5 Steps to Finding a Corvette Repair Shop
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Time to read 4 min
Have you ever needed a reliable Corvette repair shop but had no idea where to go? Were you willing to take a chance on some random shop and hope things turn out well? If so, how did that work out for you? From my experience, it doesn’t work out at all and in the long run, it always costs me a lot of money and even more anguish.
In today’s post, I'll give you some proven methods to make sure you don’t “take it up the tailpipe” when it comes to Corvette repair shops. So let’s dive right in.
Auto mechanics are one of the most mistrusted professions out there. A recent survey stated that two-thirds of those polled ("polled" seems to be an accurate word) do not trust auto repair shops and one-third say they don’t have a mechanic whom they feel confident taking their car to. For those with Corvettes, the anxiety level is much greater. Common complaints include:
- Recommendations for unnecessary services
- Overcharging
- Negative interactions
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Concerns that work won’t be done properly
If you're like most Corvette owners, you’ve had your share of questionable, if not terrible results dealing with Corvette shops that didn’t perform to your expectations. And as far as my experience with Corvette shops, and spending huge amounts of money on repairs, I thought I would give some advice for all the things I didn’t do, that, if done, would have made my Corvette life a whole lot more pleasant. So lets get right to it!
1. Find a Shop Before You Need it!
Don’t go looking for a shop when your Corvette is already broken. Do some early reconnaissance to save yourself a lot of stress when you finally do need work done (and you will). Oh, and this is important, make sure the shop specializes in Corvettes (duh!)
2. Get Recommendations
- Ask family and friends for recommendations.
- Talk to other Corvette owners, preferably those who have owned their cars for a few years. Ask them what they’ve had done to their car, the cost, the timeliness, communication, and most importantly, did their car get fixed to their satisfaction.
- Talk to members of your local Corvette club. These owners have a wealth of knowledge and have seen, or experienced firsthand, a myriad of problems associated with Corvettes.
- When finding a similar Corvette in a parking lot or gas station, politely ask the owner who he uses when he needs work done on his Corvette. Trust me, he will be brutally honest with you - especially if he’s been screwed over!
3. Do Some Online Detective Work
Once you narrow down a shop or two, continue your research by doing the following:
- Find out how long the shop has been in business.
- Check the Better Business Bureau, your state Department of Consumer Affairs, or the Attorney General’s office.
- Don’t rely on positive Internet reviews. Shops can have their friends and family post unbelievably positive ratings that totally distort the shop’s true colors. Focus on the poor reviews and notice the dates of those reviews.
Pro Tip: Wear a dark suit, hat and smoke a cigarette during your search!
4.Visit the Shop
So far, the investigation of your potential shop(s) has passed the tests. Now for the really important data-gathering measures to ensure the shop will fit all of your needs. Visit the shop and check for the following:
- Does the shop have Corvettes that they are currently working on?
- If there are a bunch of Corvettes outside the shop, check the windshield stickers to make sure they are current in their registrations or vehicle inspections. This is to make sure they aren’t just baiting you by putting a bunch of cars that may or may not run to show you they are a Corvette shop.
- Do they have the latest diagnostic equipment (and I don’t mean handheld code readers).
- Are there what “appears” to be seasoned mechanics present (instead a bunch of snot-nosed kids)?
- If possible, interview the technician who will be working on your Corvette.
- Certificates on the walls don’t mean anything. Anyone (ok, most people) can pass a test but that doesn’t mean they can properly fix a car,
- Take your Corvette for minor work such as an oil change or wiper blade replacement and see how they do.
5. Get Up-Close and Personal
- Ask to speak to the technician who will be working on your Corvette especially if it’s a weird, strange, or intermittent problem.
- Be as descriptive and specific as possible. Make a recording of the sound or even a video. Write down the problem so you can effectively communicate it to the tech. Give it to him for his reference.
- Don’t have the attitude that you know more than the tech does.
- Ask the mechanic or service technician to take a ride with you so they can experience the problem firsthand.
These steps will help you establish a positive relationship with the shop. In other words, be a conscientious customer. That will show the tech you are engaged with your Corvette. And if there are problems with the repair, give the mechanic or shop the benefit of the doubt and allow them the opportunity to make it right. And on the personal side, become a favorite customer of their shop. Let them know they will be YOUR Corvette shop and provide them with positive feedback. And most important of all, bring them baked goods “just because”!
Now, I’d like to hear from you. Which strategy from today’s post are you going to try? Or maybe I didn’t mention a tip that worked out great for you. Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.
Darrin Nepinsky
