There are certain things that you can look for in choosing a trusty repair shop or mechanic. You just have to know a bit of the letters to look for in shops, yellow pages and in the mechanic’s qualifications.

ASE Logo

• AAA or CAA certification. Once you see their logos in front of a repair shop, that’s one indication that you’re car will be in good hands. AAA stands for American Automobile Association and CAA is for Canadian Automobile Asssociation. Once a repair shop is a member of these, it says that the shop passed certain standards for quality repair and customer service.
• ASE certification. This is not for the repair shop, but for the mechanic. This means that you’re mechanic has passed tests and has the knowledge and qualification to work on your vehicle. This certification is issued out by the National Institute for Automobile Service Excellence.
• ADS certification. This means that the mechanic is an Authorized Diesel Specialist.
• IGO membership. IGO stands for Independent Garage Owners. Once a shop is a member of this organization, that means the shop adheres to standards of quality set by the organization.
• Awards given by the community.
• Better Business Bureau. Check with the BBB if the repair shop that you’re planning to go to has had several complaints about customer service.
• Referrals. If a friend or relative says that the repair shop or mechanic is good, then you can try it out for yourself. Most shops rely on reputation and word-of-mouth to promote their business. So, a referral is a good way to get a good repait shop.

Info from:

Auto Repair For Dummies by Deanna Sclar

Image from:

http://www.foxruntowing.com/images/ase.gif