What do you gentlemen think of the following ads:

http://palmsprings.craigslist.org/aos/2257705530.html

http://palmsprings.craigslist.org/aos/2259764108.html


Would you trust an independent mechanic such as this? How can you confirm his license and insurance/check him out?

I could probably save a fortune (if he's legit and good) using such a mechanic for things I can't do myself. SoCal dealers and even the indies are $$$$$.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

SirJag

You could always hire one of these guys for a minor job, and see if they are reasonable or not.

I would think for the things you can't do yourself is where you might get in trouble. My thoughts around mobile guys is that they are fine for the easy stuff, but I would go to the indie with a complete shop and trained techs for the more complex mechanicals.

Just me two cents worth...

So if

I used to run my own mobile fleet service. before that I did residential. and hated it. People what crap for too cheap to cover expenses, would make appt and no show leaving me with open time and Ide already moved other appt around to creat a smooth schedule.
Now the commercial was great, preventative maint, and when we would large needed work either did on site. drove to shop(yes many mobiles have a fixed shop location with lifts. otherwise you cant do alot of work like trans and engines. Heck Ive i have stype R on the lift to change the belts cause its alot easier. As with any tech that says they fix it all, maybe yes maybe no. I know cars are way to complicated to know what you need about many issues. But there are resources like Alldata, Mitchell online etc... it just depends on the skill level and integrity of who youre dealer with, regardless of the business

I doubt either of those guys have even a basic understanding of the Jag... they're the Ford/Toyota/Honda kind of mechanics.

I'd trust them for the easy stuff (at least after they've proven themselves), but for Jag specific issues I would not give them the opportunity to get themselves in trouble.

Anyone can call themselves the #1 Rated Mechanic--at least in his own eyes.

I like the part about don't trust your car to an uninsured, unlicensed mechanic.
Your car insurance is primary when techs are working on your car. I certainly don't think highly of any mechanic that doesn't have his license.

A mechanic could have his Master Tech credentials, but that doesn't mean he can work on a Jaguar (without some Jag experience.) I think this guy may be a generic auto mechanic.

An car mechanic may charge you for his or her labor by using "clock hours," the actual number of hours worked on your car, or by using a "flat-rate," the number of hours cited in a flat-rate manual as being standard for specific types of repairs.

I'd check references and recommendations.

I know mechanics that work for dealers and are not the sharpest crayons in the box, on the other hand I know unlicensed guys without any schooling/certificates that can go above and beyond what the dealer can do and do it at a better price.

All comes down to knowledge or experiance.

I'll take a vouched for mechanic over a dealer any day, I do all my own repairs thou

So far my CL mechanic experiences have been 50/50 as in 1 of 2 were good. The "good" one moved from the area & the other guy is lucky he's still breathing in this area, after our last run in lol.

Disclaimer : Violence is never the answer. lol

No, good mechanics do not need to advertise on internet, they are busy just by word of mouth and reputation.

I used Costco when I replace the original P-Zero's and the everything went perfectly. As you mentioned, local staffing and experience make all the difference, but I found that they pay better than most shops and have all the right equipment that's fairly new. The guys in the shop still recognize me when I come through.

I just had a nearby Costco install Michelin PS4S's to replace the P-Zero's. As noted above their shop was clean, they guarantee to hand-torque lugs, and road-hazard coverage is included. After talking with Costco tire shop staff in both nearby stores, I chose the one in the pricier part of the county with what I felt were more experienced & professional staff. (And they do see higher-end cars including the odd Ferrari and Lambo.) They took their time and did a great job.

I gave our best local tire & wheel shop a chance to match the price but they source from TireRack so couldn't--and they said Costco does good work. Taking photos beforehand is an excellent idea just in case, regardless of the shop used.

Whichever shop does the job, make sure that they use your OEM 19MM SOCKET and hand tools to remove and reinstall your wheels. If they use their 3/4" socket and air wrench, they will damage the OEM 2-piece Jaguar lug nuts because 3/4" is slightly larger than 19 mm. That will bugger the outer cover and cause it to spin on the inner nut and make it impossible to remove (unless you know how - that's in another thread). Make sure the nuts are torqued to 92 ft. lbs. Tire shop specs to the contrary are wrong.

not true stuart, what damages the lug nut is grabbing what a tire shop "thinks" is correct and then give it a spin damaging it.i have used a 7/8, and 3/4 for 21 years on jaguar lug nuts and never ever damaged a lug nut and i take off and put on thousands a year. I do this because the metric is so tight and so snug that the lug doesnt want to come out of the socket. Making me have to constantly knock it out of the socket. Also the 3/4 drives on the flank not the corners so it will not damage the lug

That has been my experience. And I only do a couple a year. But everyone sticks in the 19mm.