Finding an auto mechanic you can trust is like finding: -a lawyer who won't overbill you; -an I-banker who doesn't take off his wedding ring before going in a bar; -a DJ who doesn't do bumps between sets; -a ska guitarist who doesn't chase the dragon; -a customer service phone representative you can understand. I could go on. But I won't. Listen, it's just this simple: back before I started leasing cars, I owned cars that needed to be well-maintained. My dad and brother can take apart and rebuild engines, but I lack that gene (I think I got a wine appreciation gene instead, and I'll take it). So, I needed a trustworthy mechanic. Once a year, I would take my cars to Automobile Service Company (not both at the same time, of course) and they would give them a thorough inspection, call me, tell me what the status was, and would prioritize the things that needed to be done. As in, "you need to get this fixed immediately, this other thing will wait a year or two, this other thing doesn't need to be fixed unless it's bothering you." And would quote a price for everything. And the inspection was free. Hard to beat that.