“Get a vibe check,” is not the kind of advice you’d normally expect when asking an automotive expert about how to find a good go-to mechanic in your area. So given the expertise and experience that the folks at Royalty Auto Service (@royaltyautoservice) continually show in their library of TikTok clips, it really connects when owner Sherwood Cooke Jr. puts vibes and human intuition at the top of the list.
In a recent post that’s been viewed over 50,000 times, Cooke is asked how someone who’s just moved to a new area should go about finding an auto service shop they can feel good about.
That’s a great question that gets to a really basic need we all have, whether we’re in our first car in a new city as a young adult or moving to a new area later in life and leaving behind a shop and maintenance stuff that have build up a track record of trust.
Finding a reliable, honest mechanic and shop is just about as important as getting set up with a good physician, dentist, therapist, and home services provider. Here’s how to do it.
Finding an honest mechanic in a new city
At the start, Cooke advises to go to Google business reviews of different auto repair shops nearby, paying close attention to the negative reviews to see if the business has responded and what kind of tone and professionalism they display for an unhappy customer.
Next, he said to call a shop to explain your situation and try to learn their approach to customer service, what their specialties are, etc. That’s where the vibes come into play, with Cooke warning against spending much time with any place that isn’t willing to answer questions and prove they care about making the customer happy with quality, professional work.
“Something like that, really short, not asking your name. I know that sounds trivial, but listen, you want somebody that’s got good service, right? Good client service relations. If you call and they’re short, they don’t ask you your name, they don’t ask you what car it is,” he said as an example of what to look out for.
“The biggest one to me, honestly, is the vibe check. If you call and you say, ‘I’m looking for somebody in the area’ and you get a good positive response out of that, go with your gut and feel it out.”
Finding a new mechanic, beyond the vibes
Other points Cooke offers when it comes to evaluating a potential new shop.
- Find out what brands of commonplace parts—like oil filters—they use.
- Ask about their pricing for basic service, since a full-service shop that charges quick-lube prices for an oil change could be a red flag.
- Look for an extended multi-year warranty on any work they perform.
Other channels like Progressive and Reddit have plenty of opinions about how to size up a potential new mechanic. Some of their top tips include knowing and sharing what your car needs, asking about service rates and typical wait times, and looking for certifications from groups like AAA, NAPA CarCare, or ASE Certified Mechanics.
Commenters on the clip had plenty of thoughts as well.
“The vibe check is good, but I thought maybe the level and generation of diagnostic/other equipment might be the key component.,” wrote one reader.
Another fully backed Cook’s top priority: “Have to wholeheartedly agree on the vibe check. That is probably the most important thing.”
@royaltyautoservice Put your city in the comments if you want some help 😅 #mechaniclife #mechanicsoftiktok #cartok #advice #technician #autorepair #repairshop #automotive #tips #tipsandtricks #viral #fyp #foryou #stitch ♬ Pop beat BGM / long version(1283324) – nightbird_bgm
And we liked this savvy advice to lean on some other local automotive professionals: “Talk to the parts stores to get some ins and outs on some shops and some places can tell you about a 1 man band that’s top tier.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Royalty Auto Service via email.
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