Saved $250 in Car repair. found an honest independent mechanic in process

[ksarman1]

My Car was vibrating and shaking very bad on freeway speeds so took it to a Auto Repair nationwide chain. They told me my front struts will have to be replaced and it will cost me $600.
Old me would have put this on a credit card and moved on. not any more.

I politely declined the repairs and went online to find DIY videos. Given that Strut replacement needs special tool wand its risky, I did not want to do it my self. specially when I do not have any tools and experience needed for repairing cars.

I found parts in Auto-zone for $230 and found a  mobile mechanic on Craigslist, who would do the job for $100. This mechanic comes to you and repairs the car in front of you. I set an appointment and both Struts were replaced in less that 45 minutes. Looking at how he did it, it gave me confidence for next car maintenance. 

Next time I will try to fix my car myself, if I fail, the mobile mechanic can always come to me and get me out of trouble. So this gives me a way to take risky projects and if I fail, I will have a backup option.

[paddedhat]

We used a mobile mechanic a few times when my daughter was in college. She called and said that her car wouldn't start. I told her to look into solving the problem herself, then get back to me once she found a solution. She found a well regarded mobile guy. He showed up, and diagnosed it as a battery. He jump started the car and directed her to a local parts store, where they sold her a new one and installed it. He charged $25-30 for his service. The next time, in the dead of winter, the alternator puked. He replaced it, while working in the parking lot, and got everything going, for $75 in labor and the cost of the alternator. Had we arranged to have the local dealer pick it up, the car would of been down for 3-4 days and the towing bill alone would of exceeded the mobile guy's bill.

We are serious RVers and were surprised to learn that mobile RV mechanics are one of the best defenses against getting ripped off, when it comes to repairs. If you have a problem with an RV, it can mean dropping it off at a repair shop or dealer, and waiting weeks before they even touch it. At that point, it's common to pay $120/hr+ for any repair time. The same repair can often be done, in hours to days, with a mobile guy, and the labor is typically half what the dealer charges.

[JohnGalt79]

Thanks for the great idea!  I'd like to try this myself.

Any suggestions for how to vet mobile mechanics off Craigslist, to increase chances of finding a good/honest one?  (I'm in a new area, so normal word-of-mouth from my network isn't a great option).

[sequoia]

My Car was vibrating and shaking very bad on freeway speeds so took it to a Auto Repair nationwide chain. They told me my front struts will have to be replaced and it will cost me $600.
Old me would have put this on a credit card and moved on. not any more.

I politely declined the repairs and went online to find DIY videos. Given that Strut replacement needs special tool wand its risky, I did not want to do it my self. specially when I do not have any tools and experience needed for repairing cars.

I found parts in Auto-zone for $230 and found a  mobile mechanic on Craigslist, who would do the job for $100. This mechanic comes to you and repairs the car in front of you. I set an appointment and both Struts were replaced in less that 45 minutes. Looking at how he did it, it gave me confidence for next car maintenance. 

Next time I will try to fix my car myself, if I fail, the mobile mechanic can always come to me and get me out of trouble. So this gives me a way to take risky projects and if I fail, I will have a backup option.

That is very interesting. I have heard of mobile mechanic, but never use it. Not even sure there is one in my area. So did he come and has all of the equipment with him? Car jack, spring compressor etc? Did he work in your garage or outside in the driveway? 

btw $100 is very good deal.

[paddedhat]

Don't forget, if you have the time to wait to complete a repair, always shop rockauto.com and amazon for parts. When it comes to things like brakes and suspension, I only buy the best I can find, and frequently Rock can drop a pair of rotors and a set of brake pads on my porch for  50-70% less than they would cost at a place like NAPA. As for Advanced Auto, O'rielly's, Autozone etc.... they tend to have a lot of house brand, marginal quality stuff when it comes to consumables like brakes, struts, suspension parts, exhaust, etc.......JMHO, but I typically pass on that grade of parts. If I can spend $50 on a house brand CRAP rotor labelled "Duralast" that warps in a few months, VS. ordering a top quality Raybestos, Bosch, or OEM premium rotor online, that lasts for years, and costs the same $50, I wait for the top shelf stuff.

[JLee]

You may want to get an alignment after replacing suspension components - it'd be frustrating to save $250 on a repair and then kill your tires due to a poor alignment afterwards.

[Captain Mustache]

For vetting I personally use yourmechanic.com, there's a decent amount of similar sites as well.

Then if you really want to pinch your pennies (pencil mustache) contact them directly afterward.