Mobile Mechanic or Independent Garage: Which One is Best?

Vehicle owners are spoilt for choice these days; there are so many main dealerships, independent garages and now we are seeing an influx of mobile mechanics doing business in the area. Understandably, more and more people are considering whether a mobile mechanic is a good fit for their lifestyle and vehicle needs. 

Mobile mechanics are vehicle technicians that come out to your home (and often place of work) and fix your vehicle there and then. They are known for being convenient, sometimes cheaper (it depends – we’ll get into that!), and personable. However, as with everything, there are also drawbacks to using a mobile mechanic; there are obvious limitations on availability, time, the types of jobs they can do, the equipment they have, and, it can be difficult to find one to trust as they are often unregulated.

If you are one of those people wondering if a mobile mechanic is right for you or if you should take your vehicle to your local independent, here are the pros and cons for both. 

Mobile Mechanic

Pros

• Convenience
  A mobile mechanic comes to you and works on your driveway and sometimes at your place of work if suitable. This can be an invaluable benefit if you have a busy life or can’t leave your car at the garage. It is also ideal if your car is a non-starter or has a fault that deters you from driving it – you don’t have to worry about booking and paying for a recovery.
• Sometimes cheaper
  Mobile mechanics don’t have as many overheads as garages so they can sometimes charge less for their services. However, it is worth noting that you may have to pay them extra to travel to you depending on their terms and your location. 
• Transparency
  There is nowhere for a mobile mechanic to hide! This keeps them accountable and ensures you are getting value for money. 

Cons

• Limitations
  Mobile mechanics are limited to what they can do and when. For example, weather and space will dictate when they can come out to you and they won’t be able to carry certain tools or do certain jobs due to equipment gaps. 
• Potentially less availability
  Often, mobile techs work alone as it is notoriously difficult to manage staff when you’re on the road. This means they can only work on one vehicle at once, limiting the amount they can book into their diary. You may have to wait a bit longer for a mobile mechanic than you would if you booked into a physical garage. It is also worth noting that, if something goes wrong with a vehicle repair, a mobile mechanic may have to re-organise their diary to fix this, potentially deferring bookings.
• Can be more expensive
  Depending on the job, it may take mobile mechanics slightly longer to do certain jobs due to not having anyone to help if things get tricky. Garages employ multiple mechanics that can double up on manpower to get jobs done efficiently and collaborate to diagnose complicated faults. Some mobile mechanics may charge travel costs or a higher hourly rate for the convenience.
• More risk
  If you want to work for yourself, it is significantly quicker and easier to start up as a mobile mechanic than it is to open your own unit. For this reason, there appears to be a plethora of mobile mechanics in operation and, as with all industries, some will be trustworthy and others will not. If you are unlucky and use a mechanic who leaves your vehicle in a worse state than they found it, it may be harder to track them down than if they were at a fixed location. If they avoid your phone calls or emails, there is no other way to approach them.

Independent Garage

Pros

• Comprehensive services
  Traditional garages are equipped to handle a wide variety of repairs and maintenance tasks. They often have specialist tools and advanced diagnostic equipment to address complex issues that mobile mechanics are not able to. 
• Multiple mechanics
  A larger team allows garages to work on different vehicles at once, facilitating quicker turnaround times and more booking availability, especially for more extensive jobs. It also means there is a wider pool of knowledge under one roof – often independent garages have mechanics that are particularly experienced in specific makes and models, which bolsters the understanding and skill level of the workshop as a whole. Vehicles are ever-changing so the ability to collaborate with other technicians can be invaluable to getting to the bottom of a fault and carrying out the right repair.
• Established reputation
  Many independent garages are well-established and have strong reputations in their local area, offering you peace of mind. A brick-and-mortar garage gives you a physical location to return to if a part fails or a repair requires a follow-up.
• Availability
  Garages don’t rely on favourable weather to work and have the facilities to work on many vehicles and do many jobs at once. With a team of mechanics and, often a comprehensive service team and booking system, they can have better availability than mobile mechanics. They could also be easier to get hold of – with mobile techs either on the road or fixing a car for most of the working day, they may not be available to answer emails or calls as they come like a fixed location garage with an admin team would. 

Cons

• Inconvenience
  Taking your vehicle to a garage can be time-consuming and inconvenient. You may need to organise transportation from the garage and, depending on the service, wait times can vary so it can sometimes be hard to fit into your schedule. 
• Higher costs
  Traditional garages can be more expensive than some mobile mechanics; they have higher overhead costs which can be reflected in the pricing. The expenses to cover maintaining their specialist equipment, physical location, and staff can result in higher fees. 
• You have to trust them
  Unlike mobile mechanics, it isn’t possible to watch work being done on your vehicle at a traditional garage. This is usually more down to abiding by health and safety rules than being shady (!) but there are exceptions to this, of course. Because of this, you have to be able to trust that they will look after your vehicle and be honest with you. It is easier to do this if they have already built a good reputation. 

Why should you use a mobile mechanic?

Mobile technicians offer ultimate convenience, can be more cost-effective and are a great option if you are busy and after basic, routine maintenance and minor repairs. They may also be the right choice for you if your vehicle is a non-mover and you don’t want to pay for it to be recovered to a garage. 

Why should you use an independent garage?

If you have a complex issue needing specialised expertise and equipment, you can’t wait to get your vehicle booked in and you want the peace of mind a brick-and-mortar garage can afford, your local independent garage is the best choice. In some circumstances, you may have to spend a bit more money, but it might be worth it to you if you prefer to work with more established businesses that can tackle all vehicle faults and repairs in a timely manner.

How to find a mobile mechanic near you

To find a trusted mobile mechanic, we would recommend comparison sites like BookMyGarage, ClickMechanic, or FixMyCar. Mechanics on these sites are vetted and therefore, more likely to be legitimate. Alternatively, you may be able to find good mobile mechanics by asking for recommendations on local Facebook groups but it can be hard in this instance to tell between unbiased comments and those that are coming from family and friends of the mechanic. Some mobile techs may have Google Business listings or websites which can be good indicators of their professionalism and reliability.

How to find an independent garage near you

Any fixed location garage should have an online presence including a comprehensive website and social media profiles. You can search online for the service you are looking for and choose from the many local garages listed. Consider their reviews before you make a booking – reputable garages should be listed on Google Maps and therefore have reviews and an overall star-rating. Keep in mind that a business with more than 50 reviews averaging 4-5 stars is generally a better indicator of quality than a place with only three glowing 5-star reviews – there is no way to know if these were left by family or friends or the business owner themselves using different profiles! Another tried and tested way of choosing the right garage or mechanic to trust with your vehicle is simply word of mouth. Ask neighbours, friends and family who they use and would recommend – personal accounts are one of the most reliable indicators of honest service.

Conclusion

In summary, there is a place in the industry for mobile mechanics and independent garages as they appeal to different customers and circumstances. While mobile mechanics are great if you are looking for convenience and easy routine maintenance, traditional garages are best for more complex issues requiring expertise and specialist tools and tend to have better availability and efficiency.