Tekmetric Compared: Alternatives and Competitors

The customer experience begins from the time vehicle owners bring in their car all the way to the final touchpoint: the payments portion. Integrated payments meet customers where they are in today’s digital market whether that means they can pay from their home, pick up their vehicle after hours or pay from states away for college students to pick up their car. Beyond approving an estimate and two-way texting, customers can pay wherever they are, whenever it is most convenient for them. Integrated payments facilitate shop efficiency, improve the customer experience and meet customers where they need to be.‍

1. Facilitate shop efficiency

Integrated payments help the shop run more efficiently with a visible, centralized location. Service advisors maximize the shop’s workflow and drive the bottom line because they can complete more repairs due to efficiency. Integrated payments allow customers to pay without being at the shop or needing a physical credit card. Forgot your credit card at home? Not a problem!

Tekmetric’s text- to-pay feature allows your customers to pay anytime, from anywhere - whether they’re a busy professional who needs to pick up after hours or a parent paying for repairs for their college student. Text-to-Pay allows you to get the repair done and be able to pay for it without a major disruption to your daily routine or needing a physical credit card to make a payment.

2. Improve the customer experience 

Along with facilitating shop efficiency, integrated payments streamline the automotive customer experience with a unique opportunity to drive revenue to the shop while also providing a value-added experience to the customer. Customers will remember how convenient (or inconvenient) it was to pay during the final touchpoint of the auto repair process.

In addition to text-to-pay, integrated payments offer flexible, forward-thinking solutions that allow shops to save time and effort when managing funds and customer payments. Shop owners can share invoices and accept payments via text and email, enabling the customer to pay directly from their smartphone and pick up the vehicle when it is convenient for them. 

3. Meet customers where they want to be

Most auto repair purchases are surprise purchases that not even the best budgeter can anticipate. With integrated payments, Tekmetric caters to the customer’s budget and needs. Not the other way around. Repairs can be a stressful experience so why not make the customer’s life easier by allowing them to pay from home, from states away or in installments?

Offering Buy Now, Pay Later options, allows you to meet the customer where they are financially by providing installment payment options. When your customers need to get the repair done but do not have the budget to be able to pay for it in full in one sitting, BNPL meets your customer where they are financially while also ensuring the safety of the vehicle owner by getting the repair done. 

Digital payments are necessary for auto repair shops in the modern digital market. By implementing customer-centric digital solutions, you can significantly improve your shop’s customer experience by meeting customers where they are, reaching new ones and increasing your shop’s workflow efficiency. Making the last touchpoint of the experience more convenient creates a positive, lasting impression on the vehicle owner and creates trust with your repair shop – encouraging them to become a loyal customer and generate repeat business or referrals. 

Whether you're just getting started in the world of auto mechanics or you're a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your skills, having the right books in your toolkit can make a world of difference.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best 10 books for anyone looking to master automotive repair—five books for beginners and five for professionals. Whether you're diving into DIY oil changes, understanding electrical systems, or prepping for ASE certification, these books can help you become the car mechanic others rely on.

Top 5 Mechanic Books for Beginners

1. Auto Repair For Dummies by Deanna Sclar

Deanna Sclar, a trusted name in car books, breaks down automotive repair in a clear, engaging way. Topics include basics like changing oil, identifying car parts, and performing simple diagnostics. Updated editions also include guidance on hybrid and electric vehicles.

This book is great for high school students, DIY car owners, and anyone who wants to enhance their car repair knowledge. It teaches vehicle maintenance fundamentals and gives you the confidence to handle everyday car repair tasks.

This book is available in paperback and audiobook format on Amazon and Goodreads.

2. How Cars Work by Tom Newton

“How Cars Work” is an illustrated mechanics book designed to make complex automotive technology digestible. It covers everything from internal combustion engines to carburetors using simple diagrams and descriptions.

Ideal for visual learners and those completely new to auto mechanics. This is a great first book for beginners, high school students, and anyone wanting a strong visual foundation. This book is available at Amazon, Goodreads, and Walmart.

3. Service Repair Manuals

Service repair manuals offer detailed, step-by-step instructions specific to various makes and models. Whether you're working on a Chevy or a lawn mower, there's likely a repair manual for it.

These manuals walk you through every procedure—from basic maintenance to full rebuilds—making them excellent for DIY mechanics. The manuals are great for car owners who want to perform their own maintenance and repairs, especially oil changes and part replacements.

4. Auto Repair and maintenance for Beginners by Dave Stribling

This is a more recent release that blends practical guidance with a conversational tone. It’s designed for car owners who want to understand what’s under the hood without going back to school.

It breaks down diagnostics, basic electrical systems, and essential car repair projects with clarity and confidence. DIYers, automotive technology students, and anyone just entering the field will benefit from this resource. This book is available on Amazon and Target.

5. ASE Study Material

While not a traditional repair resource, these ASE guides cover specific topics you may be interested in. In addition, these resources can also help you study for your ASE exams/certification. These study guides cover everything from refrigerant to engine diagnostics.

These resources are great for beginners looking to become ASE certified or just want to deepen their technical knowledge of car repair. You can find these ASE resources on the ASE website.

Top 5 Mechanic Books for Professionals

1. Automotive Technology: A Systems Approach by Jack Erjavec & Rob Thompson

Used in technical schools and ASE training programs, this comprehensive study guide covers every vehicle system in detail. From brakes to diagnostics and internal combustion engines, it’s a powerhouse of professional knowledge.

Excellent for instructors, professional auto mechanics, and shop technicians. It’s also used as a curriculum base in many accredited auto mechanic programs. This book can be found on Amazon and Goodreads.

2. Engine Repair (A1) – ASE Test Prep Study Guide by Delmar Cengage

If you’re serious about becoming ASE certified, this study guide is one of the best tools to prep with. It’s focused on the A1 Engine Repair certification exam and is updated with the latest questions and procedures.

It contains practice questions, answer keys, and step-by-step breakdowns of engine troubleshooting and repairs. Mechanics pursuing ASE certification and current techs looking to refresh their credentials will benefit from this book.

3. Bosch Automotive Handbook

This is not your average repair manual. The Bosch Automotive Handbook is a dense, technical reference filled with precise definitions, formulas, and design principles behind modern vehicle systems, including electrical systems and diagnostics.

A must-have for those working on diagnostics or developing automotive systems. Not ideal for beginners, but invaluable for seasoned pros. This book is available on Amazon.

4. Advanced Automotive Fault Diagnosis by Tom Denton

Tom Denton is a trusted author in the world of automotive technology. This book focuses on advanced diagnostics using real-world case studies and troubleshooting processes.

It covers OBD systems, scan tools, sensor data interpretation, and diagnostics strategies used in modern repair shops. ASE certified professionals, diagnostic techs, and repair shop leads will appreciate this book. This book is available at Walmart and Amazon.

5. Motorcycle Basics Techbook by Matthew Coombs (Haynes)

Auto mechanics often expand into motorcycles. This Haynes book explores motorcycle maintenance and repair with the same detail they bring to their car repair manuals.

Great for mechanics who want to branch into motorcycle repair or work at specialized repair shops. This book is available on Amazon and Thriftbooks.

Other Mechanic Resources

While books are still relevant, many mechanics have transitioned to other resources like YouTube videos and podcasts. Here are some of our favorites.

YouTube

‍YouTube is a gold mine for car repair veterans and DIYers alike. Some of our favorite channels include:

• Enright Auto - for new tools and repair techniques
• Brilliant Auto Care - for maintenance tips and guides
• Tuner World - for DIY and performance videos
• Royalty Auto Service - for repair videos and industry updates
• Super Mario Diagnostics - for troubleshooting videos
• Rainman Ray’s Repairs - for repair and diagnostic videos

Reddit

‍Reddit can be another powerful resource for new techniques plus an online community to answer questions you may have. Some of the best subreddits include:

• r/mechanic - for repair advice
• r/Justrolledintotheshop - for a good laugh
• r/MechanicAdvice - for general repair advice and discussion

Podcasts

‍Podcasts can be entertaining and an easy way to learn while working or driving. Some of our favorites include:

• Automotive Diagnostic - for a balanced diet of everything related to auto repair
• Confessions of a Shop Owner - for brutally honest industry insights and a better way forward
• The Jaded Mechanic - for industry reflections and insights
• Changing The Industry - explore common problems in the automotive industry and how to address them
• Remarkable Results - for automotive business strategies
• Gain Traction - for tire news

Final Thoughts

Investing in a good book isn’t just about reading—it’s about building your skills, your confidence, and your future in the automotive industry. Whether you’re just learning how cars work or studying classical mechanics principles, there’s a resource here that can guide you. The best mechanics know that their education never stops.

Introducing Recommended Campaigns

Tekmetric Marketing now builds ready-to-send campaigns. The message is written and the audience is selected. All that's left is to review, personalize, and send.

Most shop owners know the fastest way to fill this week’s bays is by bringing back customers who already trust them — the ones whose vehicles you serviced months ago but haven’t seen since. Re-engaging existing customers is one of the most effective ways to generate new repair orders.

The problem is finding the time to do it. Figuring out what to send, who to send it to, and when to send it almost always loses out to the car on the lift or the customer standing at the front counter

That's where Tekmetric Marketing's Recommended Campaigns come in.

Instead of starting with a blank page, Tekmetric Marketing does the heavy lifting for you. It analyzes your shop’s data and recommends campaigns that are ready to go. The audience is selected, the message is drafted, and all that’s left is for you to review it, make any changes you’d like, and send.

No blank screen. No guesswork.

Just a campaign ready to help bring customers back.

How It Works

Recommended Campaigns automatically surfaces ready-to-send campaigns tailored to your shop using the information Tekmetric already knows — your customers, previous campaigns, location, and seasonality.

You’re always in control.

Review the recommendation, personalize the message so it sounds like your shop, adjust the audience if you’d like, choose when to send it, and you’re done.

What used to take an hour staring at a blank screen can now be done in just a few clicks.

How Fox River Tire & Auto Uses Recommended Campaigns

Like most shops, Fox River Tire & Auto in St. Charles, Illinois, wants to stay connected with customers and bring them back when the time is right. But deciding what campaign to send, then building it from scratch, takes time most shops don't have.

Recommended Campaigns gives Tammi and her team a starting point instead of a blank page. They review the recommendations, edit the suggested content to fit their brand, and send with confidence.

"Recommended Campaigns provide an excellent launchpad for re-engaging with our customers. Instead of starting from scratch, we refine the suggested content to fit our brand and send it with confidence. The process is straightforward, time-saving, and always delivers."

— Tammi Vest, Business Manager, Fox River Tire & Auto

From Reports to Results

Recommended Campaigns is part of a much bigger shift in where Tekmetric Marketing is headed.

For years, marketing platforms have been good at showing you what already happened: campaign reports, open rates, clicks, and dashboards. That’s valuable, but it still leaves the work on you.

Tekmetric Marketing is evolving beyond reporting. Increasingly, it’s helping you decide what to do next, and doing more of the work for you.

You’ve already seen this with Recommended Review Responses. When a customer leaves a Google review, Tekmetric drafts a thoughtful response for you to review and approve.

Recommended Campaigns is the next step.

Instead of simply telling you that you should market to your customers more often, Tekmetric Marketing puts a campaign directly in front of you — already drafted, targeted, and ready to send.

Your marketing should keep working even while you’re heads-down under a hood.

One Year of Continuous Innovation

Since launching Tekmetric Marketing in the fall of 2025, thousands of shops have made it part of how they attract new customers and bring existing ones back.

We’ve also continued investing in the platform based on feedback from shops like yours.

Recent additions include:

Rich text and custom links in every email so you can create more engaging emails and link directly to booking pages, review sites, and promotions. Bold a headline, organize services into a list, and drop in links to your booking page, review site, or a promotion, in both campaigns and automated emails like review requests and service reminders.

Recurring blocks for your calendar for lunch breaks, holidays, staff meetings, and other recurring events. Easily add recurring lunch blocks, staff meetings or holidays to your calendar with a few clicks. No more appointments booked over your team events without you knowing. 

Smarter marketing-source tracking on appointments and ROs: Automatically associate appointments and repair orders with the latest marketing campaign or automation that reached the customer. When a customer books after getting a message, the marketing source pre-fills with the most recent campaign or automation sent to them, so attribution is accurate without the guesswork.

Recommended Review Responses, helping you respond to Google reviews in just a few clicks.

Every one of these improvements started with feedback from shop owners looking for simpler, smarter ways to grow their business.

Keep it coming.

Already using Tekmetric Marketing?

Head to Marketing → Campaigns to see what's recommended for your shop and send your first campaign in just a few clicks.

New to Tekmetric Marketing?

See how Tekmetric Marketing helps shops bring customers back with online booking, automated reminders, review generation, and Recommended Campaigns.