AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
We recently moved to a new, bigger town. Our '02 Xterra has an RMS leak that hasn't been healed by any of the fix in a bottle elixirs so I'm considering having it replaced. With few new acquaintances to ask about reputable mechs here I decided to google "independent auto mechanic" and picked the top 3 nearby based on customer feedback. The first closest place was obviously a 1 or 2 man shop, an engine on the floor, bit of clutter on the benches etc. No front room help so the owner took the info, got on his computer and quoted me $900. I have no frame of reference but that seemed a bit high. 2nd shop was a bit more performance oriented, lifted truck with logo, the owner/mech had full sleeves and a trendy bro haircut but was polite and interested, got on his computer and quoted me $750. 3rd shop was a bigger operation with a counter guy and 4 or 5 bays with windows in the waiting area. Plaques on the wall indicated shop of the year for a number of years. I told the counter guy my info and he told me it could be RMS or oil pan leak, got on his computer and quoted me $1300 to fix both. I said I wanted fixed what was wrong and likely it was one or the other not both. $750 for the RMS, or $550 for the oil pan. All these shops had 4.5/5 ratings from many customer reviews. Only the 3rd shop had work ongoing, at the first 2 the mech was on the phone or tending the counter. Are these shops all using the same job estimating program? Does anyone do actual time + materials anymore? My previous indy mechanic was a 1 man op who was a bit more expensive that other shops but highly trusted and always busy. I have no idea which shop here I'd choose. The RMS leak isn't critical but it's annoying and I'll likely get it fixed. The Xterra is in great condition and probably only worth $4500 so $750 feels like a lot to spend on it even if we keep it for a while longer.
Any ideas on how to find a trustworthy shop appreciated.
Any ideas on how to find a trustworthy shop appreciated.