28 Nov 10 Things to Look for in a Cleveland European Auto Repair Specialist
If you enjoy the high quality and superior performance that European engineering has to offer (and you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t), then you understand the importance of excellent maintenance plans and having a specialized mechanic to handle repairs. Whether you’re driving a BMW, Land Rover, or Porsche, you want a garage that specializes in those fine European imports.
So how do you go about finding the right maintenance & repair specialists nearest to you? Read on for 10 things to look in your European auto repair specialist.
#1: Ask about Specific Car Companies/Brands
Just because a garage says they specialize in imports doesn’t mean that they are necessarily trained or certified for every individual brand. Porsche, for example, is very picky with its certifications so there are many “import specialists” out there who aren’t certified to handle specific automotive brands like BMW, Porsche, or others.
Asking any European auto repair specialist you are considering if they are specifically certified to work on the type of vehicle that you have. It might save you additional outsourcing charges or prevent avoidable repair errors in your pride and joy.
#2: Is This European Auto Repair Specialist ASE Certified?
If the garage you’re looking at isn’t ASE certified, that should stop the conversation right then and there. You don’t want to take any chances with your vehicle, and you don’t want amateurs working on it. ASE certification is the first step to knowing you’re in the right hands.
#3: Do the Mechanics Have Special Brand-Based Certification?
This is similar to the first point, but certain brands offer their own certification to specialists. Once again Porsche is a prime example of this – they are very picky on what mechanics are considered “officially” certified. This isn’t true of every European model, but if an imports service station near you talks about ASE and brand-specific certifications that is a great sign.
#4: Look at Multiple Review/Ranking Websites
Check out the reviews from our satisfied customers on Google!
There are so many ways to find out whether a local European imports specialist is well thought of in the community or not. Angie’s List has become well known for reviews of local businesses, but you can check out a company’s Facebook page and see how many ratings are on there, review testimonial pages, and even see how Google‘s users rank businesses.
Taking time to check multiple comparison sites will give you a broader view of how a business consistently ranks. If you’re still undecided between a couple candidates, search for stories on each company and see how long they’ve been in business. If a highly ranked business imports shop like Larchmere Imports has been around for decades and has tons of high rankings, that’s a really great sign they’ve kept up the quality against the test of time.
#5: Is the Work Done On-Site or Is it Outsourced?
This will tell you a lot about how a garage operates. If they are outsourcing all the work to other garages, you’re almost certainly better off going to them directly and cutting out the middle man. At the very least, you should have questions. After all, if the import specialists you’re looking at are fully certified, trained, and have all the specialty tools they need, then why are they outsourcing?
In some cases, depending on the work requested, they may need to bring someone in, especially for a job that isn’t commonly asked for (such as re-upholstery work), but this should be a fairly rare occurrence. There is almost never a reason for a garage to shuffle your vehicle off to one or more other locations to outsource all the repair work.
#6: How Long Has the Company Worked on Imports?
If you needed a defense attorney, you wouldn’t want someone with one year of experience when you could hire a twenty year legal veteran, would you? Then why would you choose a brand new mechanic when you could get a European auto repair specialist who has invested 15 years mastering the skills to work on your model of vehicle? Experience matters, and European imports are an entirely different game from “regular” automobiles.
#7: Does This Garage Specialize Specifically in European Imports?
Mercedes Benz, Porsche, BMW – these are just a few of the well-known brands that require special tools and training to properly maintain or repair. You don’t want to just go to a mechanic and assume they can get the job done. Chances are they can’t without the right skill set, and if they try, it won’t be as well done as if a European auto repair specialist did the work.
Add in the fact it’ll cost more to outsource and you’ll have plenty of reasons beyond peace of mind to make absolutely sure the service center you pick specializes in European imports.
#8: Make Sure Your Insurance Is Good
Better to find out any potential hiccups with insurance payments up front than when the bill is due. Each situation here is going to be a bit different or unique, but all of them will run more smoothly if you make sure your insurance is good to go.
#9: Will This European Auto Repair Specialist Give an Estimate?
Trustworthy providers are willing to give an estimate. Keep in mind that an estimate is exactly that: an educated guess based on information on hand, not a verbal contract, and the amounts can change. Your estimate may come with a load of disclaimers, which is to be expected and smart, but getting some basic estimates or ranges shouldn’t be a problem from anyone who considers themselves a reliable professional.
#10: Is the Value Good?
Some people might call this one: “What’s the price?” but that really doesn’t get down to the bottom of the actual value. Value isn’t just price but also the experience of the workers there, how they treat you, specialty training related to your vehicle, and the ability to deliver a quick turnaround with reliable work. What’s the overall quality of value from your visit? That’s something to keep in mind when picking a mechanic or repair specialist near you.
Cleveland Area European Car Owners – Contact Us Today!
You’ll find that our service is top notch, and we pass these points with flying colors because we love European imports, working on them, maintaining them, and offering top notch customer service to our customers. Featuring service center locations in both Cleveland and Chagrin Falls, Larchmere Imports takes pride in providing the highest service quality when taking care of all your European automotive needs.
Chagrin Falls Maintenance & Repairs: (440) 591-5488
Cleveland Maintenance & Repairs: (216) 229-8000