how really important is it to have a -honda- mechanic?

[mypp]

so i've been going to my mechanic for 8 years now. oil changes, breaks, routine stuff. he works at midas, which doesn't really specialize in any specific manufacturer.

when my honda had what seemed to be an electrical problem (a wire kept shorting out) about 6 years ago, he said they don't take those sort of repairs and sent me to a dealer. when fuel pump had to be replaced recently, he at first refused to take the repair because you need special equipment, etc. then he was able to look up some stuff on the computer and ended up doing the repair anyway. when the heater seemed to have a glitch last winter, he said he doen't know much about honda electronics & wiring and sent me to a specialty shop (thankfully, it was just a glitch--no repair needed).

he says that it's getting harder to do -quality- repair on anything other than "the obvious" (breaks, belts, etc.) if you want to work on a variety of cars. everything is getting computerized. he mentioned that a lot of times his midas would run a diagnostic on a car, and it'd be something with the internal computer/electronics, not mechanical stuff per se.

long story short, this is making me wonder. should i be abandoning my mechanic and looking for a -honda- shop when it comes to repairs on the new car? (though hopefully it won't be needing any any time soon :) )

what about routine maintenance stuff (oil changes, etc.)?

i know it's an odd concern, but i really like that he does quality work -and- allows me to bring my own parts in to help minimize the costs. i don't think i'd be able to do this anywhere else (or at least not the first time i walk into the door), but i want to make sure the new baby is taken care of.

advice?
thanks......

[RTexasF]

If you are going to get a new car then the dealer will take care of warranty problems. Were it me I would keep a good relationship with the guy at Midas but also look for a specialty shop (Honda/Acura) when the warrnaty runs out.

Another angle is to cough up for an extended warranty/service policy and keep all repairs at the dealership. Of course the quality of service & repairs can vary from dealer to dealer so shop the dealer more so than the car.

[mypp]

If you are going to get a new car then the dealer will take care of warranty problems. Were it me I would keep a good relationship with the guy at Midas but also look for a specialty shop (Honda/Acura) when the warrnaty runs out.
well, warranty problems yes, but what if i need breaks serviced, for example? right now, i have lifetime warranty on pads/rotors at lappens (whatever they're called now). i get new ones for free, and then he installes them for minimal charge. it's more cost effective to me than a dealer....

Another angle is to cough up for an extended warranty/service policy and keep all repairs at the dealership. Of course the quality of service & repairs can vary from dealer to dealer so shop the dealer more so than the car.
well, i actually -do- plan on doing that. will do some more research over the weekend probably. still can't drive the new car--getting insurance is taking longer than i expected, so anyway :)

i guess i'm not really thrilled about getting -any- work done at the dealer because they don't let you stand there and watch them do repairs, and that just kills me;.

[princess]

The main drawback to any non dealer is the lack of access to the bulletins & various messages from the manufacterer.

For general upkeep, brakes & such, any trusted & skilled tech will do.

Another drawback is that how can Honda know that there's a consistant problem in a prompt manner if the cars are taken elsewhere? :dunno: (Prompt meaning sometime this century..... :lmao: ) It's the cars that go back to the dealers that get warranties extended for the rest of us.

I do understand that many dealers are awful! To be honest, I'd have a real booger of a time trusting one where we are! There's a handful of techs I'd trust, but not a whole service dept. :paranoid:

So out of warranty, go where you feel you can trust. I would insist on as many Honda parts as possible though.

[mypp]

The main drawback to any non dealer is the lack of access to the bulletins & various messages from the manufacterer.

yeah.... good point.... i guess it also helps to try and stay on top of it as an owner in addition to relying on a mechanic to keep up with that stuff.

So out of warranty, go where you feel you can trust. I would insist on as many Honda parts as possible though.

yup. when the midas guy was replacing the fuel pump, -he- insisted on honda pump and actually ordered it from a local dealer before i even opened my mouth :) but my pads/rotors (and recently a ball joint) are lifetime warranty parts that come from lappens/auto zone. hopefully i'm not kidding myself about their quality :)

[stiller fan]

well, once the warranty runs out, i would try to find a honda (or asian car specialist) that carries honda parts, and replaces honda parts with genuine honda parts.... :yes:

other things to consider here:

- look at how busy they are; if business is very busy, you can almost assume that they do quality work, and that advertising spreads via word of mouth...

- knowledge of staff

- customer service in general (how friendly they are, if they try to sell you things that you know that you don't need, etc)

- talk to other customers that have gone there as well (best indicator).... they can give you stories of personal experience as to how well the shop is run, and if something breaks (either under warranty), see how quickly and accurately the problem is resloved.....

[mypp]

well, once the warranty runs out, i would try to find a honda (or asian car specialist) that carries honda parts, and replaces honda parts with genuine honda parts

well, here's a thought i find interesting. for "not so key" parts, do you go with a genuine honda part or an 'autozone [whatever]' brand part that has a lifetime warranty and is replaced (just the part, not labor) free of charge?

[stiller fan]

i always go with genuine honda parts..... whether it be from the junkyard, or mechanic's shop.....

my car stays in good shape with those brand of parts.... i have seen how differently a honda reacts without them.... :paranoid:

[mypp]

car stays in good shape with those brand of parts.... i have seen how differently a honda reacts without them.... :paranoid:

hm. oddly enough, i don't think my car has ever seen honda breaks (at least not from when i bought it). never a problem :) probably not a good thing to do to my baby, but i'm just sayin' :)

[according2me]

i always go with genuine honda parts..... whether it be from the junkyard, or mechanic's shop.....:paranoid:


LOL. Great quote. I too like my OEM parts from the recycle yards, be it Nissan, Honda or Mazda. :^)

[princess]

Many of those "inspections" we seem to want to pass up 'cuz they're just a glorified oil change include cleaning up the brake parts & lubing the calipers. So no matter where you go or which parts you use, making sure the shop includes that is a plus!!

[according2me]

I wish I had cultivated a relationship with a good mechanic thru the years. The problem is, I could always do most of my own maintenance and light repair and the savings could always be applied to some other expense in life.

I still let the pros do the heavy lifting, (timing belts, transmission replacements), but with a family fleet of aging vehicles, it would be comforting to have someone I could trust. I compensate with good, timely routine maintenance and hope for the best :^)

Time to crack open the Nissan manual.