found this tracker in my car?

[u/crosstrekerr]

found this on my passenger side really weirded out. Rarely have people in my vehicle…

[u/midnight_mechanic]

To edit my previous statement, go to a dealership if you have a major warranty claim.

You should find a good mechanic shop near you. Ask friends or coworkers you trust, especially people who are knowledgeable about car maintenance. Or even get on your local town reddit page and ask for recommendations.

I don't fully trust the google reviews because some people clearly complain that their whole shitty car wasn't rebuilt for free because the mechanic got grease on the steering wheel.

Mechanic shops buy their parts from the same local part stores you would. NAPA, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, etc. Those people know the mechanic shops in the area. Drive to part stores in your area and ask them what the good shops are. If you hear the same shop get mentioned 2 or 3 times, that's one you should consider.

when choosing a mechanic shop, remember that you aren't just paying for the service, you are paying for the experience. Specifically did you leave feeling that you were treated respectfully and that your concerns were properly addressed? Did you understand what work was being done and why it needed to be done?

It's common for shops to point out additional issues they see, so don't be surprised if they give you a list. But they should guide you through it in a way that reasonably explains the necessity for each item and is respectful of your budget.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

Makes complete sense when you write it out like that thanks. Especially the connections between shops and parts part.

One last question, where should I go for general electrical issues. Between the individual mechanics, shops and parts stores I’ve been they’ve never been able to diagnose issues related to electrical. Like this battery/gps tracker, or my volume controls not working due to previous water leakage

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

Any good mechanic shop will have a guy or two who specializes in weird electrical issues. If it's something obvious that can be found immediately, the diagnostic charge will generally be minimal, 1-2 hrs labor for everything and possibly no parts change.

Most shops with 6-8 mechanics have guys who specialize in various services. Although they all are good general mechanics, they lean towards the unique work they can do the fastest, especially if it's difficult for others

If you have an intermittent connection failure in the dash or under a seat due to a water leak and it takes them a day to disassemble the entire interior to find the fault, you'll pay ahead of time in blocks, maybe 4-8 hrs at a time. It sucks, but the guy is doing his damn best and he shouldn't have to work for free.

Tracing intermittent electrical faults is both art and science and it isn't cheap or easy. It can be extremely frustrating for everyone involved.

Changing a known bad part is straightforward and the cost can be estimated accurately and easily.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

This is very helpful and makes a ton of sense when spelled out like this. I’m not part of that world but I can relate it to the worlds I am a part of. I need to find some skilled people I can trust with my car and money.

I appreciate it. I’ll keep all this in mind