Business: Marek's Towing & Repair
Address: 20152 Kenrick Avenue, Lakeville
Phone: 952-469-3182
As a female driver of an almost 10 year old car, I have come to dread visits to the auto body shop. I will be the first to admit that my education on the operation and repair of cars has taken a back seat and my beloved "silver bullet" has reached a point where many repairs will likely be needed in order to keep it running. The silver bullet is a 2001 Honda Civic with approximately 155,000 miles on it and I've never had major problems with it. She sure has treated me well.
On my last visit to the Firestone near my home, I asked for my usual oil change and service check. Often times the mechanic will come back and say things are fine with the car, but on this day he informed me that my Serpentine Belts needed to be replaced and that he could do so instantly for $140. I don't like to spend $140 at the drop of a hat so I told him that I would "think" about it and schedule at a later date. Serpentine belts are essential to cars because they drive the power steering, A/C, alternator pump and etc. so putting this off for a few months or years was not an option.
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| Firestone estimate for repair: $141.98 (includes parts and labor) |
So I started calling around to other repair shops, Google'ing and asking friends for opinions on where to go for affordable but dependable auto repair. My day job is within a health care setting and a car-buff patient of mine suggested with a hand on his heart that I give Marek's Towing & Repair a call. Bob, MTR's only mechanic was extremely knowledgeable on my specific car (because he drove one himself) and told me that in his years of experience, ordering the belt straight from the manufacturer would be my best bet and would last for the remaining life of my car. He also taught me a bit more about my car and how it specifically uses the Serpentine Belts which made me trust his opinion even more. The kicker was when he quoted my estimate, about $40 cheaper than my Firestone. I made an appointment, Bob ordered my parts and I had new Serpentine Belts in a matter of 3 days.
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| Marek's Towing & Repair estimate for repair: $104.18 (includes parts and labor) |
There is something to be said about having a trust-worthy mechanic to turn to when spending hundreds to thousands of dollars on a big investment piece such as your car. Bob made sure to show me my old Serpentine Belts versus the new ones and assured me that my money was well spent. No mechanic had offered me that option before quite frankly I like that he dispelled my doubt on my thoughts that there aren't any honest mechanics in this world. Marek's Towing & Repair has a new loyal customer...
{drivingsmoothly}
winkMSP
