The Hunt for Auto Care

Look for ASE-Certified Technicians

ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS are a must-have, in my opinion. To reference my medical comment above, this certification is like the PhD for auto technicians. It shows your technician has taken time to educate themselves, and pass standardized auto industry tests on various levels of repair and maintenance.

To me, that shows their willingness to keep their skills up to date, and that they care about their ever-evolving career. The auto industry is moving at the speed of light, and continual education is a top priority for a professional auto technician.

A dedicated, intelligent, motivated technician is a tremendous asset not only to the auto shop in Springboro they work in but to you, the vehicle owner. Accept nothing less for your vehicle and look for the ASE Stamp on an auto shop.

Find an Accommodating Advisor

AN ACCOMODATING ADVISOR to guide you through the repair process is a key player in auto care. The advisor is the person you will most likely be in contact with from start to finish of your vehicle’s shop visit.

That person having great communication, a positive attitude, and providing an educational moment is important. There is nothing worse than someone explaining technical car info and making it way too complicated for comprehension.

There are so many things that can go wrong on a car these days that it’s mind-blowing. Finding a human you trust with your car, that expresses the vehicle’s needs in basic terms, is so helpful in the repair process. Take some time to find that person.  You do not have to use the first Springboro auto repair shop you see.

A Clean Facility Reflects Quality

A CLEAN FACILITY often translates to a job well done. A cleaning lady once told me, “A clean house reflects a clean heart,” and I always felt that was true.

If you find an auto shop that takes pride in their facility, offers amenities to their patrons who visit, and creates an environment that feels welcoming, you have probably found a shop that takes great pride in the car care they deliver.

It shows a little extra care is spent on the details, and that is something I always looked for in an auto shop prior to owning one.

You should not get your vehicle back with sticky handprints on the steering wheel or oily residue dripping off the bottom of your car. A facility that pays attention to details in the front of the shop will more than likely be paying attention to detail in the back of the shop.

Read Reviews

REVIEWS are a must to look through. I shouldn’t even have to say this but look at a shop’s Google & Facebook reviews. Just take a moment to know where your money is going, what their business ethics are, and who they cater to.

Not all shops offer the same services, and not all shops operate the same way. Find one that you feel works best for you and your needs.

I really think you get more bang for your buck, customer service-wise, in an independent shop, but I also own one, so I may be biased. For us, customer service is what made our shop thrive.

Through the years, the shop has been short-staffed so many times I know our guests got tired of hearing that, and I know they get tired of having to wait on appointment availability. If we hadn’t had the customer service piece in place, I know our retention rate would be far less, making the shop less successful long-term.

Look at reviews. They are a sneak peek at your potential satisfaction.

Take a Tour of the Shop

TOUR THE SHOP. It is not an outlandish request to see where your car is going. I am visual, and if I am going to spend my hard-earned money on maintaining my vehicle, I like to see where it is being taken.

I pay attention to things like what the garage floor looks like, what the lifts look like, and what the equipment sitting around looks like. I like to see what other kinds of vehicles are on the racks for repair. These are all telltale signs that the auto shop in Springboro has the capability to provide quality work.

Antiquated equipment, a haphazard work environment, and lack of cars on racks are all little red flags. Are they going to be able to accurately analyze your vehicle’s needs, and deliver quality work inside an unstructured environment?

Maybe, but is “maybe” a good enough option for you and the vehicle you rely on daily?

Final Thoughts

I could get really nitpicky and tell you to look for awards, check out their website, and check out what local community sites have to say about them, but I won’t. I will leave it with these top-line things to check for when looking for auto care.

At the end of the day, you want a shop that is honest and upfront when the conversations on the car are difficult. You want a quality repair done, and you want it done for an amount that doesn’t bankrupt you.

Those shops are out there, and they are waiting for you. Just take a little time to look around, see what they have to offer, and remember that a family-owned shop may offer better service than those big dealers.

Visit Schmidt Auto Care

If you are in Springboro, OH, Schmidt Auto Care welcomes you for Full-Service auto repair on Domestic, Euro, Gas, & Diesel. Plus, Fleet Care.

👉 Ready to experience auto care you can rely on? Visit us at 285a Hiawatha Trail, Springboro, OH 45066, or call 937-514-7860 to schedule your appointment today. Let us be the shop you can trust for all your automotive needs!

Car Caring for our Guests since 2009.