15 Things to Consider When Choosing an Auto Repair Shop

by | Feb 13, 2012 | Auto Tips

We were brainstorming a bit about things people told us they liked about BA Auto Care.  Are you new to the area or just looking for a new auto repair shop?  Here are a few things you may want to consider.  Use us as a benchmark!

  1. Location – Is the auto repair shop you are considering convenient to your work, your travel route, or your home?  (BA Auto Care is conveninet to Rt. 32, Rt. 29, Rt. 175, Rt. 108, and I-95.)
  2. Free Courtesy Shuttle – BA Auto Care offers a free courtesy shuttle for locations within an 8-mile radius.
  3. Comfortable Waiting Area – Is the waiting area clean, comfortable, and attractive?
  4. Children’s Area – Does the waiting room include a section that is partitioned off with books and toys for children to play with?
  5. Free Coffee & Snacks – Maybe you were rushing out of the house, and forgot to grab a snack.  BA Auto Care offers free snacks for our customers.  This probably isn’t a deal breaker, but it’s a great “nice-to-have” for our customers who choose to wait for their repairs.
  6. Free WiFi – Like the coffee and snacks, this also can come in handy if you decide upon a “while you wait” service and need to catch up on some work.
  7. Online Appointments & Auto Service Information – Can you make an appointment online, find auto service information at their website, or provide feedback directly to shop owners?  BA Auto Care offers an easy to navigate website that includes the option of scheduling your appointment online and communicating with us via our blog, Twitter, or Facebook.
  8. Awards – What awards has the auto repair facility that you are considering received?  BA Auto Care has received several awards including:
    • Angie’s List, Super Service Award 2010
    • Over 25 years of 1st place awards in Howard Magazine’s Best of… for the auto service category.
  9. Eco-Friendly Practices – Does the shop implement eco-friendly practices like conserving energy and recycling?  If sustainability is important to you, you’ll want to choose an auto repair shop that values these things also.  BA Auto Care won the Maryland Green Registry Leadership Award in 2010 for it’s eco-friendly practices.
  10. Shop Tours – Will the shop allow you to tour their facilities?  This allows you to see more of what’s going on and can help you to become more comfortable with the shop’s practices.  The shop should be clean and tidy.
  11. ASE Certified Technicians – This is another way of ensuring that you’ll be receiving high quality repairs from trained technicians.
  12. OEM Parts – Using high quality parts does matter in prolonging the service life of your vehicle.
  13. Warranty Protection – What type of warranty does the auto shop offer?  Here we offer a 3-Year, 36,000 Mile Warranty.
  14. Hardcopy & Computer Records – We keep both hardcopy (up to 2 years) and computer records.
  15. VEIP Certified – In order to receive this certification, auto repair facilities have to meet certain criteria for technicians, services, and equipment.  It’s another way of ensuring a basic level of qualification for the auto repair facility.
If there are other things you look for and consider in an auto repair shop, feel free to include them in the comments below.  The above list is by no means exhaustive, but we decided to stop at 15!

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About the Author

About Brian England

Brian England, the current president of BA Auto Care (formerly British American Auto Care), got his start with an auto apprenticeship in a small town in northwest of London. He came to the U.S. in 1972 to work for a Land Rover dealer in Rockville, MD. A few years later, he started British American Auto Care with his wife, Jennifer. Brian is a big believe in preventative maintenance, and his philosophy is to encourage and educate drivers on the benefits of a regular maintenance plan.