How to find an honest mechanic?

Best methods: 1) Ask on your city's subreddit or Facebook group — locals know who's honest. 2) Look for ASE-certified shops with lots of Google reviews above 4.5 stars. 3) Find a shop that specializes in your car's make — they know the common issues and won't waste time on unnecessary diagnostics. 4) Test them with a simple job first (oil change) and see if they try to upsell you on things. A good shop will show you what they found and let you decide.

Red flags to avoid: "Your car needs this NOW or it's dangerous" pressure tactics on non-safety items. Refusing to show you the worn parts. Not giving written estimates before starting work. Charging a "diagnostic fee" that doesn't apply to the repair. And the biggest one: recommending a transmission flush on an old car with no symptoms — that's a classic unnecessary upsell.