GTCz-Roger

1. Ask for recommendations

2. Look for an auto repair shop before you need one t

3. Shop around by telephone for the best deal

4. Look for a neat, well organized shop with modern up-to-date equipment in the service area.

5. Look for a professional and courteous staff

6. Ask to see current licenses and certifications.

7. Make sure the shop will honor your vehicle's warranty.

8. Look for shops that display various certifications

9. Ask if the technician or shop has experience working on the same make or model vehicle as yours.

10. Ask how the shop prices its work.

11. If you need expensive or complicated repairs, or if you have questions about recommended work, consider getting a second opinion.

12. Find out if there will be a diagnostic charge

13. If you decide to get the work done, ask for a written estimate.

Source: InsiderCarSecrets.com

QuickGT

Generally the best shops to deal with are the ones most local to you.
The shops right in town, with people you might also see at the local grocery store or shopping mall, these are people just like you, who run their shop off of reputation!

They can't afford to have a bad name in a small community so their generally the most honest and fair about pricing.

The big dealerships (Stealerships) bend you over every chance they get, those are the WORST places to take your car too, unless of course it's warranty covered.

And in that case again, biggest isn't always the best, the smaller dealers will almost always have older more mature staff, and not some snot nosed kids working on your car.

At least these have been my findings.

GTCz-Roger

True. A smaller community tends to be more realiable, however, I had my car fixed years ago in a small community auto repair shop with a trip I had to make and be back to work by Monday, from Northern ms to Ephrata Pa. The car ran very rough. I made it there with the family in the car and had to put the car in the shop there. All kinds of things were wrong. So the repairment did a crappy job and caused more problems than they fixed.

This is probably an exception to the rule.