How to choose the right garage

Finding a new garage can be a tricky process, you usually only go to a garage when there's a problem with your car or you have an MOT or service booked in, so it can be a stressful time, especially when it's your first time with a new garage.

There are many ways to find a new, reliable garage but there are a few things to look out for when choosing which one to book. As the saying goes, if you buy cheap, you buy twice, so consider price when booking a job in a garage, if a garage is claiming to change your clutch for £30, it’s far too cheap and you should call them to discuss the job and how much it will realistically cost.

On GaragesNear.Me, when a garage signs up to be a part of our network, they put in their labour costs and we use internal and industry data to determine how long the job takes and how much the task will cost based on manufacturer’s guidelines. So the difference in cost you’re seeing in the garages on our site is purely their hourly rate, so if a garage is putting their labour costs as £5 an hour, they’ve clearly put their rate in incorrectly!

It’s also important to remember that the quote can change,it may be that you go in for an MOT or simple service and the garage finds that your brakes need replacing or there’s something wrong with your timing belt. A mechanic will only be trying to help you and ensure your vehicle is safe for you, your passengers and others on the road.

We also recommend you look at the reviews a garage has,either on our site, Google or social media, because this will tell you a customer’s experience when using the garage and you can determine if it’s a garage that will work for you.

If you are still unsure of the garage, it’s always worth calling them to discuss the booking. It may be that they can talk you through the process and why it costs what it does, and here you can be reassured of their knowledge and professionalism. 

We would suggest choosing a garage that is in close proximity to you, as this makes it more convenient for you to drop your car off and pick it up later if you need to leave your car at the garage for the work to be done. 

Another fact that many drivers are unaware of is, if you have brought a new car and it’s under the manufacturer’s warranty, you can still take it to an independent garage to have work done, as long as you tell them it’s under the manufacturer’s warranty and they use the recommended components, you will still be able to claim on the warranty if you need to. 

Once the work has been completed on your car, we suggest that you ask your mechanic to talk you through what’s been done, this will increase your knowledge of the car and the work that’s been done to it and also assures you of the mechanic’s knowhow and professionalism.