How much distance is between your house and your mechanic?

[Nicoliae]

How much distance is between your house and your mechanic? Do you have back up mechanics for traveling?

I live about 5 blocks away from my current mechanic. I like that my mechanic is close enough to ride my bike to & from during pick ups and drop offs. No need to arrange for a ride or wait around.

My friends think I'm crazy because I have back up mechanics also. I have a VW guy who is about a 2 hours away because my mechanic isn't totally VW friendly. I also have a mechanic lined up in Illinois and in Indiana by my parent's houses in case I have troubles while visiting.

It's nice knowing I have someone I can trust with my car even though I never need to visit them. *knocks on wood*

I'd do more work myself but having no garage or parking lot makes it kinda hard.

[MichelleRoze]

Lol glad I'm not alone. I have mechanics just about everywhere. I have about 3 or 4 within an hour radius of my house. Then I have a few in NC, some in SC, TN, KY lol All of whom I trust and would gladly take my car to in a heartbeat. I'm actually going to take my car to NC to get the timing belt done because the mechanic there actually ASKED if he could do my Tb/Wp. He said he would be "honored" to do it. Didn't realize my car was that special to people other than me! haha But it's awesome.

Oh, none of these mechanics are at a shop. NONE of them work at a dealer. They are all people who've owned and loved VW since the beginning and have taken all of their spare time to work on them and learn them from bottom up!

[Wingnut_rb]

I am my mechanic....and he goes everywhere with me!

[VW Lady Bug]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

Oh, none of these mechanics are at a shop. NONE of them work at a dealer. They are all people who've owned and loved VW since the beginning and have taken all of their spare time to work on them and learn them from bottom up!

Right there with you - Lady lives in the garage at my mom's and step-dad's. Depending on what project's underway and who's available I just call up the guys! I have a nice little bartering system worked out... currently I'm designing the interior for an aircooled bus in exchange for some help with the engine bay.

For inspections and emissions I use my brother-in-law...

[Smileybug]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

Oh, none of these mechanics are at a shop. NONE of them work at a dealer. They are all people who've owned and loved VW since the beginning and have taken all of their spare time to work on them and learn them from bottom up!

These types of wonderful people can also work at shops Where I take my car is a local shop. Its about 15 minutes away. The guys that own it and work there are a part of the local VW forum community. The main owner, Gerich, is really awesome. Comes out to local meets, and has been into VWs since he was in his teens. Def. knows his stuff. And he treats me really well, which is hard to find being a female. Lately, he talks to me more about car stuff when we're hanging out at the shop than he does to my husband! Been taking our cars there for 2+ years now. They've been a great help with our Jetta project too, and are just really all around great people to work with. They've let us use the shop space several times to do our own thing since we don't have a garage. We'll be rebuilding our TD engine there very soon too.

No other shops that I've been to. But I know of 3 other places I could take my car in the state of NC. Being a part of a local forum is great. I know the owners of 2 of the shops, and the other 2 shops owners frequent the site as well, I just don't personally know them yet. I had my car towed home when the shift linkage broke to take it to my normal shop. Its not our trip car anymore, so no real need to have shops other places outside of NC really. And we'll take on some of the work ourselves if we can. Big stuff, we take it to the shop.

[Nicoliae]

All of my guys are at shops but they're family owned and I'm cool with that. Doing something you love for a living.

[MichelleRoze]

Shops are fine. Though I just find it funny that my guys work on cars, do a great job at it, and none work at a shop. I do have some guys who work at shops, that sometimes I go too. For little stuff. Alignment, wheels, etc etc. It's too to be "in" with some folks. lol

[Toad]

Originally Posted by Wingnut_rb

I am my mechanic....and he goes everywhere with me!

Ditto.


It also helps that i have collected a good amount of vw specific tools, and i have a napa, oreileys, advance, autozone, pep boys and impart (i don't think they're a chain) all 5 mins away from me.

If i can't fix it, as every person on the vortex in ATL knows about Pedro, and he also lives 10 minutes away from me, compared to an hour from michelle . I haven't been down here long and he has saved my a bunch of times already.

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by Wingnut_rb

I am my mechanic....and he goes everywhere with me!

Ditto...

[CoriBug]

Mine is about 10-15 minutes and 3 miles away, about half way between my home and work! He has a bubble maker that looks like a cordless drill and Donavan (my 2 year old charge) loves it. He's also mesmerized by the air tools and the lift!

[mybugrocks]

I have a mechanic that is about 10 minutes north of me (I don't go to him much anymore), there is a new mechanic my grandpa found that is close to his shop who is about 10 minutes south of me. I also now have a new beetle buddy who is about an hour east that has helped me out a lot lately (Thanks Vince you are awesome!!!)

I used to have Nic who just moved to OK at the beginning of this month so now I have a mechanic in OK too hehe

[antonym]

For "me", my mechanic lives in my house. His name is "myself", and sometimes "I" help out with the tasks

[Abbie2007Beetle]

i have an uncle who would work on luc (the celica) when ever he had problems but he lives in new Boston tx....witch is about 2 1/2 hours from my house....but for Abbie i just take her to the vw guys cuz she's still under warranty ...helped my cousin work on his custang (mustang)

[Fallon]

After much research I found a guy who works out of his own shop on his property in Norman. He's about 35-40 minutes south of me. He comes highly recommended. I haven't had to use him yet, but he is doing my first oil change next weekend.

[MichelleRoze]

I like being my own mechanic but sometimes there are things that I don't know how to do and feel safer having someone who's done it before running the show and me helping and learning. One day I WILL be my own mechanic 100% but right now, I'm gaining knowledge.

[VW Lady Bug]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

I like being my own mechanic but sometimes there are things that I don't know how to do and feel safer having someone who's done it before running the show and me helping and learning. One day I WILL be my own mechanic 100% but right now, I'm gaining knowledge.

Absolutely! Girl-power! it still amazes me the looks I get when my husband brags to his friends that I do the maintenance on his car!

(Love your quote by the way... I always respond with "6-speed" when I get the question of this is "stick"?)

[overlander64]

I feel fortunate that my Beetle has been virtually trouble-free (knocking on wood)as my mechanic is a little over 125 miles away. Tried to find someone locally to change my burned out low beam headlight bulbs, but have been turned down by nearly every shop within an hour's drive from my house -- basically confirming that I may as well plan for the 125 mile trip any time that I need service or repairs.

Kevin

[mybugrocks]

Changing the headlight bulbs is actually really easy, they say to go to a dealer but really, you could do it yourself

I too am trying to learn stuff about my bug, I do know how to do quite a bit of work myself now

[Baby Sallie]

I got to Irving,TX I know its far but Laycee good for it

[Fl_bug]

Hmmm..... My Mechanic is only a phonecall or text away! He had a shop about 5 miles away, but he closed it and started working for a local stealership. I still take my car to him for some things, but man i miss the prices of his shop! Also, i find it weird to drive to that dealership because i'm passing 2 other Vw Dealerships to get there

If i were to have a bad thing happen at home, i'd still be ok because there is this Vw Shop that has been in business for decades about 3 blocks from the exit of my complex. Thats decent pushing distance lol. No need to call a towtruck for that one!

Finally, there is a Vw dealership, South Motors, about a 5minute drive away if i had to run for parts or something.

We have a lot of dealerships and VwAudi repair shops here where I live. About 6 or 7 dealerships within 50 miles and about 5 different VAG shops within 10. I actually saw one that ONLY does VwAudi electronics! I haven't been there yet, but i'd love to go and pop my head in and say hey.

If Titan had a breakdown, i think he'd be ok!