The Worst Mechanic Repair Shops Are In These 5 Cities
When it comes to finding a good mechanic, it can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. This is even more true in certain cities. Some metropolitan areas have a reputation for having some of the worst mechanic repair shops around. So, if you are traveling or looking for somewhere reliable to get your vehicle worked on, you may want to steer clear of these locations.
The Worst Cities for Car Repairs
Pinpointing the worst cities for car repairs comes down to a few different factors. First, if the cost of living in an area is high, car repairs are going to be high too. This makes these locations less favorable when it comes to getting work done on your vehicle.
Second, some areas simply don’t have a surplus (or even a good number) of mechanics. If that’s the case, it is incredibly difficult to find someone who knows what they are doing and will provide reliable service. That said, here are the places that have some of the worst mechanic repair shops.
1. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu might be the perfect spot for a vacation, but it’s not the best place to get your car worked on. The average cost of living is high, with housing costs alone being 219% higher than the national average. It is also the seventh most expensive city to live in in the United States. Of course, the high cost of living translates to higher costs of consumer goods and services, including auto repair. Not to mention, mechanics are incredibly hard to find in Honolulu. The metro area has the second-fewest repair workers per car in the States, according to Repair Pal. What’s worse is the roads aren’t great, so repairs are frequently needed.
2. San Jose, California
It probably comes as no surprise to you that cities in California make up three out of the five places listed here. California has a generally high cost of living and that is seen in the prices of car repairs in most major cities in the state. Where San Jose is concerned, the area has a ton of traffic, which can put a lot of wear and tear on your vehicle. The roads and the repair labor costs are both second-worst in the country (just behind San Francisco).
3. Oxnard, California
Another California city makes the list! Repair Pal reported that the average repair ticket cost in Oxnard is about $731. This is due to the cost of living in the area just being higher, in general. Unlike Honolulu, there are a fair number of shops in the Oxnard area, but each one of them only has a few mechanics on the payroll. So, you’ll likely wind up waiting longer for your car to be in working order.
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
It might be surprising to see a Southern city like New Orleans on the list. Generally speaking, most Southern cities have a lower cost of living. While New Orleans doesn’t have a crazy high labor rate and the roads aren’t too bad, there is a lack of mechanics in the area. There are about 550 cars for every single mechanic in the city. That means that you will typically wind up waiting a lot longer for your car to get fixed if it lands in the shop. Not to mention, the average ticket cost is fairly high too. Although the labor rates are lower, infrastructure and flooding cause vehicles to need extensive repairs more often.
5. Los Angeles, California
Again, California’s big cities don’t have the best roads, which can wear on your vehicle. Repairs are often more frequent and, unfortunately, more costly in cities like Los Angeles. Add in the near-constant traffic in the city, and you have a recipe for disaster. That said, the average repair ticket isn’t too bad (18th worst in the nation). This is largely due to California’s good weather, which decreases the risk of hefty wear.
Obviously, there are always exceptions to the rule. We’re not saying that every mechanic you run into in these cities will be bad. However, a lot of the services offered in each of these five cities are more costly than suburban areas. You might also find that the quality of service is lower due to strain on the shop’s resources or the sheer fact that there aren’t any true mechanics working there. Whatever the case may be, if you can help it, you might want to think twice before pursuing car repairs in these places.
Have you gotten your car worked on in any of these cities? What was your experience?
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Drew Blankenship is a former Porsche technician who writes and develops content full-time. He lives in North Carolina, where he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. While Drew no longer gets his hands dirty modifying Porsches, he still loves motorsport and avidly watches Formula 1.