Can you recommend a car repair shop in Richmond, BC, Canada?

September 16, 2006 6:32 PM

Can you recommend a car repair shop in Richmond, BC, Canada? 1987 Nissan Sentra on the fritz again.

Searching for that mythical beast, the "honest" mechanic.

Right now I've got a dead 1987 Nissan duck in my driveway, and I'm at a loss for where to have it towed. I'm in Richmond, BC, Canada. For what it's worth, I believe my current problem is electrical in nature. I'm looking for a go-to place where I can be a regular. Preferably not a dealership; they're pricy.

Rationale for posting: I have had 2 extremely bad experiences with repair shops in the area; with your help I'd like to sail smoothly henceforth.

posted by graytona to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

Start with this APA listing.
posted by paulsc at 9:58 PM on September 16, 2006

I've had ok and bad experiences in Richmond.

Blue Max (up on Bridgeport) is too expensive IMO, but did fine work. I've also used Midas on No. 3, and they sucked. Ok Tire on Minoru seems to have pretty knowledgable staff, but they weren't able to diagnose my overheating problem (though no one else has either).
posted by Kickstart70 at 12:12 AM on September 17, 2006

Pretty much any personal recommendations you will get here will be strictly anecdotal and of limited value. Better to go with BCAA approved shops. There's a list for Richmond here.
posted by Neiltupper at 8:28 AM on September 17, 2006

Thank you for these posts. I agree that personal recommendations are of limited value. However, they are far better than nothing.

In my opinion, a BCAA designation is not a guarantee of good service all the time. It is simply a means of taking recourse in the event of a dispute. (Yes, I am a BCAA member). One of the very bad experiences I've had in Richmond was with a BCAA-approved shop. Also, BCAA shops tend to have higher hourly rates of labour.
posted by graytona at 1:48 PM on September 17, 2006

Point taken, graytona. But I figure that statistically you will have better odds at finding a decent place if it bears BCAA's seal. No guarantee, as you've found out, but then, neither will recommendations from strangers.
posted by Neiltupper at 11:57 PM on September 20, 2006