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Bayleaf Tire & Auto Repair is located at the intersection of Mt. Vernon Church and Six Forks Road in N. Raleigh. I've had work done there in the past and felt good about both the results and the cost. Chris is the owner and a tech, there are two other techs there as well, all seem competent.
And I think NYC2RDU both gave you a solid recommendation there in Creech. Again, they don't overcharge and charge what I'd consider to be a good, fair price. I think you'd agree that you'd rather have it fixed right the first time at a fair price and not get upsold on repairs you don't need than to have a dishonest mechanic lowball the estimate to get you in the door only for you to either have it fixed again correctly or to try to nickel and dime you/bait and switch you with repairs you don't really need but are made to sound urgent.
I appreciate everyone on here who has taken the time to respond-you included! I just wanted to clarify that, in my particular situation, finding a place that will fix my car without overcharging me is what I am chiefly interested in finding. Threads sometimes develop different trajectories, and I was worried that the discussion might be veering into areas of customer service considerations.
Depending on where people are at financially, they may choose to go with the cheapest option, and that could be the right thing for them at that time. Perhaps they will be better able to afford expensive repairs later on than at this moment and they simply want something cheap that will fix the problem temporarily. Also, more expensive repairs do not always mean that it was fixed correctly or well.
We've used A&J Auto Repair since we arrived in the Triangle 17 years ago, and always found their services to be exemplary and their prices reasonable. Ray owns the place. Tell him Mark sent you.
Installing another motor is a fairly large endeavor especially for a FWD car (most of them are nowadays). While cost should be a consideration you want this done correctly. I should know - I once swapped a transmission in my garage only to have to repeat it again when I installed a major seal incorrectly. Good news is it only took 11 hours the second time vs 16 the first. Ugh.
I appreciate everyone on here who has taken the time to respond-you included! I just wanted to clarify that, in my particular situation, finding a place that will fix my car without overcharging me is what I am chiefly interested in finding. Threads sometimes develop different trajectories, and I was worried that the discussion might be veering into areas of customer service considerations.
Depending on where people are at financially, they may choose to go with the cheapest option, and that could be the right thing for them at that time. Perhaps they will be better able to afford expensive repairs later on than at this moment and they simply want something cheap that will fix the problem temporarily. Also, more expensive repairs do not always mean that it was fixed correctly or well.
Again, thanks for the recommendation.
Sooo...you want good repairs at a reasonable price or do you want the cheapest garage in North Raleigh and you'll cross your fingers and hope for the best?
Because if you want the cheapest, ask for it.
I read "fair price" and think you don't want a place that's trying to swindle you. The term "cheap" is not synonymous with "fair."
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Sooo...you want good repairs at a reasonable price or do you want the cheapest garage in North Raleigh and you'll cross your fingers and hope for the best?
Because if you want the cheapest, ask for it.
I read "fair price" and think you don't want a place that's trying to swindle you. The term "cheap" is not synonymous with "fair."
I don't know that I have a choice in the matter when it comes to crossing my fingers and hoping for the best! After all, I'm asking for advice over the internet. To me, a good repair is not necessarily synonymous with being overcharged. The place I have it now might do good work, but if I'm being told by someone with no skin in the game that they're overcharging me, I tend to think that they won't be dedicated to doing a good job for me. There's a matter of pride in performing a service that seems to be broken when you willfully try to make someone overpay for the work you do. I don't want someone like that working on my car. So, I would say that overcharging is still my primary concern.
As far as the cheapest, I don't think I'm asking for that. Although I imagine that a place that charges "fair" prices would be less expensive than a place that overcharges. Therefore, cheap would be a factor in that equation. If someone comes on here and shares that a certain place messed up an expensive repair or that a certain place has always been honest, that helps me make informed decisions-or at least more informed decisions than I could have before. The usefulness of a community site is in sharing information and experiences. Hard selling tactics aren't what I was looking for.
I don't know that I have a choice in the matter when it comes to crossing my fingers and hoping for the best! After all, I'm asking for advice over the internet. To me, a good repair is not necessarily synonymous with being overcharged. The place I have it now might do good work, but if I'm being told by someone with no skin in the game that they're overcharging me, I tend to think that they won't be dedicated to doing a good job for me. There's a matter of pride in performing a service that seems to be broken when you willfully try to make someone overpay for the work you do. I don't want someone like that working on my car. So, I would say that overcharging is still my primary concern.
As far as the cheapest, I don't think I'm asking for that. Although I imagine that a place that charges "fair" prices would be less expensive than a place that overcharges. Therefore, cheap would be a factor in that equation. If someone comes on here and shares that a certain place messed up an expensive repair or that a certain place has always been honest, that helps me make informed decisions-or at least more informed decisions than I could have before. The usefulness of a community site is in sharing information and experiences. Hard selling tactics aren't what I was looking for.
Does this help clarify what I'm looking for?
Somewhat.
You want an inexpensive car repair that solves whatever problem it is that you've got with your car.
But, a "fair" price in some cases is what you might view as "expensive." Some work is just more expensive than other work.
All the people responding to you on here are regular posters who don't (to my knowledge) own any garages and I don't think any of them are mechanics who will benefit from you choosing a specific garage.
One of the rules here is that we don't allow new members to make recommendations. We do this to avoid exactly what you're referring to here. We want reasonably balanced information. Of course, there will be the occasional long-time member who runs a business of the type that a poster requires, but these people have also been used by other members of this site and they have been found to be good resources. They also aren't allowed to advertise via the forum. So, if anyone contacts you privately, DM me about it.
Good luck in your search!
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When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
The place I have it now might do good work, but if I'm being told by someone with no skin in the game that they're overcharging me, I tend to think that they won't be dedicated to doing a good job for me. There's a matter of pride in performing a service that seems to be broken when you willfully try to make someone overpay for the work you do. I don't want someone like that working on my car. So, I would say that overcharging is still my primary concern.
First of all, you haven't said what kind of car you have and exactly what's wrong with it. Your friend with "no skin in the game" hasn't seen the car himself and may not even know how much work is involved and it's always "too expensive" when he hasn't seen the car himself. If he's supposedly a mechanic and you put so much trust in his opinion, then let him do the work at your own risk.
The solution is simple: Find out from the shop exactly what work the car needs to have done and then call other shops to get estimates for the same job which will quickly tell you if you're paying too much. If it does involve swapping out a motor, then make sure to ask about warranty terms. I'd rather pay a shop a little more that stands behind their work with a one year warranty rather than a shop that charges less but only gives you a 30 day warranty. Changing out a motor isn't rocket science but it is a lot of labor.
First of all, you haven't said what kind of car you have and exactly what's wrong with it. Your friend with "no skin in the game" hasn't seen the car himself and may not even know how much work is involved and it's always "too expensive" when he hasn't seen the car himself. If he's supposedly a mechanic and you put so much trust in his opinion, then let him do the work at your own risk.
The solution is simple: Find out from the shop exactly what work the car needs to have done and then call other shops to get estimates for the same job which will quickly tell you if you're paying too much. If it does involve swapping out a motor, then make sure to ask about warranty terms. I'd rather pay a shop a little more that stands behind their work with a one year warranty rather than a shop that charges less but only gives you a 30 day warranty. Changing out a motor isn't rocket science but it is a lot of labor.
Starglow, I'm not sure why you think it would be helpful for me to share on this thread the kind of car I have or describe the problem. The question isn't 'Am I being overcharged?', but 'Does anyone know of a fair garage in North Raleigh that doesn't overcharge?'. If I shouldn't trust the opinion of a mechanic I know, why should I try to elicit the opinion of random people over the internet whom I've been told are not mechanics? I don't get the reasoning there. I didn't come here expecting expert opinions on car mechanics. I figured I would get personal experiences with garages in the area.
But thanks for the practical advice about the best way to go about checking around for the best deal.
Go to AAA Car Care.
They are not cheap, but don't "overcharge."
And they back up their work with a solid warranty.
Also offer a discount to AAA members.
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