| rev:text
| - The GOOD:
Convenience: 5 stars. If you have a simple repair or maintenance task, like an oil change, replacing a starter, flushing your radiator, etc -- these guys are a great choice. It is a huge time-saver having them come to you. Their booking system is also very good, as you can choose the time you want (it will show you what slots are available), you'll know which mechanic is assigned to that slot, and you can see his reviews.
The BAD:
Ability to Do A Wide Range of Repairs: 2 1/2 stars. Because their technicians travel very light, they lack the tool set and facilities that are found at a regular shop, which means they are limited in what they can do. Per what one technician told me, they are unable to do any complex repairs such as engine work or transmission-related issues.
Diagnostic Ability: 2 stars. This is in my opinion their Achilles heel. YourMechanic technicians lack certain tools and heavy/expensive equipment needed to diagnose certain Check Engine Light issues, especially including emissions related problems/leaks (which is probably the most frequent Check Engine Light issue in older cars). This was my issue during one visit, an EVAP check engine light code. The technician told me that the only way to find the leak was to do a smoke test using a $15K piece of equipment, which he didn't have (what they do is pressurize the system and see where smoke leaks out of in order to locate the malfunctioning part). I was aware of this test, as I've had this done several times on my cars at a regular shop. It was a shame he was unable to perform the same diagnosis. I paid him $70 to read the Check Engine Light code and he was unable to do anything more -- my problem remained unsolved.
The SO-SO:
Price: 3 stars. I've generated many quotes from YourMechanic on a wide range of repairs (I have two 150K+ mile cars that need regular work) and compared them to some local shops and found that, surprisingly, their prices are only average. The variation in price relative to a typical shop is actually quite high. For a particular repair, I've seen prices that are as good as $200 less, or as bad as $200 more, than a typical shop. Average all the quotes together, and the result are prices that are about the same. Despite the fact that the YourMechanic hourly rate is lower ($75 the last time I checked), I've often found either the overall labor cost to be higher (due to more hours charged) or the parts cost higher. One final note: when they give you a quote, they compare it to the highest shop prices out there -- from a dealer. So, in their quote when they say "you save X%", take that with a huge grain of salt. It's really not an apples to apples comparison anyway, as a dealer mechanic is likely to have more skills/knowledge for your vehicle than a YourMechanic mechanic.
The Technicians: 3 1/2 stars. My experience with two excellently reviewed mechanics has been okay. Both were friendly and I liked them. With one, I told him I had two other repairs that I needed done (an A/C problem and a wheel bearing that needed replacing) and he said that he'd get back to me with a quote for those items. I waited for an email or call, but I never heard from him again. The other mechanic did a great job with the repairs and had a good amount of experience, but he left dozens of hard to clean, dirty fingerprints all over the exterior (doors and hood) of my white car. So...meh...I guess this is typical mechanic behavior and I'll probably have at least one of them back, but I'm not too terribly impressed.
BOTTOM LINE: On price, make sure you shop around. If you have a simple, known repair, the convenience of having them come to you is terrific. You will also likely get a competent mechanic (verify via their reviews). However, if you have a complex repair or one that requires diagnostic tools (such as to diagnose a check engine light -- especially if emissions-related), you may be out of luck. With these caveats, I view YourMechanic as a sometimes-convenient supplement to my regular shop-based mechanic.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)