HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHOP?
Ask around
It is always a good idea to look for recommendations from friends, family, colleagues, and if possible from other mechanics. Next time you are with a mechanic who specializes in some other repair, for example, a brake repair specialist you can ask who they would use for transmission repair. Nobody knows a pro like a pro.
Look for Good Reviews
Odds are when you're at a shop with less than a 4 star rating... you're not going to get a 4 star rating experience. Look for the specific repair you're in need of. Then from look at the various shops reviews that come close to the repair you're looking for. Odds are if you see a bad review with a shop from a customer that had the same repair you had, you might want to steer clear of it.
Are they BBB credited?
Although may seem like an old way of doing things. Getting BBB credited is more difficult than you might think. It takes multiple people going out of they're way to fill out various forms prior to giving a review on the BBB. If the shop is credited on BBB, take mental note of it.
Avoid cheap or over the top services.
When looking for a transmission repair shop look for one that offers prices in between too expensive and cheap. You are going to want to get estimates from multiple shops first before you decide on one. Expensive shops are often just ripping you off and might be dishonest about what they are doing to your car. They might be tacking on a bunch of services that you do not need just to increase the bill. If you are looking for repair shops that offer cheap prices chances are you are going to get cheap repairs. Avoid shops that offer remarkably low prices because oftentimes they are lowering the price just to get the job, their quality of work is sloppy, or they will mark up the price once they are finished.
Look for a Transmission Repair Shop with Certified Mechanics
For mechanics, there are often various certifications available to verify an advanced degree of specialized training. When you look for a mechanic, keep this in mind, often a specialist will do an excellent job at a fair price because that is their prime business.
When choosing a mechanic, at least make sure that they are certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. There is actually no legal requirement for certification to work as a mechanic. Therefore, finding someone who has taken the time and effort to prove their thorough knowledge is always a smart move as it guarantees their professionalism.
The Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association (ATRA) is a national board that specifically tests transmission specialists. This is a difficult certification to obtain as it requires the mechanic to pass several specialized tests related to transmission maintenance and repair. ATRA holds its certified members to a code of ethics and offers a nationwide warranty for transmission repairs which could save you time and money with a job done right the first time. Ask any mechanic to see his certification prior to starting any work on your car. It should be displayed on his wall or at the very least available upon request.