A mechanic may be knowledgeable in working on all parts of a variety of car makes or may specialize either in a specific area , tools) Phil McCarten/Daily News |
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