Best auto mechanics in Chicopee / Springfield area? (insurance, buy)

[ColorsOfMe]

I'm looking for a mechanic I can call my own, someone that is trustworthy and knows when to back out of a job s/he can't do. I need my car looked at before I take it on an hour long highway drive on Wednesday.

[miu]

Plug in your zip code into this database. I used it successfully on a road trip to find a great independent (non-dealership) Honda mechanic in Austin, TX!!

Car Talk. Car tips, advice, and troubleshooting. | Mechanics Files

[ColorsOfMe]

Miu, I'm trying to find NEGATIVE comments on mechanics in my area, using that tool, and can't find them. I have a hard time believing that all of the mechanics in the Chicopee/Springfield area are all that and more. It seems most of the comments on that page were written by friends and relatives of the shop. (not discounting any benefit you might have gotten from it, just saying)

[miu]

Well if you are looking for NEGATIVE comments, then call up your local Better Business Bureau to check on any given mechanic. I feel that on that site, they encourage their reader and listenership to recommend their favorite mechanics. Otherwise, another method is to just ask your co-workers, neighbors and any people you encounter who are driving older Fords like yours where they take their cars for mechanical work.

And evaluating your car isn't going to need rocket science or the best or most honest mechanic in your area. Did you buy it from a dealer or directly from the owner? Things that you can do without a mechanic... You can run a Carfax report on the VIN#. A Carfax can tell you the car's ownership, and accident and insurance claims history. If it you bought it directly from the owner, you should have asked for copies of all the receipts for any work done on it. You want to see that the car always had regular oil changes at the right mileage points. You want to make a list of any parts that are new on the car. For instance, if your car's battery looks dirty and old, and there is no receipt for a new battery in recent years, you probably want to replace that battery in the fall just for your peace of mind.

Check to make sure that you have a good spare tire, a jack and the tool to take off the lugnuts. Buy an air pressure gauge. They are very cheap. You want to make sure that the spare tire has the correct air pressure in it and the rest of your tires too. Check the tread depth in your tires. Look out for uneven wear as an indication that the car needs an alignment. And when you drive the car on flat pavement, see if it drives straight or pulls to one side. Jiggle the steering wheel to check for play in the steering rack.

A mechanic can give the engine a compression test. Either with the car up on a lift, or you jacking up each corner of the car, check for play in your ball joints by grabbing each wheel that is off the ground and shaking it. While the car is up on the lift, you and the mechanic can inspect the car's exhaust system. Check for rust, soft spots or holes in the tubing and muffler.

If the mechanic expresses any concerns about your car, make a list of them and also have him explain to you anything that you don't understand or agree with. Most basic car faults can't be faked and you should be able to confirm them by the mechanic pointing them out to you. And if you are still suspicious of his opinion, then come back to C-D and make a thread in the Automotive section about it.

Also, keep a log of the car's gas mileage. If the car uses more gas than it should, perhaps a tune up is needed. Also things like under-inflated tires will affect your car's performance.

Also, search on the internet and find a car forum devoted to your car. See what other Taurus owners have to say about their vehicles.