We're in an era when more and more people are holding onto their old cars and repairing them instead of buying new. As a result, the repair and maintenance business is booming.

The best time to find a mechanic is before your car breaks down. You want to develop a relationship with an ASE-certified (Automotive Service Excellence) mechanic. Garages that participate in the Blue Seal program typically feature the most highly trained ASE-certified mechanics.

Another option when looking for a mechanic is to go through the Automobile Association of America, which has its own network of AAA-approved shops.

Whatever you do, trying to get your car serviced by a random mechanic can be bad news. California is suing one Midas franchise owner for ripping off consumers with bogus repairs.

The state conducted a thorough 3-year undercover investigation of one 22-chain franchise that found customers who came in for routine $79-$99 brake specials were told they needed additional and unnecessary repairs. Some customers were ultimately soaked for as much as $300. Attorney General Jerry Brown is now trying to recover $222 million from the franchise owner.

Clark wants to stress that this shouldn't be taken as a blanket condemnation of Midas. There are undoubtedly other shops in the Midas family that are staffed by decent and hard-working mechanics.

Remember, there's never any substitute for your good judgment when starting a relationship with a new mechanic.

Americans are keeping cars longer these days out of economic necessity. Many of us are in the 10-year club with our new cars, though owning a used car for 4 years will have the same boon for your wallet.

Of course, with increased vehicle age comes responsibility. Clark is particularly fond of having his used cars serviced at single-brand shops. These kinds of shops only service one brand of vehicle, such as Honda or Toyota. By doing maintenance on a regular schedule, you avoid bigger problems. The most basic thing to do is change your oil every 3,000 or 5,000 miles.

Developing a relationship with a mechanic is one of those important intangibles of car ownership. Single-brand shops have in-depth experience and are familiar with older out-of-warranty cars. Contrast that with the experience of bringing your car to a traditional dealer's service facility: You typically don't get to see the mechanic who worked on your car; you instead have to deal with a commissioned service rep.

New Jersey wants to ensure that auto manufacturers share diagnostic codes with independent single-brand shops. Some manufacturers have been keeping them secret to ensure that car owners could only go to licensed dealers for service. But that's as bad as price-fixing, according to Clark. The "Right to Repair Act" now moves to the N.J. Senate for approval.

Consumers are usually at a huge disadvantage when they take a car in for repairs. Often, we don’t understand the terminology mechanics use and, therefore, we don’t know if we really need the repairs they suggest. The good news is that there are a lot of resources out there to help consumers become savvier. One of these is familycar.com. The site has all kinds of good information about car troubles in simple English. You want to know what symptoms the car is having and then the site will tell you what you need to do. So, make sure you know what the car needs before you agree to have the work done. It’s also a good idea to find a shop BEFORE something goes wrong with your car. And, make sure the shop you choose specializes in fixing your kind of car.

Clark has been a member of AAA since the early ‘70s. It’s been a good value because he travels so much. Clark gets more maps and routing services than he can count. But in terms of towing and road service, he hasn’t gotten his money’s worth. He’s needed the towing service maybe three or four times in the 40 years he’s been a member. If you think you’re spending too much on your motor club, there are now more options out there. Trade associations and youth groups are now starting to market their own motor clubs. The warehouse clubs also offer towing services for about $15 a month. And, you may be able to add a rider to your auto insurance for as little as $5 or $10 a year. Think about the last time you needed a tow and decide if it’s worth it to spend the money.

Sometimes things happen in life that just aren’t fair. Sometimes, it is the laws that are written that allow terrible injustices to happen with no regard to consumers. Clark has one example. There was a large auto repair chain known as “M2 Automotive” that recently went bust. At the time, there were hundreds of cars under repair or complete in the shops, but people couldn’t get their cars back. In fact, there were armed guards standing outside the businesses, refusing the let people in. No one in law enforcement or the judicial system made an attempt to reunite people with their cars. There were no laws n place, supporting the stranded motorists. The only company that did anything about it was AllState, which filed a lawsuit and went to court. The AllState customers got their cars back and eventually the other people’s cars were released. But people had to wait for several more weeks. Where is the justice in that?

Cars cost a fortune these days, so it’s important that you get a reliable one at a good deal. The good news is that cars are more reliable these days in general and many people are keeping cars much longer than they used to. So, where do you go to get a car fixed? J.D. Power & Associates has researched this topic extensively. The company found that people rarely take their car to the dealership for repairs after the warranty time expires. It’s not a knock on car dealers. It’s just an expression about competition and capitalism. In the past, car dealers have had a lot of difficulty giving people the service they want. Rarely do you get a chance to talk to the actual mechanic who is doing work on your car. And sometimes what gets written on the ticket tells consumers nothing. So, people have slowly migrated to independent mechanics. They develop a relationship with this mechanic and can ask questions easily. This migration has forced dealers to rethink how they provide service. They realize that they must put the customer back in the equation and communicate better with people. Also remember that when your car is in the shop – whether dealer or independent – make sure the service ticket states what the problem is, not what the shop plans to do with the car. They can change or increase that. And get a second opinion if you want, even if you have to tow the car to another dealership.

For years, Clark has been asked about how to find a knowledgeable, honest mechanic. He doesn’t think he’s ever had a good answer for people. But The Wall Street Journal recently sent a reporter out to determine the best way to do this. So, Clark wants to share what he does and what the Journal suggested you do. First of all, he recommends that you find a mechanic before something goes wrong. You can be a sitting duck if you’re in the midst of a problem and you don’t know who to trust or where to go. Secondly, do not take recommendations from tow truck drivers. Most of these drivers make their money from referrals, so they have no idea if the mechanics they’re recommending are any good. Thirdly, if your vehicle needs a major repair, you want a second opinion from somewhere else. The Journal says you need to use an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified mechanic. In addition, ASE program has an even more in-depth certification called the “Blue Seal” program. If a shop has earned that seal, it means the people who work there have been certified in each major area of auto repair. Check out the small number of shops at aseblueseal.org. The Automobile Association of America (AAA) also has a program for AAA-approved shops. The organization has a very strict dispute process and information from members who have been polled. The Journal also recommends that you go to cars.com, which has a section called “Car Talk.” It’s basically opinions from consumers and car buffs. Clark says it can’t hurt, but he doesn’t want you to base your decision on the anecdotal stories. Stick to the programs that are designed to pinpoint good reputable shops. But hopefully you won’t have to use them that often. Cars are made much better these days, so you shouldn’t have to take your car to a mechanic that often.