So in an effort to place you in a complete comfort zone, I promise:

If you have a problem with one of my "Best Shops" AND the BBB agrees with your version of the issue AND the shop refuses to abide by the BBB decision, I will personally carry out the directives of the BBB including repairing your car and/or issuing a refund up to $1,000.

NO OTHER automobile association or group makes that promise OR takes that responsibility OR promises you will be made whole and happy if the BBB commands it.

So why would I step out on limb like this? Because over the years all my "Best Shops" have handled all their own complaints to our mutual Customer's satisfaction. Even though I was always willing to financially participate in a dispute, I never had to. So why not come out and tell you, you have nothing to fear, if your complaint is valid and the repair shop refuses to comply with the directive of the BBB, I will!

You cannot and will not find a better repair shop than the ones on this list.Let me be as clear as I can, no amount of money is going to get a bad shop on my list. If they ARE NOT in the top 10% of our auto repair industry, (based on our thorough investigation of their past record) they WILL NOT appear on this list. That's why it is called The Best Car Repair Shops in Phx.

Folks trust me to guide them through their car repairs and I don't take that responsibility lightly. I've been giving car repair advice on local radio and TV since November of 1987 and you have my word, I will ONLY send you to a shop that has YOUR best interests in front of their own, just like I do. I cannot fix all the cars many folks want me to fix and because of that, you've heard me say thousands of times, "You are going to drive by 5 other shops on your way to south Tempe, please let me guide you to a GREAT shop closer to you.".

Mark Salem has done Car Care radio and TV since 1987 in the Phoenix metro area.  Since 1986, Mark has answered car repair questions on KTAR News-Talk-Radio.

Mark is also a member of "Good Morning Arizona" crew and does TV tips at 7:15am on TV 3.

In 1996 we asked radio callers to nominate any outstanding auto repair shop to us and we would publish the list after we thoroughly checked out each and every nomination.

We only approved less than half of the nominations and since then, some shops have been sold, some went out of business, some simply retired. What we have now is a list that has stood the test of time over the last 8 years.

We will add shops as we see fit, but we really believe that this list of shops represents the "Best of the Best"  Arizona has to offer.

The industry that certifies technicians that work within the auto repair industry is The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and they administer a series of tests that automobile repair technicians can take to see how they match up against industry standards. There are eight test categories and if a technician takes and passes all eight tests, they are designated a Master Technician. 

I believe that all technicians should be measured against industry standards. All 11 technicians in my shop are certified in at least one category and 10 of the 11 are Master Technicians. I believe consumers who patronize facilities who employ ASE certified technicians will be better served in the long run.

An additional check would be to see if the firm is a member of the Better Business Bureau. In Phoenix, the BBB can be reached at 602-264-1721.

AAA-approved repair shops have pledged that they will arbitrate all of their customer disputes. However, if you are not a AAA member, some of the benefits of doing business at a AAA Approved garage may not be available to you.

Both of these organizations provide a way to settle disputes and resolve issues in a prompt and fair manner.

In addition to the suggestions made above, there are a few things you can do to significantly increase the positive opportunities for you to get good, honest, prompt service from a repair shop.

1. Always pay with a credit card. That makes it possible for you to refuse to pay a disputed bill until it has been resolved. 

2. Ask for your old parts back. If trouble develops, you can always ask for your old parts to be reinstalled and seek a credit on your bill.

3. Take the time to check on the facility BEFORE you take your car there and spend money to have it repaired.

I don’t think it’s ever too late to make an unhappy customer happy. If my shop had a disputed complaint, I would negotiate with my customer until we could come to an agreement so the complaint could just be "closed" as opposed to being closed "disputed".

Last, the bad news . . . for some shops that is. Over the last few years, I have removed shops from my list for new ownership, a new name, for totally new management and for treating their customers poorly. I don’t remove a shop for one bad letter, yet after I get a few, the flag is raised and after more than "a few" complaint letters, the ax falls. The good news is that I’ve only removed one shop for poor customer service. I think that says a lot about the quality of the shops on the lists I compile. I’m proud to present this list to you, feel free to let me know what you think.

If you don’t already have a good, honest auto repair shop, I hope the information in this area will help you find a repair facility that you can trust and develop a relationship with. But please, let me know how you were treated.