I own an auto repair shop, but I really hate working on cars. I am not a mechanic by trade, nor by hobby. My first foray into auto mechanics was when I took shop in 9th grade. The school had just purchased a new 500cc motorcycle engine for the shop’s use. My partner and I were the first to tear it down and put it back together. Unfortunately, we had a handful of pieces left over when we finished. My experiences with auto repair just went downhill from there.
There were a lot of minor things I could do on my own vehicles. Most of the time, however, I had to look for a mechanic. My friends and family had just as difficult of a time as I did finding an honest shop, so I got no recommendations there. Where do I go? How will I know what I’m being told is the truth? Auto repair is such a mystery, and finding a shop I felt comfortable with was always hit or miss (mostly miss).
The problem is that I was never made to feel comfortable. No shop ever made an effort to build or develop any trust. It was about as bad as going to a doctor to diagnose a persistent cough. (more…)
