Best of 2000: Best Mobile Mechanic

Doug Reed
(619) 280-0372

Doug Reed's been diagnosing and repairing San Diego cars since 1966, and he's seen it all, which might explain his flyer's Honesty Pledge: "I want you to believe that when I tell you something is wrong with your car, I'm telling you the truth." If that isn't enough to make you swear off the dealer, dig this: Doug drives to you. And with a $40 hourly minimum, he's often able to diagnose and repair that "something wrong" within an hour. If he can't, he'll give you an assessment and help you figure out what to do next. This kind of troubleshooting is invaluable to the inexperienced -- read: single female -- who has neither the time for nor an interest in auto repair. "You have no idea how much psychological hand-holding I do," Reed says, guiding the otherwise intimidated through the jungle of what to ask, what to expect, and where to wreak recourse with rip-off artists (ever heard of the Bureau of Automotive Repair?). Doug's "nice guy" approach also generates loyalty and longevity. The guy who printed that flyer has been his customer since the '70s. "Buzz was a starving student who sometimes couldn't pay his bill, and I'd let him slide. Now he's the vice president of a company. The last time I worked on his car he dropped me a $100 tip and a note: 'this is for all the times I couldn't pay.'" When's the last time you tipped your mechanic? I thought so.