Finding Mr or Mrs Right

PHOTO | HELEANA GENAUS

Yep, it’s got to be up there with one of the most important relationships in your life. Partner, Family, Bestie… Mechanic?

But how do you know if you’re onto a good thing or being played?

Luckily for us, Adrian from the Rising Sun Workshop is on hand to help us out.

“It might sound simple, but their attitude will tell you a LOT” advises Adrian. “If they’re giving you attitude, it doesn’t bode well for the level of care they will give to your baby or that they’ll be bothered to explain anything to you.”

Conversely, if they also share a passion for your car or bike style, then it means that they are more likely to care and put the extra effort in. “Definitely see if you can find a mechanic who specialises in your car or bike”, Adrian says. “You’ll probably come away with lots of tips that you can do at home.”

Be careful about equating good with cheap and expensive with rip off, as it’s all relative. “Ask them to break down the quote for you so you can easily see the cost for parts and manual labour” Adrian suggests. “Don’t be afraid to offer to buy your own parts if you think it will save them time and you money, but again trust their advice on this. Generally parts should either be at cost or with a small markup to account for the admin side around sourcing and ordering.”

However when it comes to evaluating the quote, please also be realistic – taking apart a car engine, for example, is time consuming and the mechanic should be fairly compensated for that too. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t go to a hairdresser just because they are cheap.

It might sound cliché but word of mouth references are key! From a good old fashioned actual mouth is best, but if not check on internet forums and facebook groups for their recommendations.

And when you find that one, with a friendly smile, easy nature and great work, don’t ever let them go.