Seeking mechanical wonders

Young Chang

Ever wish you had a mechanic in the family?

Someone to decode the automotive speak, tell you whether the estimate

was really supposed to be that high?

Many of us, apparently, have.

When asked how to find a good and honest mechanic, local car experts

sympathized.

“It is truly a very difficult thing for people who are not

mechanically oriented,” said Bob Stockwell, a Costa Mesa resident who

likes to work on his 1965 Mustang GT 350 Shelby ‘R’ model replica with

his son. “And searching the Yellow Pages is not the best thing to do.”

So for the mechanically challenged trying to make it in today’s motor

circuit of computer-controlled engines, we searched for answers.

Rich Mundy, head of field operations and enforcement at the Bureau of

Automotive Repair in Sacramento, encourages shopping through others.

“One of the most important things is to ask a friend or a family

member for a recommendation,” he said. “And don’t be afraid to seek a

second opinion for repair work.”

Stockwell added, if you’re new in town and don’t have anyone to ask,

call the chamber of commerce and ask for a list of mechanics. Ask for

recommendations, call the shop, then ask the mechanics there to get you

in touch with regular clients.

“But that could be a dead end,” Stockwell admitted.

If all else fails, you can always start a conversation in the auto

shop waiting room, he offered.

Mundy encourages research. The Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau

of Automotive Repair Web site (o7 https://smogcheck.ca.govf7 ) lists

businesses licensed under the agency and any history of disciplinary

action taken against its members.

The Web site also lists tips on how to choose a repair shop, what

makes a good one, how to voice complaints and other common concerns.

One tip is to look for a shop with a “neat, well-organized service

floor. A clean and orderly shop is indicative of a shop that repairs cars

properly,” Mundy said. “It doesn’t inhibit or impede a mechanic’s ability

to repair the next car.”

Joe Miracle, a manager at Bay Auto in Costa Mesa, says to look for a

business that is established.

“It shows that they’re stable in the community, that they don’t take

advantage of people,” he said.

And if you don’t want to be taken advantage of, it’s best to look like

you know what you’re talking about, experts agree.

If the car is making a funny noise, describe the noise in detail

instead of announcing something seems wrong. Maybe ask a friend to

diagnose the problem first, Stockwell said, or try reading the owner’s

manual.

When it comes to general automotive books, few can address every car

problem well, but listening to Motorman Leon Kaplan from 790 KABC, for

example, or checking the o7 https://smogcheck.ca.govf7 site or even

visiting your community car shows can update you on the lingo.

Bernie Kretzschmar, a former mechanic and retired member of the

Huntington Beach Fire Dept., cites one in Huntington Beach.

Hundreds of car enthusiasts gather in a giant doughnutshop parking lot

every Saturday from 6 to 9 a.m. to talk about cars and hold an informal

car show.

“Those guys would know all the good places to get a car worked on,”

Kretzschmar said.

But the Huntington Beach resident acknowledges the problem with

modern-day, computerized cars.

“Nowadays, things are so technical in the engine room of a car,” he

said. “[The mechanics] know so much more than you do, you know what I

mean? The normal lay person is kind of at the mercy of their mechanic.”